The Wayro route from Colima to Tetela del Volcán is 471 miles (758 km), about 8 h 47 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 471 mi (758 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 47 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-110 → MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-5D → MEX-115 |
| Mexican states on the route | Colima (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.8 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 Tetela del Volcán is like
MEX-15D (189 mi) and MEX-110 (83 mi) carry about 58% of the 471 miles. MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-54, MEX-110, MEX-15, MEX-115 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 6 states: Colima, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Colima to Tetela del Volcán, 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 | 134–323 | 189 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 323–356 | 33 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 356–357 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 357–378 | 21 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-5D | 378–432 | 54 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 432–433 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-115 | 433–453 | 20 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 453–471 | 18 | State of Mexico, 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 355 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 375 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 462 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Colima and Tetela del Volcán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (mile 420), Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad (mile 445)
- Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 19), Rayón National Park (mile 301), Tula National Park (mile 360), Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad (mile 445), Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park (mile 447)
- Museums and history: Luis Barragán House and Studio (mile 409), Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (mile 420)
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.
Rayón National Park
Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.
Tula National Park
This park protects the ruins of Tula, ancient capital of the Toltecs. Walk up to the main pyramid to stand beside the Atlantes, basalt warrior figures more than four meters tall, and look for the Coatepantli wall's reliefs of snakes devouring skeletons.
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.
Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario
The museum at the Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario opened in 2011 with a permanent exhibit, Encuentro con Nuestras Raíces, a hall of art from the State of Mexico and three temporary galleries.
Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad
Bosque de los Árboles de Navidad in Amecameca, State of Mexico, is a tourist park with a greenhouse, covering about 400 hectares.
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park, also called Izta-Popo Zoquiapan, protects the land around Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, Mexico's second- and third-highest peaks, where the states of México, Puebla and Morelos meet.
When you get to Tetela del Volcán
Convento de Santiago Apóstol
In the town of Ocuituco, the Temple and Ex-convent of Santiago Apóstol (Templo y Exconvento de Santiago Apóstol) belongs to the UNESCO-listed group of 16th-century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, inscribed in 1994.
Convento de San Juan Bautista
This convent in Tetela del Volcán, known for its carved wooden sacristy and light-filled cloister walks, was cleaned of soot left from its use as a barracks during the Mexican Revolution in a conservation project completed in 2009.
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In the town of Hueyapan, the 16th-century church and former convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán keeps original frescoes and moldings inside, around a modest cloister typical of its era.
More drives to Tetela del Volcán
- Cuernavaca to Tetela del Volcán
- Mexico City to Tetela del Volcán
- Zacatelco to Tetela del Volcán
- Tlaxcala to Tetela del Volcán
- Apizaco to Tetela del Volcán
- Metepec to Tetela del Volcán
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 Tetela del Volcán?
About 8 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 471 miles.
How far is Tetela del Volcán from Colima by car?
About 471 miles (758 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 Tetela del Volcán?
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 Tetela del Volcán?
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; Hidalgo 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 Tetela del Volcán use?
In order: MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-110, MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D and MEX-115. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Colima and Tetela del Volcán?
Closest to the road: Guerrero Chimalli (colossal statue, mile 413, 1 mi from the route); Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (museum, mile 420, 0.2 mi from the route); Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad (park, mile 445, 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 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.