Guadalajara to Tlaltizapán Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Guadalajara to Tlaltizapán is 371 miles (597 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; Morelos — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Morelos is the Mexican state that contains Tlaltizapán. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Rayón National ParkCalixtlahuacaCiénegas del LermaLa Marquesa National ParkCumbres del Ajusco National ParkLagunas de Zempoala National ParkTeopanzolcoPalace of Cortés, CuernavacaXochicalcoGuadalajaraTlaltizapán
Route from Guadalajara to Tlaltizapán with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance371 mi (597 km)
Driving time, no stops6 h 54 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-200 → MEX-95 → MEX-95D → MOR 14
Mexican states on the routeJalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 14.8 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 Tlaltizapán is like

MEX-15D (244 mi) and MEX-55D (34 mi) carry about 75% of the 371 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-55, MEX-200, MEX-95 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Guadalajara to Tlaltizapán, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–66Jalisco
MEX-15D6–250244Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico
connecting roads250–2544State of Mexico
MEX-55D254–28834State of Mexico
MEX-55288–2935State of Mexico
local roads293–2996State of Mexico
connecting roads299–3001State of Mexico
EM 44300–3088State of Mexico
connecting roads308–3113State of Mexico
local roads311–3154State of Mexico
MEX-200315–3194State of Mexico
local roads319–33415State of Mexico, Morelos
connecting roads334–3417Morelos
MEX-95341–3509Morelos
MEX-95D350–3588Morelos
connecting roads358–3602Morelos
MOR 14360–3666Morelos
local roads366–3715Morelos
  • Mile 65 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 233 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 329 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)

Stops between Guadalajara and Tlaltizapán

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 328)
  • Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 229), La Marquesa National Park (mile 308), Cumbres del Ajusco National Park (mile 327), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 328)
  • Museums and history: Calixtlahuaca (mile 288), Teopanzolco (mile 347), Palace of Cortés, Cuernavaca (mile 349), Xochicalco (mile 357)

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.

Calixtlahuaca

Mile 288 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

Spread over the slopes of Cerro Tenismó near Toluca, this site's standout is the round Temple of Ehécatl-Quetzalcóatl, rebuilt in four phases. Nearby, a Mexica-era skull rack displays stone skulls set into cross-shaped walls.

Ciénegas del Lerma

Mile 306 · Flora and fauna protection area · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

These marshes in the Toluca Valley are three lakes left from a wetland of about 27,000 hectares in the late 19th century. A Ramsar site since 2004, they hold dozens of endemic and threatened species and are a key stop for migratory species.

La Marquesa National Park

Mile 308 · National Park of Mexico · 11 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Set in high-altitude conifer forest along the Mexico City–Toluca highway, La Marquesa National Park offers roadside eateries, horse and ATV rentals, mountain biking and camping, and marks the site of the 1810 Battle of Monte de las Cruces.

Cumbres del Ajusco National Park

Mile 327 · National Park of Mexico · 11 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Pine and oak forests climb toward alpine meadows in Cumbres del Ajusco National Park, on Mexico City's southern edge. It draws hikers, climbers and cyclists, and it gets occasional snow, a rarity for the region.

Lagunas de Zempoala National Park

Mile 328 · National Park of Mexico · 0.3 mi from the route

Seven lagoons, three of them permanent, sit among pine, oak and fir forest above 3,000 meters in this park, decreed in 1936 on the Morelos–State of Mexico line. Hiking, horseback riding, camping and rowboats are popular here.

Teopanzolco

Mile 347 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

Now surrounded by the city of Cuernavaca, Teopanzolco preserves a Late Postclassic pyramid base that once carried twin temples to Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli, a layout closely tied to Tenochtitlan's sacred precinct.

Palace of Cortés, Cuernavaca

Mile 349 · Fortified palace · 2 mi from the route

Begun in the 16th century, the Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca now holds the Museo Regional de los Pueblos de Morelos, reopened in 2023. Out on the east terrace, Diego Rivera's mural on the history of Morelos is back on view.

Xochicalco

Mile 357 · Archaeological site · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

A fortified hilltop city that thrived between about 650 and 900, Xochicalco is a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can see the Pyramid of the Plumed Serpent with its carved reliefs, ball courts, an underground observatory and a site museum.

More drives to Tlaltizapán

From Guadalajara to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Guadalajara to Tlaltizapán?

About 6 h 54 min of driving without stops, over 371 miles.

How far is Tlaltizapán from Guadalajara by car?

About 371 miles (597 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 Tlaltizapán?

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 Tlaltizapán?

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; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Guadalajara to Tlaltizapán use?

In order: MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95, MEX-95D and MOR 14. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Guadalajara and Tlaltizapán?

Closest to the road: Calixtlahuaca (archaeological site, mile 288, 1 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 328, 0.3 mi from the route); Teopanzolco (archaeological site, mile 347, 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.