Guadalajara to Atlixco Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Guadalajara to Atlixco is 421 miles (677 km), about 6 h 54 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not Travel; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Puebla is the Mexican state that contains Atlixco. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Rayón National ParkCathedral of AtlacomulcoSala Histórica QuetzalcóatlTula National ParkTeotihuacanAqueduct of Padre TemblequeParque nacional XicoténcatlExconvent of Santa María MagdalenaConvento de HuejotzingoGuadalajaraAtlixco
Route from Guadalajara to Atlixco with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance421 mi (677 km)
Driving time, no stops6 h 54 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-15D → MEX-M40D
Mexican states on the routeJalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-15D, MEX-M40D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 16.8 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 Guadalajara to Atlixco is like

MEX-15D (245 mi) and MEX-M40D (139 mi) carry about 91% of the 421 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota). It runs through 6 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Guadalajara to Atlixco, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–66Jalisco
MEX-15D6–251245Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico
MEX-M40D251–390139State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla
local roads390–42131Puebla
  • Mile 65 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 233 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 283 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 313 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 327 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 344 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 356 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 364 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)
  • Mile 386 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)

Stops between Guadalajara and Atlixco

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Tula National Park (mile 296)
  • Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 229), Tula National Park (mile 296), Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 385)
  • Museums and history: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 250), Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (mile 295), Teotihuacan (mile 344)

Rayón National Park

Mile 229 · National Park of Mexico · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.

Cathedral of Atlacomulco

Mile 250 · Catholic cathedral · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl

Mile 295 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

The Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl is an archaeological museum located in Tula de Allende, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

Tula National Park

Mile 296 · National Park of Mexico · 1 mi from the route

This park protects the ruins of Tula, ancient capital of the Toltecs. Walk up to the main pyramid to stand beside the Atlantes, basalt warrior figures more than four meters tall, and look for the Coatepantli wall's reliefs of snakes devouring skeletons.

Teotihuacan

Mile 344 · Historic site · 13 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Built between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, this UNESCO-listed ancient city lines the Avenue of the Dead, where you can walk between the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.

Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque

Mile 346 · Aqueduct · 2 mi from the route

Built by Franciscan friar Francisco de Tembleque between 1554 and 1572, this 16th-century water system runs more than 48 km between Zempoala and Otumba. Its tallest arcade at Tepeyahualco reaches almost 40 meters, and UNESCO listed it in 2015.

Parque nacional Xicoténcatl

Mile 385 · National Park of Mexico · 11 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Covering roughly 600 hectares in central Tlaxcala, Xicohténcatl National Park takes in the historic center of Tlaxcala city plus Quiahuixtlán, Ocotelulco and Tepeticpac, which correspond to three of the old Tlaxcalan lordships.

Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena

Mile 391 · Convent · 1 mi from the route

The former convent of Santa María Magdalena (Exconvento de Santa María Magdalena) is a 17th-century Baroque church built by the Dieguino friars, still in use as a Catholic temple of the Archdiocese of Puebla.

Convento de Huejotzingo

Mile 401 · Convent · 1 mi from the route

Founded by Franciscans in the 16th century, the former convent of San Miguel Arcángel in Huejotzingo shows colonial Plateresque architecture on the western slopes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1994.

More drives to Atlixco

From Guadalajara to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Guadalajara to Atlixco?

About 6 h 54 min of driving without stops, over 421 miles.

How far is Atlixco from Guadalajara by car?

About 421 miles (677 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 Guadalajara to Atlixco?

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 Guadalajara to Atlixco?

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

What roads does the drive from Guadalajara to Atlixco use?

In order: MEX-15D and MEX-M40D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Guadalajara and Atlixco?

Closest to the road: Tula National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 296, 1 mi from the route); Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena (convent, mile 391, 1 mi from the route); Convento de Huejotzingo (convent, mile 401, 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.