Comala to Tlayacapan Road Trip: Stops, Tolls & Drive Time

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Comala to Tlayacapan is 446 miles (717 km), about 8 h 56 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: 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 TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Morelos is the Mexican state that contains Tlayacapan. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Volcán Nevado de Colima National ParkTeatro Morelos de MaravatíoCathedral of AtlacomulcoCiénegas del LermaLa Marquesa National ParkLagunas de Zempoala National ParkCuernavaca CathedralMuseo Fotográfico de CuernavacaEl Tepozteco National ParkComalaTlayacapan
Route from Comala to Tlayacapan with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance446 mi (717 km)
Driving time, no stops8 h 56 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-110 → MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-200 → MEX-95D → MEX-160D → MOR 2
Mexican states on the routeColima (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 17.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

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 insuranceRequired 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 Comala to Tlayacapan is like

MEX-15D (189 mi) and MEX-110 (83 mi) carry about 61% of the 446 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 Comala to Tlayacapan, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–77Colima
MEX-547–114Colima
MEX-54D11–3524Colima, Jalisco
MEX-5435–4510Jalisco
MEX-11045–11065Jalisco, Michoacán
connecting roads110–1122Michoacán
MEX-15112–1175Michoacán
MEX-110117–13518Michoacán
connecting roads135–1405Michoacán, Jalisco
MEX-15D140–329189Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico
connecting roads329–3312State of Mexico
MEX-55D331–36534State of Mexico
MEX-55365–3716State of Mexico
local roads371–3776State of Mexico
connecting roads377–3781State of Mexico
EM 44378–3868State of Mexico
connecting roads386–3882State of Mexico
local roads388–3935State of Mexico
MEX-200393–3974State of Mexico
local roads397–41215State of Mexico, Morelos
connecting roads412–4197Morelos
MEX-95D419–4245Morelos
MEX-160D424–43713Morelos
connecting roads437–4381Morelos
MOR 2438–4424Morelos
local roads442–4464Morelos
  • Mile 21 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 88 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 137 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 143 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 311 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 408 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)

Stops between Comala and Tlayacapan

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 331), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 406)
  • Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 25), La Marquesa National Park (mile 386), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 406), El Tepozteco National Park (mile 429)
  • Museums and history: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 290), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 331), Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 419), Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca (mile 419)

Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park

Mile 25 · National Park of Mexico · 4 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 290 · Opera house · 1 mi from the route

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

Mile 331 · Catholic cathedral · 0.4 mi from the route

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

Mile 384 · Flora and fauna protection area · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 386 · National Park of Mexico · 11 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Lagunas de Zempoala National Park

Mile 406 · National Park of Mexico · 0.2 mi from the route

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

Mile 419 · Cathedral · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca

Mile 419 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca is a photography museum in Cuernavaca, Morelos, housed in a building that resembles a French-style castle.

El Tepozteco National Park

Mile 429 · National Park of Mexico · 1 mi from the route

Eroded volcanic hills of the Sierra de Tepoztlán fill this national park, about half of which lies in Mexico City's Milpa Alta borough. A short, steep climb leads to the Tepozteco archaeological zone; wear good shoes, since the rocks get slippery.

When you get to Tlayacapan

Templo y exconvento de San Guillermo

Convent · in Tlayacapan

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.

Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán

Convent · in Tlayacapan

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

Convent · in 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

From Comala to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Comala to Tlayacapan?

About 8 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 446 miles.

How far is Tlayacapan from Comala by car?

About 446 miles (717 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 Comala 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 Comala to Tlayacapan?

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 Comala to Tlayacapan use?

In order: MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-110, MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95D, MEX-160D and MOR 2. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Comala and Tlayacapan?

Closest to the road: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 331, 0.4 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 406, 0.2 mi from the route); El Tepozteco National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 429, 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.