The Wayro route from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Malinalco is 396 miles (637 km), about 7 h 24 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 396 mi (637 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 24 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45D → MEX-45 → MEX-47D → MEX-55 → MEX-55D |
| Mexican states on the route | Zacatecas (Level 4), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-47D, MEX-55D, MEX-A10D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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 Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Malinalco is like
MEX-45D (163 mi) and MEX-45 (58 mi) carry about 56% of the 396 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-55D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-55 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 6 states: Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Malinalco, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45D | 4–25 | 21 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 25–53 | 28 | Zacatecas, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 53–57 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 57–87 | 30 | Aguascalientes, Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 87–229 | 142 | Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| MEX-47D | 229–280 | 51 | Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| MEX-55 | 280–320 | 40 | Querétaro, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 320–321 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 321–355 | 34 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 355–361 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 361–396 | 35 | State of Mexico |
- 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)
Stops between Guadalupe, Zacatecas and Malinalco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Escarcega (mile 68), Museo Descubre (mile 70), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 321), Fine Arts Museum of Toluca (mile 360), Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario (mile 360)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 240), Nevado de Toluca National Park (mile 372)
- Museums and history: Museo Escarcega (mile 68), Museo Descubre (mile 70), Celaya Cathedral (mile 216), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 321), Calixtlahuaca (mile 355), Fine Arts Museum of Toluca (mile 360), Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario (mile 360)
Museo Escarcega
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.
Museo Descubre
Museo Descubre is a hands-on, interactive museum in the city of Aguascalientes whose spiral-shaped interior leads inward along various paths of knowledge.
Celaya Cathedral
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.
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
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.
Calixtlahuaca
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.
Fine Arts Museum of Toluca
Toluca's Museo de Bellas Artes has filled a former Carmelite convent since 1945. Its galleries hold colonial-era paintings and sculpture, including an 18th-century funeral catafalque.
Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario
Set in Toluca's Torres Bicentenario complex, built to celebrate Mexican independence, this gallery shows paintings, prints and sculpture by artists from the State of Mexico, and many works are for sale.
Nevado de Toluca National Park
The Nevado de Toluca volcano was declared a flora and fauna protection area in 2013, a protected zone spanning ten municipalities of the State of Mexico, including Toluca, Zinacantepec and Temascaltepec.
When you get to Malinalco
Desierto del Carmen National Park
Declared a national park on October 10, 1942, Desierto del Carmen is a protected area in the municipality of Tenancingo, in the State of Mexico.
Malinalco
Carved straight into the hillside above Malinalco, the Cuauhcalli is a rock-cut temple at the heart of this archaeological zone. The Mexica took the Matlatzinca town around 1476 and used it to train and consecrate elite warriors.
More drives to Malinalco
- Valle de Bravo to Malinalco
- Zitácuaro to Malinalco
- Tlalpujahua to Malinalco
- San Juan del Río to Malinalco
- Tequisquiapan to Malinalco
- Salvatierra to Malinalco
From Guadalupe, Zacatecas to other places in Mexico
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to San Juan de los Lagos
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Temacapulín
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Tepatitlán
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Amatitán
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Ajijic
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Tequila
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Malinalco?
About 7 h 24 min of driving without stops, over 396 miles.
How far is Malinalco from Guadalupe, Zacatecas by car?
About 396 miles (637 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 Malinalco?
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 Malinalco?
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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Malinalco use?
In order: MEX-45D, MEX-45, MEX-47D, MEX-55 and MEX-55D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Guadalupe, Zacatecas and Malinalco?
Closest to the road: Museo Escarcega (art museum, mile 68, 0.6 mi from the route); Museo Descubre (museum, mile 70, 0.2 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 321, 0.4 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.