Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Apizaco Road Trip: Stops & Drive Time

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Apizaco is 432 miles (696 km), about 7 h 17 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; 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 Apizaco. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Museo de la InsurgenciaAguascalientes MuseumCelaya CathedralEl Cimatario National ParkTula National ParkChurch and former convent of Todos los SantosTeotihuacanAqueduct of Padre TemblequeGuadalupe, ZacatecasApizaco
Route from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Apizaco with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance432 mi (696 km)
Driving time, no stops7 h 17 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-45D → MEX-45 → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-M40D → MEX-136
Mexican states on the routeZacatecas (Level 4), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 17.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below8

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 Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Apizaco is like

MEX-45D (163 mi) and MEX-M40D (87 mi) carry about 58% of the 432 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-136 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 8 states: Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Apizaco, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–44Zacatecas
MEX-45D4–2521Zacatecas
MEX-4525–5328Zacatecas, Aguascalientes
local roads53–574Aguascalientes
MEX-4557–8730Aguascalientes, Jalisco
MEX-45D87–229142Jalisco, Guanajuato
MEX-47D229–28152Guanajuato, Querétaro
MEX-57D281–31635Querétaro, State of Mexico
connecting roads316–3182Hidalgo
MEX-M40D318–40587Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala
MEX-136405–43227Tlaxcala
  • Mile 30 of this route: Zacatecas → Aguascalientes (state line)
  • Mile 83 of this route: Aguascalientes → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 132 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
  • Mile 242 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
  • Mile 283 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 316 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 345 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 360 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 377 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 389 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 396 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)

Stops between Guadalupe, Zacatecas and Apizaco

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Aguascalientes Museum (mile 68), Tula National Park (mile 329)
  • Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 246), Tula National Park (mile 329)
  • Museums and history: Museo de la Insurgencia (mile 48), Aguascalientes Museum (mile 68), Celaya Cathedral (mile 217), Teotihuacan (mile 377)

Museo de la Insurgencia

Mile 48 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Set in a 17th-century estate, the Museo de la Insurgencia opened in 1964 to tell the story of Mexico's independence movement. One hall shows farm, mining and textile tools from hacienda work; another displays everyday objects from past eras.

Aguascalientes Museum

Mile 68 · Art museum · 0.4 mi from the route

Located in the state capital, the Aguascalientes Museum is the city's art museum, set in the city of Aguascalientes, Mexico.

Celaya Cathedral

Mile 217 · 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.

El Cimatario National Park

Mile 246 · National Park of Mexico · 9 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.

Tula National Park

Mile 329 · 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.

Church and former convent of Todos los Santos

Mile 375 · 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.

Teotihuacan

Mile 377 · 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 379 · 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.

When you get to Apizaco

Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco

Basilica · in Apizaco

In the city of Apizaco, this Catholic basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia) was begun in the third decade of the 20th century and completed in 1961.

Museo Casa de Piedra

Railway museum · in Apizaco

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.

Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia

Convent · in Apizaco

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.

More drives to Apizaco

From Guadalupe, Zacatecas to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Apizaco?

About 7 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 432 miles.

How far is Apizaco from Guadalupe, Zacatecas by car?

About 432 miles (696 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 Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Apizaco?

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 Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Apizaco?

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; 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 Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Apizaco use?

In order: MEX-45D, MEX-45, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, 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 Guadalupe, Zacatecas and Apizaco?

Closest to the road: Aguascalientes Museum (art museum, mile 68, 0.4 mi from the route); Tula National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 329, 1 mi from the route); Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque (aqueduct, mile 379, 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.