Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Tulancingo Road Trip: Route & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Tulancingo is 407 miles (655 km), about 6 h 55 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 CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Hidalgo is the Mexican state that contains Tulancingo. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Museo Espacio, AguascalientesCelaya CathedralCerro de las CampanasSala Histórica QuetzalcóatlTulaTeotihuacanAqueduct of Padre TemblequeChurch and former convent of Todos los SantosGuadalupe, ZacatecasTulancingo
Route from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Tulancingo with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance407 mi (655 km)
Driving time, no stops6 h 55 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-45D → MEX-45 → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-M40D → MEX-132 → MEX-130
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)
Toll roadsMEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 16.3 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 Tulancingo is like

MEX-45D (163 mi) and MEX-M40D (60 mi) carry about 55% of the 407 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-132, MEX-130 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 7 states: Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Tulancingo, 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-M40D318–37860Hidalgo, State of Mexico
MEX-132378–40123Hidalgo
MEX-130401–4065Hidalgo
local roads406–4071Hidalgo
  • 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)

Stops between Guadalupe, Zacatecas and Tulancingo

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (mile 67)
  • Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 240)
  • Museums and history: Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (mile 67), Celaya Cathedral (mile 217), Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (mile 328), Tula (mile 329), Teotihuacan (mile 377)

Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes

Mile 67 · Art museum · 0.8 mi from the route

Inside the Tres Centurias complex at Aguascalientes' old train station, Museo Espacio is a contemporary art museum, so a visit pairs current work with a look at the city's railroad buildings.

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.

Cerro de las Campanas

Mile 240 · National Park of Mexico · 12 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.

Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl

Mile 328 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

The Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl is an archaeological museum located in Tula de Allende, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

Tula

Mile 329 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

Once the Toltec capital, the Tula archaeological zone is best known for its Atlantes, basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall crowning the main pyramid. Visitors also see a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall, carved with snakes devouring skeletons.

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 380 · 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.

Church and former convent of Todos los Santos

Mile 383 · Convent · 2 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.

When you get to Tulancingo

Tulancingo Cathedral

Cathedral · in Tulancingo

Tulancingo Cathedral grew from a 16th-century Franciscan mission. The present church, designed by architect José Damián Ortiz de Castro and consecrated in 1806, has an unusual Neoclassical portico with Ionic columns and a triangular pediment.

Museo del Ferrocarril

Railway museum · in Tulancingo

This former railway station on the old Hidalgo Railroad line to Mexico City now works as a museum, with photographs of its construction and the office and bookkeeping objects used in its day.

Museo de Datos Históricos

Museum · in Tulancingo

Tulancingo's first station of the Hidalgo and Northeast Railroad, built in 1893, now houses the Museo de Datos Históricos, with regional archaeological pieces such as the Huapalcalco feline, traditional clothing from Santa Ana Hueytlalpan and a historical photo archive.

More drives to Tulancingo

From Guadalupe, Zacatecas to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

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

About 6 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 407 miles.

How far is Tulancingo from Guadalupe, Zacatecas by car?

About 407 miles (655 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 Tulancingo?

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 Tulancingo?

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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Tulancingo use?

In order: MEX-45D, MEX-45, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-132 and MEX-130. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Guadalupe, Zacatecas and Tulancingo?

Closest to the road: Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (art museum, mile 67, 0.8 mi from the route); Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (museum, mile 328, 1 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, 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.