The Wayro route from Colima to Oaxtepec is 436 miles (702 km), about 8 h 36 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 436 mi (702 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 36 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-110 → MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-200 → MEX-95D → MEX-160D |
| Mexican states on the route | Colima (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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.
What the drive from Colima to Oaxtepec is like
MEX-15D (188 mi) and MEX-110 (83 mi) carry about 62% of the 436 miles. MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-54, MEX-110, MEX-15, MEX-55, MEX-200 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Colima, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Colima to Oaxtepec, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-54 | 0–6 | 6 | Colima |
| MEX-54D | 6–30 | 24 | Colima, Jalisco |
| MEX-54 | 30–39 | 9 | Jalisco |
| MEX-110 | 39–104 | 65 | Jalisco, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 104–106 | 2 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 106–112 | 6 | Michoacán |
| MEX-110 | 112–130 | 18 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 130–134 | 4 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 134–322 | 188 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 322–326 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 326–360 | 34 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 360–365 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 365–371 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 371–372 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 372–380 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 380–383 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 383–387 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 387–391 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 391–406 | 15 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 406–413 | 7 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 413–419 | 6 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 419–435 | 16 | Morelos |
| local roads | 435–436 | 1 | Morelos |
- Mile 15 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 82 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 130 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 137 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 305 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 398 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Colima and Oaxtepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 324), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 400)
- Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 19), La Marquesa National Park (mile 380), Cumbres del Ajusco National Park (mile 399), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 400)
- Museums and history: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 284), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 324), Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 413), Teopanzolco (mile 413)
Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park
This national park in western Mexico protects the upper slopes of two volcanic peaks, Volcán de Colima and Nevado de Colima, in the states of Jalisco and Colima.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.
Ciénegas del Lerma
These marshes in the Toluca Valley are three lakes left from a wetland of about 27,000 hectares in the late 19th century. A Ramsar site since 2004, they hold dozens of endemic and threatened species and are a key stop for migratory species.
La Marquesa National Park
Set in high-altitude conifer forest along the Mexico City–Toluca highway, La Marquesa National Park offers roadside eateries, horse and ATV rentals, mountain biking and camping, and marks the site of the 1810 Battle of Monte de las Cruces.
Cumbres del Ajusco National Park
Pine and oak forests climb toward alpine meadows in Cumbres del Ajusco National Park, on Mexico City's southern edge. It draws hikers, climbers and cyclists, and it gets occasional snow, a rarity for the region.
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
Seven lagoons, three of them permanent, sit among pine, oak and fir forest above 3,000 meters in this park, decreed in 1936 on the Morelos–State of Mexico line. Hiking, horseback riding, camping and rowboats are popular here.
Cuernavaca Cathedral
Franciscans built this 16th-century convent church, now Cuernavaca's cathedral and part of the UNESCO-listed monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl; visitors can see its murals, side chapels and a sacred art museum.
Teopanzolco
Now surrounded by the city of Cuernavaca, Teopanzolco preserves a Late Postclassic pyramid base that once carried twin temples to Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli, a layout closely tied to Tenochtitlan's sacred precinct.
When you get to Oaxtepec
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In Oaxtepec, the Exconvento de Santo Domingo de Guzmán is among the first convents the Dominicans built in Mexico, and its walls preserve extensive fresco painting from the colonial era.
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 Oaxtepec
- Malinalco to Oaxtepec
- Mexico City to Oaxtepec
- Metepec to Oaxtepec
- Toluca to Oaxtepec
- Otumba to Oaxtepec
- Taxco to Oaxtepec
From Colima to other places in Mexico
- Colima to Sayula
- Colima to Tequila
- Colima to Tepatitlán
- Colima to Paracho
- Colima to Temacapulín
- Colima to San Juan de los Lagos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Colima to Oaxtepec?
About 8 h 36 min of driving without stops, over 436 miles.
How far is Oaxtepec from Colima by car?
About 436 miles (702 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 Colima to Oaxtepec?
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 Colima to Oaxtepec?
The U.S. State Department rates Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; 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 Colima to Oaxtepec use?
In order: MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-110, MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95D and MEX-160D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Colima and Oaxtepec?
Closest to the road: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 284, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 324, 0.4 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 400, 0.4 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 mile 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 (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city 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.