The Wayro route from Guadalajara to Xico is 510 miles (820 km), about 8 h 27 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 510 mi (820 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 27 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-136 → MEX-140D → VER 7 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Veracruz (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-140D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 insurance | Required 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 Xico is like
MEX-15D (245 mi) and MEX-M40D (121 mi) carry about 72% of the 510 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-140D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-136 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 7 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Guadalajara to Xico, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 6–251 | 245 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 251–372 | 121 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala |
| MEX-136 | 372–424 | 52 | Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 424–425 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-140D | 425–491 | 66 | Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz |
| connecting roads | 491–495 | 4 | Veracruz |
| local roads | 495–498 | 3 | Veracruz |
| VER 7 | 498–503 | 5 | Veracruz |
| local roads | 503–510 | 7 | Veracruz |
- 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 434 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 460 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
Stops between Guadalajara and Xico
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Tula National Park (mile 296), Pinacoteca Diego Rivera (mile 497)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 229), Tula National Park (mile 296), Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 396), La Malinche National Park (mile 413), Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 469)
- Museums and history: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 211), Cantona (mile 452), Pinacoteca Diego Rivera (mile 497)
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
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.
Rayón National Park
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.
Tula National Park
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.
Parque nacional Xicoténcatl
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.
La Malinche National Park
Tlaxcala's La Malinche National Park surrounds the inactive Matlalcuéyetl volcano, with pine, oak and fir forests on its slopes, hiking trails, birdwatching, and stone cabins and campsites at the Malintzi Vacation Center.
Cantona
High on the Puebla plateau near the Veracruz line, Cantona was a fortified pre-Hispanic city that controlled trade toward the Gulf; its explored southern section reveals interconnected streets, walled residential units and more than two dozen ballgame courts.
Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote
Cofre de Perote National Park protects the forested slopes of the mountain, and its role is practical as well as scenic: a little over 40 percent of the water used in Xalapa comes from here.
Pinacoteca Diego Rivera
In downtown Xalapa, the Pinacoteca Diego Rivera is an art museum with a large collection of works by the muralist Diego Rivera.
When you get to Xico
Cascada de Texolo
Two waterfalls on the Matlacobatl River, Texolo with a 20-meter drop and La Monja with about 8 meters, sit roughly 3 kilometers from Xico amid cloud forest included in a Ramsar wetland site.
More drives to Xico
From Guadalajara to other places in Mexico
- Guadalajara to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Guadalajara to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Guadalajara to Calvillo
- Guadalajara to Real de Asientos
- Guadalajara to Guadalupe, Zacatecas
- Guadalajara to Zacatecas
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Guadalajara to Xico?
About 8 h 27 min of driving without stops, over 510 miles.
How far is Xico from Guadalajara by car?
About 510 miles (820 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 Xico?
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 Xico?
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; Veracruz 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 Xico use?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-136, MEX-140D and VER 7. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Guadalajara and Xico?
Closest to the road: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 211, 1 mi from the route); Tula National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 296, 1 mi from the route); Pinacoteca Diego Rivera (art museum, mile 497, 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.