The Wayro route from Cuautla to Actopan is 130 miles (210 km), about 2 h 51 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 130 mi (210 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 51 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-115 → MEX-115D → MEX-142 → MEX-85D → MEX-85 |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos (Level 3), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-115D, MEX-85D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 5.2 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.
What the drive from Cuautla to Actopan is like
MEX-85 (36 mi) and MEX-115 (26 mi) carry about 48% of the 130 miles. MEX-115D, MEX-85D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-115, MEX-142, MEX-85 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Morelos, State of Mexico, Hidalgo. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cuautla to Actopan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Morelos |
| MEX-115 | 2–13 | 11 | Morelos |
| MEX-115D | 13–28 | 15 | Morelos, State of Mexico |
| MEX-115 | 28–43 | 15 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 43–57 | 14 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 57–58 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-142 | 58–73 | 15 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 73–77 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-85D | 77–93 | 16 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| MEX-85 | 93–129 | 36 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 129–130 | 1 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 21 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 88 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Cuautla and Actopan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Sacromonte National Park (mile 29), Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad (mile 32), Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (mile 57), Texcoco Cathedral (mile 62)
- Nature and outdoors: Sacromonte National Park (mile 29), Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad (mile 32), El Chico National Park (mile 114)
- Museums and history: Acozac (mile 45), Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (mile 57), Texcoco Cathedral (mile 62), Mexican Air Force Museum (mile 82)
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.
Sacromonte National Park
Sacromonte National Park is a national park and protected area in the State of Mexico, established in 1952 and covering roughly 0.44 square kilometers.
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.
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.
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.
Texcoco Cathedral
Texcoco's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception occupies a former convent built by the Franciscans in the 16th century, one of the order's early convent complexes in the Americas.
Mexican Air Force Museum
At Santa Lucía Air Base, the Military Aviation Museum, run by the Secretariat of National Defense, displays historical material from the Mexican Air Force.
El Chico National Park
In Hidalgo, El Chico National Park is known for towering cliffs such as Las Ventanas and Peña del Cuervo, popular with climbers, and forest wildlife including gray foxes, ringtails, armadillos, hawks, falcons and woodpeckers.
More drives to Actopan
- Tulancingo to Actopan
- Tepotzotlán to Actopan
- Mexico City to Actopan
- Tequisquiapan to Actopan
- Toluca to Actopan
- Cuernavaca to Actopan
From Cuautla to other places in Mexico
- Cuautla to Malinalco
- Cuautla to Metepec
- Cuautla to Zitácuaro
- Cuautla to Tlalpujahua
- Cuautla to Amealco
- Cuautla to Tequisquiapan
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cuautla to Actopan?
About 2 h 51 min of driving without stops, over 130 miles.
How far is Actopan from Cuautla by car?
About 130 miles (210 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 Cuautla to Actopan?
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 Cuautla to Actopan?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Cuautla to Actopan use?
In order: MEX-115, MEX-115D, MEX-142, MEX-85D and MEX-85. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Cuautla and Actopan?
Closest to the road: Sacromonte National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 29, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (museum, mile 57, 0.1 mi from the route); Texcoco Cathedral (cathedral, mile 62, 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 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.