Huamantla to Actopan Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Huamantla to Actopan is 113 miles (182 km), about 2 h 23 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Tlaxcala — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Hidalgo is the Mexican state that contains Actopan. See the full advisory for current details.
Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, ApizacoEx Convento de Santa María de la Concepción AtlihuetziaAqueduct of Padre TemblequeChurch and former convent of Todos los SantosMuseo Nacional de la FotografíaBasílica Menor de Nuestra Señora de GuadalupeEl Chico National ParkHuamantlaActopan
Route from Huamantla to Actopan with the 7 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance113 mi (182 km)
Driving time, no stops2 h 23 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-132 → MEX-88
Mexican states on the routeTlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-M40D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 4.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below7

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 Huamantla to Actopan is like

MEX-136 (43 mi) and MEX-M40D (27 mi) carry about 62% of the 113 miles. MEX-M40D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-136, MEX-132, MEX-88 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Huamantla to Actopan, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
MEX-1360–4343Tlaxcala
MEX-M40D43–7027Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico
connecting roads70–711State of Mexico
MEX-13271–743State of Mexico, Hidalgo
connecting roads74–751Hidalgo
MEX-8875–9015Hidalgo
local roads90–11323Hidalgo
  • Mile 52 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 60 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 72 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)

Stops between Huamantla and Actopan

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Church and former convent of Todos los Santos (mile 78)
  • Nature and outdoors: El Chico National Park (mile 94)
  • Museums and history: Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (mile 16), Museo Nacional de la Fotografía (mile 91), Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (mile 92)

Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco

Mile 16 · Basilica · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia

Mile 19 · Convent · 1 mi from the route

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.

Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque

Mile 72 · 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 78 · Convent · 0.6 mi from the route

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.

Museo Nacional de la Fotografía

Mile 91 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Pachuca de Soto, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo, is home to the Museo Nacional de la Fotografía, a museum devoted to photography.

Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe

Mile 92 · Basilica · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Known locally as La Villita, the Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is a Catholic basilica dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe in Pachuca.

El Chico National Park

Mile 94 · National Park of Mexico · 7 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

In Hidalgo, El Chico National Park is known for towering cliffs such as Las Ventanas and Peña del Cuervo, popular with climbers, and forest wildlife including gray foxes, ringtails, armadillos, hawks, falcons and woodpeckers.

More drives to Actopan

From Huamantla to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Huamantla to Actopan?

About 2 h 23 min of driving without stops, over 113 miles.

How far is Actopan from Huamantla by car?

About 113 miles (182 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 Huamantla to Actopan?

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 Huamantla to Actopan?

The U.S. State Department rates Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo 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 Huamantla to Actopan use?

In order: MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-132 and MEX-88. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Huamantla and Actopan?

Closest to the road: Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia (convent, mile 19, 1 mi from the route); Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque (aqueduct, mile 72, 2 mi from the route); Church and former convent of Todos los Santos (convent, mile 78, 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.