Cuernavaca to Tequisquiapan Road Trip: Distance, Time & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Cuernavaca to Tequisquiapan is 157 miles (253 km), about 3 h 25 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: 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 CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Querétaro is the Mexican state that contains Tequisquiapan. Check the full advisory for this state before you go.
Museo Dolores OlmedoSix Flags MéxicoDesierto de los Leones National ParkViveros de CoyoacánTeatro de los InsurgentesAztec sun stoneHistoric center of Mexico CitySanta Cecilia AcatitlanTemplo y exconvento de San FranciscoCuernavacaTequisquiapan
Route from Cuernavaca to Tequisquiapan with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance157 mi (253 km)
Driving time, no stops3 h 25 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-95D → Periférico → MEX-57 → MEX-57D → MEX-120
Mexican states on the routeMorelos (Level 3), Mexico City (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-95D, MEX-57D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 6.3 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 Cuernavaca to Tequisquiapan is like

MEX-57 (70 mi) and Periférico (30 mi) carry about 64% of the 157 miles. MEX-95D, MEX-57D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-57, MEX-120 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Morelos, Mexico City, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Cuernavaca to Tequisquiapan, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–1212Morelos
MEX-95D12–3119Morelos, Mexico City
local roads31–354Mexico City
Periférico35–6530Mexico City, State of Mexico
MEX-5765–13570State of Mexico, Hidalgo
MEX-57D135–1449Querétaro
MEX-120144–15713Querétaro
  • Mile 18 of this route: Morelos → Mexico City (state line)
  • Mile 51 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 83 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 103 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 135 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)

Stops between Cuernavaca and Tequisquiapan

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Six Flags México (mile 40), Teatro de los Insurgentes (mile 45), Aztec sun stone (mile 49), Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (mile 89)
  • Nature and outdoors: Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 41), Viveros de Coyoacán (mile 45)
  • Museums and history: Museo Dolores Olmedo (mile 32), Santa Cecilia Acatitlan (mile 60)
  • With kids: Six Flags México (mile 40)

Museo Dolores Olmedo

Mile 32 · Art museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

In Xochimilco, the Museo Dolores Olmedo is an art museum built around the collection of Mexican businesswoman Dolores Olmedo.

Six Flags México

Mile 40 · Amusement park · 0.8 mi from the route

Six Flags México is an amusement park operated by Six Flags on the southern edge of Mexico City, in the forested Tlalpan borough.

Desierto de los Leones National Park

Mile 41 · National Park of Mexico · 6 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Declared a national park in 1917, this fir, ash and oak forest in Mexico City's Cuajimalpa and Álvaro Obregón boroughs surrounds a former Carmelite monastery. Locals come to hike, run and cycle, and more than 100 bird species live here.

Viveros de Coyoacán

Mile 45 · National Park of Mexico · 1 mi from the route

Part tree nursery, part public park, Viveros de Coyoacán covers 96 acres and was founded in the early 20th century by Miguel Ángel de Quevedo to grow seedlings for reforesting Mexico's forests.

Teatro de los Insurgentes

Mile 45 · Theatre building · 0.6 mi from the route

Opened in 1953, Teatro de los Insurgentes is a theater on Mexico City's Avenida de los Insurgentes, with seating for 959 spectators.

Aztec sun stone

Mile 49 · Sculpture · 0.6 mi from the route

The Aztec Sun Stone, a late Postclassic Mexica sculpture 3.6 meters across and weighing about 24,590 kilograms, is displayed at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.

Historic center of Mexico City

Mile 49 · Old town · 4 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Santa Cecilia Acatitlan

Mile 60 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Santa Cecilia Acatitlan is an early Aztec archaeological zone in Tlalnepantla de Baz, about 10 km northwest of Mexico City, once on the shore of Lake Texcoco.

Templo y exconvento de San Francisco

Mile 89 · Convent · 0.6 mi from the route

The Templo y Exconvento de San Francisco is a church and former convent located in the city of Tepeji del Río, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

When you get to Tequisquiapan

Galería Libertad

Art museum · in Tequisquiapan

Run by Querétaro's state culture department, Galería Libertad is a public gallery in the historic center of Santiago de Querétaro devoted to exhibiting, promoting and teaching the visual arts.

More drives to Tequisquiapan

From Cuernavaca to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Cuernavaca to Tequisquiapan?

About 3 h 25 min of driving without stops, over 157 miles.

How far is Tequisquiapan from Cuernavaca by car?

About 157 miles (253 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 Cuernavaca to Tequisquiapan?

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 Cuernavaca to Tequisquiapan?

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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Cuernavaca to Tequisquiapan use?

In order: MEX-95D, Periférico, MEX-57, MEX-57D and MEX-120. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Cuernavaca and Tequisquiapan?

Closest to the road: Teatro de los Insurgentes (theatre building, mile 45, 0.6 mi from the route); Aztec sun stone (sculpture, mile 49, 0.6 mi from the route); Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (convent, mile 89, 0.6 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.