Ciudad Valles to Zacualpan de Amilpas is about 319 road miles (513 km): roughly 7 h 50 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance by road | 319 mi (513 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 50 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-85 → MEX-102 → MEX-105 → MEX-88 → MEX-132 → MEX-M40D → PUE 438D |
| Mexican states on the route | San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Morelos |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.8 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas
MEX-105 (94 mi) and MEX-85 (65 mi) carry about 50% of the 319 miles. It runs through 6 states: San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Morelos. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-M40D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Ciudad Valles to Zacualpan de Amilpas
| 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 | 179–194 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 194–198 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-88 | 198–213 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 213–214 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-132 | 214–217 | 3 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 217–263 | 46 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| local roads | 263–293 | 30 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 293–316 | 23 | Puebla, Morelos |
| local roads | 316–319 | 3 | Morelos |
- Mile 75 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 216 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 229 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 236 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 259 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 314 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Regional de la Sierra Alta (mile 139), Paste Museum (mile 190), Parque Ecológico Cubitos (mile 198)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Ecológico Cubitos (mile 198), Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 258)
- Museums and history: Museo Regional de la Sierra Alta (mile 139), Paste Museum (mile 190), Museo Nacional de la Fotografía (mile 194)
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.
Paste Museum
The Museo del Paste in Mineral del Monte, Hidalgo, is a food museum that shares and promotes the culinary and historical legacy of the paste.
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.
Museo Nacional de la Fotografía
Pachuca de Soto, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo, is home to the Museo Nacional de la Fotografía, a museum devoted to photography.
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.
Parque nacional Xicoténcatl
Covering roughly 600 hectares in central Tlaxcala, Xicohténcatl National Park takes in the historic center of Tlaxcala city plus Quiahuixtlán, Ocotelulco and Tepeticpac, which correspond to three of the old Tlaxcalan lordships.
Convento de Huejotzingo
Founded by Franciscans in the 16th century, the former convent of San Miguel Arcángel in Huejotzingo shows colonial Plateresque architecture on the western slopes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1994.
More drives to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Puebla to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Cuernavaca to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Zacatelco to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Mexico City to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Chiautempan to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Apizaco to Zacualpan de Amilpas
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
- Ciudad Valles to Tepoztlán Road Trip: Distance, Time & Stops
- Ciudad Valles to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes Road Trip
- Ciudad Valles to Calvillo Road Trip: Stops, Tolls & Drive Time
- Ciudad Valles to Oaxtepec Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way
- Ciudad Valles to Salvatierra Road Trip: Distance, Time & Stops
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Ciudad Valles to Zacualpan de Amilpas?
About 7 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 319 miles.
What is the driving distance from Ciudad Valles to Zacualpan de Amilpas?
About 319 miles (513 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas?
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 Zacualpan de Amilpas?
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; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas use?
In order: MEX-85, MEX-102, MEX-105, MEX-88, MEX-132, MEX-M40D and PUE 438D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Ciudad Valles to Zacualpan de Amilpas?
Closest to the road: Museo Regional de la Sierra Alta (museum, mile 139, 0.4 mi from the route); Paste Museum (museum, mile 190, 0.4 mi from the route); Parque Ecológico Cubitos (park, mile 198, 0.7 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.