The Wayro route from Cuautla to Zacatelco is 78 miles (126 km), about 1 h 30 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 78 mi (126 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 1 h 30 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-160 → PUE 438D → MEX-190D → MEX-190 → MEX-119D |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos (Level 3), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-190D, MEX-119D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 3.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 Zacatelco is like
PUE 438D (34 mi) and MEX-160 (15 mi) carry about 63% of the 78 miles. MEX-190D, MEX-119D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-160, MEX-190 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Morelos, Puebla, Tlaxcala. None of the 7 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Cuautla to Zacatelco, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-160 | 1–16 | 15 | Morelos |
| PUE 438D | 16–50 | 34 | Morelos, Puebla |
| MEX-190D | 50–60 | 10 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 60–61 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 61–71 | 10 | Puebla |
| MEX-119D | 71–76 | 5 | Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| local roads | 76–78 | 2 | Tlaxcala |
- Mile 24 of this route: Morelos → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 74 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
Stops between Cuautla and Zacatelco
Las Pilas archaeological site
Set inside a bathing park in Jonacatepec, Las Pilas was a ceremonial center devoted to water, where inhabitants built channels to collect and store underground water for irrigation; burials were found within the channel system.
Chalcatzingo
At the foot of Cerro Chalcatzingo in eastern Morelos, this early site is known for stone reliefs carved mainly between 700 and 500 BC, some among the region's earliest stone sculpture and several in Olmec style, spread across the hillside.
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.
International Museum of the Baroque
Designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito and opened in 2016, Puebla's baroque museum wraps its galleries in curving white concrete walls beside a reflecting pond. Exhibits cover baroque painting, sculpture, architecture, music, theater and literature.
Great Pyramid of Cholula
Under a hilltop church dedicated to the Virgin of los Remedios lies Tlachihualtepetl, a pyramid built in superimposed stages with a base about 400 meters per side. Excavations have opened roughly 8 km of tunnels inside the mound.
Museo Regional de Cholula
Right beside the Great Pyramid and archaeological zone of Cholula, this public museum displays collections ranging from pre-Hispanic and colonial art to contemporary and folk art.
When you get to Zacatelco
Laguna de Acomulco
A quiet lagoon in the state of Tlaxcala, Laguna de Acomulco is surrounded by vegetation and rural scenery and works well for a short walk, landscape photos or a calm break in nature.
Parque ecológico Los Ladrillos
Opened on April 2, 2015, Los Ladrillos Ecological Park is a nature reserve in the municipality of Zacatelco, in Tlaxcala.
More drives to Zacatelco
- Huamantla to Zacatelco
- Pachuca to Zacatelco
- Tulancingo to Zacatelco
- Tepotzotlán to Zacatelco
- Cuernavaca to Zacatelco
- Toluca to Zacatelco
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 Zacatelco?
About 1 h 30 min of driving without stops, over 78 miles.
How far is Zacatelco from Cuautla by car?
About 78 miles (126 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 Zacatelco?
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 Zacatelco?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala 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 Zacatelco use?
In order: MEX-160, PUE 438D, MEX-190D, MEX-190 and MEX-119D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Cuautla and Zacatelco?
Closest to the road: International Museum of the Baroque (art museum, mile 61, 1 mi from the route); Museo Regional de Cholula (anthropology museum, mile 66, 1 mi from the route); Great Pyramid of Cholula (pyramid, mile 66, 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.