By road, Ciudad Valles and Tlayacapan are about 302 miles (486 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 43 min of driving.
| Distance | 302 mi (486 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 7 h 43 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-85 → MEX-102 → MEX-105 → MEX-85D → MEX-5D → MEX-113 |
| Mexican states on the route | San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Morelos |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-85D, MEX-5D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora) |
|---|---|
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
On the road from Ciudad Valles to Tlayacapan
MEX-105 (93 mi) and MEX-85 (81 mi) carry about 58% of the 302 miles. It runs through 4 states: San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Morelos. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-85D and MEX-5D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Ciudad Valles to Tlayacapan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-85 | 2–67 | 65 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-102 | 67–71 | 4 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 71–96 | 25 | San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 96–175 | 79 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 175–179 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 179–193 | 14 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 193–200 | 7 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-85 | 200–216 | 16 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-85D | 216–236 | 20 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 236–237 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-5D | 237–270 | 33 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 270–272 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 272–284 | 12 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-113 | 284–297 | 13 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| local roads | 297–302 | 5 | Morelos |
- Mile 75 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 221 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 288 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Ciudad Valles and Tlayacapan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Regional de la Sierra Alta (mile 138), Ex monastery of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pachuca de Soto, Hidalgo (mile 194)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Ecológico Cubitos (mile 196)
- Museums and history: Museo Regional de la Sierra Alta (mile 138), Luis Barragán House and Studio (mile 247), Acozac (mile 269)
Museo Regional de la Sierra Alta
Museo Regional de la Sierra Alta is a regional museum in the town of Zacualtipán, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
Antiguo Convento Franciscano
Dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, the Antiguo Convento Franciscano in Zacatlán was founded by the Franciscans in 1562 and finished in 1567, and it still holds Catholic services.
Ex monastery of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pachuca de Soto, Hidalgo
The Templo y exconvento de San Francisco in Pachuca de Soto is mainly Baroque, with touches of Churrigueresque and Neoclassical style. Construction began in 1596 under Fray Francisco de Torantos, who chose the style of its facade and windows.
Parque Ecológico Cubitos
Between Pachuca de Soto and Mineral de la Reforma, Parque Ecológico Cubitos is a 90-hectare protected natural area whose public section has a botanical garden, an arboretum, a herpetarium, a farm, a maze, a zip line and a bike path.
Historic center of Mexico City
Built by the Spanish in the 16th century on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, Mexico City's Centro Histórico holds the Metropolitan Cathedral, the excavated Aztec Templo Mayor and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1987.
Luis Barragán House and Studio
Luis Barragán built his own house and studio in Mexico City in 1948, blending modern design with Mexican vernacular touches. The concrete house and its private garden joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2004.
Guerrero Chimalli
Rising 60 meters beside Bordo de Xochiaca Avenue in Chimalhuacán, this steel sculpture by Sebastián depicts an Indigenous warrior holding a shield (chimalli) and a mace.
Acozac
Acozac is an archaeological site in the municipality of Ixtapaluca, State of Mexico, located at kilometer 30 of the federal Mexico City–Puebla road, heading toward Ixtapaluca.
When you get to Tlayacapan
Templo y exconvento de San Guillermo
Augustinian friars began the Templo y Exconvento de San Guillermo in Totolapan in the mid-16th century; part of the UNESCO-listed Popocatépetl monasteries, it was badly damaged in the 2017 earthquake, and INAH has supervised its restoration.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
More drives to Tlayacapan
- Atlixco to Tlayacapan
- Otumba to Tlayacapan
- Calpulalpan to Tlayacapan
- Metepec to Tlayacapan
- Toluca to Tlayacapan
- Puebla to Tlayacapan
From Ciudad Valles to other places in Mexico
- Ciudad Valles to Tecolutla
- Ciudad Valles to Pedro Escobedo
- Ciudad Valles to Otumba
- Ciudad Valles to Cuetzalan
- Ciudad Valles to Tlaxcala
- Ciudad Valles to Chiautempan
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Ciudad Valles to Tlayacapan?
About 7 h 43 min of driving without stops, over 302 miles.
What is the driving distance from Ciudad Valles to Tlayacapan?
About 302 miles (486 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Ciudad Valles to Tlayacapan?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.
Is it safe to drive from Ciudad Valles to Tlayacapan?
The U.S. State Department rates San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Ciudad Valles to Tlayacapan use?
In order: MEX-85, MEX-102, MEX-105, MEX-85D, MEX-5D and MEX-113. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ciudad Valles and Tlayacapan?
Closest to the road: Museo Regional de la Sierra Alta (museum, mile 138, 0.4 mi from the route); Ex monastery of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pachuca de Soto, Hidalgo (convent, mile 194, 0.4 mi from the route); Guerrero Chimalli (colossal statue, mile 251, 1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.