Fresnillo to Taxco Road Trip: Stops, Tolls & Drive Time

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Fresnillo to Taxco is 479 miles (771 km), about 8 h 47 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Zacatecas — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Aguascalientes — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Querétaro — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Guerrero — Level 4, Do Not TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Guerrero is the Mexican state that contains Taxco. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Historic centre of ZacatecasJardín Botánico Rey NetzahualcoyotlMuseum of Contemporary ArtCelaya CathedralCerro de las CampanasCathedral of AtlacomulcoToluca CathedralMuseum José María VelascoGrutas de Cacahuamilpa National ParkFresnilloTaxco
Route from Fresnillo to Taxco with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance479 mi (771 km)
Driving time, no stops8 h 47 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-55 → MEX-55D → MEX-95 → MEX-92D
Mexican states on the routeZacatecas (Level 4), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Guerrero (Level 4)
Toll roadsMEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-47D, MEX-55D, MEX-92D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 19.2 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 Fresnillo to Taxco is like

MEX-45D (192 mi) and MEX-45 (71 mi) carry about 55% of the 479 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-55D, MEX-92D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-55, MEX-95 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 7 states: Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Guerrero. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Fresnillo to Taxco, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Zacatecas
MEX-451–1413Zacatecas
MEX-45D14–6551Zacatecas
MEX-4565–9328Zacatecas, Aguascalientes
local roads93–974Aguascalientes
MEX-4597–12730Aguascalientes, Jalisco
MEX-45D127–268141Jalisco, Guanajuato
connecting roads268–2691Guanajuato
MEX-47D269–32051Guanajuato, Querétaro
MEX-55320–36040Querétaro, State of Mexico
connecting roads360–3622State of Mexico
MEX-55D362–39533State of Mexico
MEX-55395–4016State of Mexico
local roads401–41312State of Mexico
connecting roads413–4141State of Mexico
MEX-55D414–43925State of Mexico
connecting roads439–4423State of Mexico
local roads442–4508State of Mexico
MEX-55450–46717State of Mexico, Guerrero
MEX-95467–4703Guerrero
connecting roads470–4722Guerrero
MEX-92D472–4775Guerrero
local roads477–4792Guerrero
  • Mile 70 of this route: Zacatecas → Aguascalientes (state line)
  • Mile 124 of this route: Aguascalientes → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 171 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
  • Mile 281 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
  • Mile 322 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 452 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
  • Mile 455 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 462 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)

Stops between Fresnillo and Taxco

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museum of Contemporary Art (mile 108), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 361), Toluca Cathedral (mile 400), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 462)
  • Nature and outdoors: Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl (mile 106), Cerro de las Campanas (mile 280), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 462)
  • Museums and history: Museum of Contemporary Art (mile 108), Celaya Cathedral (mile 256), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 361), Toluca Cathedral (mile 400), Museum José María Velasco (mile 400)

Historic centre of Zacatecas

Mile 36 · Urban area · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Founded in 1546 after a rich silver strike, Zacatecas climbs the steep sides of a narrow valley; its UNESCO-listed center holds an 18th-century Baroque cathedral, colonial convents, the Calderón Theater and the old González Market.

Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl

Mile 106 · Botanical garden · 2 mi from the route

The Jardín Botánico Rey Nezahualcóyotl is a botanical garden that falls under the administration of the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes.

Museum of Contemporary Art

Mile 108 · Art museum · 0.1 mi from the route

Aguascalientes' Museum of Contemporary Art shows works by contemporary Mexican artists in its Jesús F. Contreras gallery.

Celaya Cathedral

Mile 256 · Church building · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Cerro de las Campanas

Mile 280 · National Park of Mexico · 12 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.

Cathedral of Atlacomulco

Mile 361 · 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.

Toluca Cathedral

Mile 400 · Catholic cathedral · 1 mi from the route

Begun in 1867 and finished only in 1978, Toluca's Cathedral of Saint Joseph has a neoclassical facade and a bronze statue of the saint on its dome. It also preserves the 18th-century baroque front of the former San Elzeario church.

Museum José María Velasco

Mile 400 · Art museum · 1 mi from the route

In Toluca's historic center, the Museo José María Velasco shares the work of 19th-century Mexican painter José María Velasco, with Plaza de los Mártires to the south and the Government Palace to the east.

Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park

Mile 462 · National Park of Mexico · 0.2 mi from the route

Protected as a national park since 1936, this area near Taxco centers on the Cacahuamilpa caverns, where a guided route of about 4 km passes chambers up to 80 meters high, decorated with flowstone and floor-to-ceiling columns.

When you get to Taxco

Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco

Church building · in Taxco

Silver baron José de la Borda paid for Santa Prisca with the bonanza from his San Ignacio mine in Taxco, and the church was dedicated in 1759, the same year his nearby house on the plaza was finished.

William Spratling Museum

Museum · in Taxco

Taxco's archaeological museum grew from the collection of William Spratling, the American who revived the town's silver craft in the 1930s. It shows pre-Hispanic pieces, including Olmec and Mezcala-style works, plus a gallery on silversmithing.

Museo de Arte Virreinal de Taxco

Museum · in Taxco

Housed in the historic Casa Humboldt in Taxco, the Museo de Arte Virreinal shows colonial sacred art recovered from the Santa Prisca parish church, along with permanent exhibitions on Alexander von Humboldt and the town's history.

More drives to Taxco

From Fresnillo to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Fresnillo to Taxco?

About 8 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 479 miles.

How far is Taxco from Fresnillo by car?

About 479 miles (771 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 Fresnillo to Taxco?

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 Fresnillo to Taxco?

The U.S. State Department rates Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Fresnillo to Taxco use?

In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-55, MEX-55D, MEX-95 and MEX-92D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Fresnillo and Taxco?

Closest to the road: Museum of Contemporary Art (art museum, mile 108, 0.1 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 361, 0.4 mi from the route); Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 462, 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.