Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Atlixco Road Trip: Stops & Tolls

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Atlixco is 454 miles (730 km), about 7 h 49 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 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.
Museo de la InsurgenciaMuseo EscarcegaHistoric centre of AguascalientesEl Cimatario National ParkTula National ParkAqueduct of Padre TemblequeParque nacional XicoténcatlExconvent of Santa María MagdalenaConvento de HuejotzingoGuadalupe, ZacatecasAtlixco
Route from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Atlixco with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance454 mi (730 km)
Driving time, no stops7 h 49 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-45D → MEX-45 → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-M40D
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), Puebla (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 18.1 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 Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Atlixco is like

MEX-45D (163 mi) and MEX-M40D (106 mi) carry about 59% of the 454 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 9 states: Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Atlixco, 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-M40D318–424106Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla
local roads424–45430Puebla
  • 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 241 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)
  • Mile 419 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)

Stops between Guadalupe, Zacatecas and Atlixco

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Escarcega (mile 68), Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 68), Tula National Park (mile 329)
  • Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 245), Tula National Park (mile 329), Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 418)
  • Museums and history: Museo de la Insurgencia (mile 48), Museo Escarcega (mile 68), Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 68)

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.

Museo Escarcega

Mile 68 · Art museum · 0.6 mi from the route

Eduardo Escárcega Rangel created this museum in the city of Aguascalientes to show his personal collection of paintings and prints by local, national and international artists.

Historic centre of Aguascalientes

Mile 68 · Historic district · 0.2 mi from the route

The historic center of Aguascalientes is the city's zone of historic monuments, which INAH has declared part of the nation's heritage.

El Cimatario National Park

Mile 245 · 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.

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.

Parque nacional Xicoténcatl

Mile 418 · 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 424 · 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 434 · 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 Guadalupe, Zacatecas to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

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

About 7 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 454 miles.

How far is Atlixco from Guadalupe, Zacatecas by car?

About 454 miles (730 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 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 Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Atlixco?

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; Puebla 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 Atlixco use?

In order: MEX-45D, MEX-45, MEX-47D, MEX-57D and MEX-M40D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Guadalupe, Zacatecas and Atlixco?

Closest to the road: Historic centre of Aguascalientes (historic district, mile 68, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Escarcega (art museum, mile 68, 0.6 mi from the route); Tula National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 329, 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.