Guadalajara to Huamantla Road Trip: Stops, Tolls & Drive Time

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Guadalajara to Huamantla is 416 miles (669 km), about 6 h 40 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 CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Tlaxcala is the Mexican state that contains Huamantla. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Teatro Morelos de MaravatíoCathedral of AtlacomulcoSala Histórica QuetzalcóatlTulaMuseo Arqueológico de ApaxcoChurch and former convent of Todos los SantosParque nacional XicoténcatlEx Convento de Santa María de la Concepción AtlihuetziaMuseo Casa de PiedraGuadalajaraHuamantla
Route from Guadalajara to Huamantla with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance416 mi (669 km)
Driving time, no stops6 h 40 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-136
Mexican states on the routeJalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-15D, MEX-M40D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 16.6 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 Huamantla is like

MEX-15D (245 mi) and MEX-M40D (121 mi) carry about 88% of the 416 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-136 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 5 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.

The route from Guadalajara to Huamantla, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–66Jalisco
MEX-15D6–251245Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico
MEX-M40D251–372121State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala
MEX-136372–41644Tlaxcala
  • 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)

Stops between Guadalajara and Huamantla

  • Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 396)
  • Museums and history: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 211), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 250), Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (mile 295), Tula (mile 296), Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco (mile 312), Museo Casa de Piedra (mile 400)

Teatro Morelos de Maravatío

Mile 211 · Opera house · 1 mi from the route

Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.

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

Mile 296 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

Once the Toltec capital, the Tula archaeological zone is best known for its Atlantes, basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall crowning the main pyramid. Visitors also see a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall, carved with snakes devouring skeletons.

Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco

Mile 312 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Founded in 1985, the Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco sits across from the parish church of San Francisco de Asís and beside the town hall in Apaxco, State of Mexico.

Church and former convent of Todos los Santos

Mile 342 · Convent · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Franciscan friars built this fortress-style convent in Zempoala, and the complex still keeps the classic layout of atrium, church, open chapel and cloister. It pairs well with a drive through the area's old pulque haciendas.

Parque nacional Xicoténcatl

Mile 396 · National Park of Mexico · 7 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.

Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia

Mile 397 · Convent · 1 mi from the route

The ruined walls of this 16th-century Franciscan convent in Atlihuetzia rise as high as 21 meters beside the 17th-century Purísima Concepción church. The site also holds a sanctuary to Cristóbal, honored as the first Catholic child martyr in the Americas.

Museo Casa de Piedra

Mile 400 · Railway museum · 2 mi from the route

Apizaco's old railroad station, dating from 1916, now houses the Museo Casa de Piedra. Inside, photographs and documents trace the town's history, especially its long ties to the railroads.

When you get to Huamantla

Museo Nacional del Títere

Museum · in Huamantla

On the main square of Huamantla, the National Puppet Museum (Museo Nacional del Títere) fills eight galleries with puppets from Mexico and abroad, including pieces tied to the Rosete Aranda family, whose company toured Mexico for generations.

More drives to Huamantla

From Guadalajara to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Guadalajara to Huamantla?

About 6 h 40 min of driving without stops, over 416 miles.

How far is Huamantla from Guadalajara by car?

About 416 miles (669 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 Huamantla?

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 Huamantla?

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

What roads does the drive from Guadalajara to Huamantla use?

In order: MEX-15D, MEX-M40D and MEX-136. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Guadalajara and Huamantla?

Closest to the road: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 211, 1 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 296, 1 mi from the route); Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia (convent, mile 397, 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.