The Wayro route from Cuautla to Pénjamo is 292 miles (470 km), about 5 h 20 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 292 mi (470 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 20 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-160D → MEX-95D → Periférico → MEX-57 → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-90 |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos (Level 3), Mexico City (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-160D, MEX-95D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.7 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 Cuautla to Pénjamo is like
MEX-57 (70 mi) and MEX-47D (53 mi) carry about 42% of the 292 miles. MEX-160D, MEX-95D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-57, MEX-90 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 6 states: Morelos, Mexico City, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Guanajuato. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cuautla to Pénjamo, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 4–24 | 20 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 24–25 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 25–53 | 28 | Morelos, Mexico City |
| local roads | 53–58 | 5 | Mexico City |
| Periférico | 58–88 | 30 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| MEX-57 | 88–158 | 70 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 158–159 | 1 | Querétaro |
| MEX-47D | 159–212 | 53 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 212–262 | 50 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90 | 262–290 | 28 | Guanajuato |
| local roads | 290–292 | 2 | Guanajuato |
- Mile 40 of this route: Morelos → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 73 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 106 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 125 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 158 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 199 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
Stops between Cuautla and Pénjamo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (mile 19), Museo Casa de la Bola (mile 70), Parque Naucalli (mile 78)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Naucalli (mile 78), Cerro de las Campanas (mile 201)
- Museums and history: Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (mile 19), Leon Trotsky House Museum (mile 68), Museo Casa de la Bola (mile 70), Monumento a la Madre, Mexico City (mile 71), Cuautitlán Cathedral (mile 91), Celaya Cathedral (mile 224)
Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum
Tepoztlán's Dominican monastery, built between 1555 and 1580, keeps original 16th-century murals in its cloister. Upstairs, the museum covers local daily life, faith, festivals and dances, and the complex is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing.
Leon Trotsky House Museum
In Coyoacán, the house museum honoring Leon Trotsky, officially the Instituto del Derecho de Asilo - Museo Casa de León Trotsky, also works to promote political asylum.
Museo Casa de la Bola
The Museo Casa de la Bola is a museum in Mexico City, located in the city's Tacubaya neighborhood.
Monumento a la Madre, Mexico City
Inaugurated on May 10, 1949, the Monumento a la Madre in Mexico City is a monument honoring and commemorating Mexican mothers.
Parque Naucalli
Parque Naucalli is a park just outside Mexico City, in the municipality of Naucalpan de Juárez, where planning for the park began in 1975.
Cuautitlán Cathedral
Cuautitlán's St. Bonaventure Cathedral (Catedral de San Buenaventura) is a Catholic church that forms part of the convent of the same name in this State of Mexico municipality.
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
Celaya Cathedral
Celaya's main Catholic church, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, occupies the space of a former chapel that was annexed to the neighboring Temple of St. Francis.
Tequila Corralejo
Tequila Corralejo is distilled in Pénjamo, Guanajuato, at the historic Hacienda de Corralejo, where the brand, established in 1996, offers guided tours and hosts social events.
More drives to Pénjamo
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Pénjamo
- Zacatecas to Pénjamo
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Pénjamo
- Fresnillo to Pénjamo
- Durango to Pénjamo
- Mazatlán to Pénjamo
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 Pénjamo?
About 5 h 20 min of driving without stops, over 292 miles.
How far is Pénjamo from Cuautla by car?
About 292 miles (470 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 Pénjamo?
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 Pénjamo?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Cuautla to Pénjamo use?
In order: MEX-160D, MEX-95D, Periférico, MEX-57, MEX-47D, MEX-45D and MEX-90. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Cuautla and Pénjamo?
Closest to the road: Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (museum, mile 19, 0.6 mi from the route); Museo Casa de la Bola (museum, mile 70, 0.4 mi from the route); Parque Naucalli (park, mile 78, 0.2 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.