Plan on about 9 h 15 min of driving for the 451-mile (726 km) trip from Iguala to Matehuala, before any stops.
| Distance | 451 mi (726 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 15 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-95 → MEX-92D → MEX-55 → MEX-55D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 |
| Mexican states on the route | Guerrero, Morelos, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-92D, MEX-55D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.1 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.
How the Iguala to Matehuala drive plays out
MEX-57 (175 mi) and MEX-57D (93 mi) carry about 59% of the 451 miles. It runs through 6 states: Guerrero, Morelos, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-92D, MEX-55D and MEX-M40D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Iguala to Matehuala, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Guerrero |
| MEX-95 | 1–24 | 23 | Guerrero |
| MEX-92D | 24–29 | 5 | Guerrero |
| MEX-95 | 29–35 | 6 | Guerrero |
| MEX-55 | 35–58 | 23 | Guerrero, Morelos, State of Mexico |
| local roads | 58–63 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 63–87 | 24 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 87–89 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 89–99 | 10 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 99–110 | 11 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 110–139 | 29 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 139–142 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 142–150 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 150–151 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 151–181 | 30 | State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 181–232 | 51 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57 | 232–329 | 97 | Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 329–330 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 330–372 | 42 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 372–450 | 78 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 450–451 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
- Mile 37 of this route: Guerrero → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 40 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 48 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 51 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 179 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 239 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 293 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Iguala and Matehuala
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (mile 22), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 40)
- Nature and outdoors: Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 40), Nevado de Toluca National Park (mile 83), Parque Estatal Sierra Morelos (mile 105), El Gogorrón National Park (mile 319)
- Museums and history: Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (mile 22), Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez (mile 101), Calixtlahuaca (mile 106)
Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco
Silver baron José de la Borda paid for Santa Prisca with the bonanza from his San Ignacio mine in Taxco, and the church was dedicated in 1759, the same year his nearby house on the plaza was finished.
Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park
Protected as a national park since 1936, this area near Taxco centers on the Cacahuamilpa caverns, where a guided route of about 4 km passes chambers up to 80 meters high, decorated with flowstone and floor-to-ceiling columns.
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.
Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez
In Toluca's historic center, a building from the late 18th and early 19th centuries holds about 225 watercolors, oils and drawings tracing the work of painter Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez. It opened in December 1992.
Teatro Morelos
In Toluca's historic center, just west of the State of Mexico's Palace of Justice, Teatro Morelos stages plays along with other shows and cultural events.
Parque Estatal Sierra Morelos
This Toluca park, one of the State of Mexico's protected natural areas, is home to more than 500 species of plants and animals. Families come for the axolotl center, bat house, small farm and jogging track.
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.
Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro
Baroque churches and mansions from the 17th and 18th centuries line the streets of Querétaro's historic center, along with the city's landmark aqueduct.
El Gogorrón National Park
Hot-spring balnearios lie within the bounds of Gogorrón National Park, which covers parts of Villa de Reyes and Santa María del Río in San Luis Potosí. Its higher ground carries pine-oak forest.
Arriving in Matehuala
Matehuala Cathedral
In Matehuala, San Luis Potosí, the Diocese of Matehuala has its seat at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, a Catholic church that remains open to worshippers.
More drives to Matehuala
- Zitácuaro to Matehuala
- Mexico City to Matehuala
- Pachuca to Matehuala
- Cuernavaca to Matehuala
- Tlaxcala to Matehuala
- Cuautla to Matehuala
From Iguala to other places in Mexico
- Iguala to Tonatico
- Iguala to Malinalco
- Iguala to Metepec
- Iguala to Atlixco
- Iguala to Tepotzotlán
- Iguala to Valle de Bravo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Iguala to Matehuala?
About 9 h 15 min of driving without stops, over 451 miles.
How far is Matehuala from Iguala by car?
About 451 miles (726 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 Iguala to Matehuala?
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 Iguala to Matehuala?
The U.S. State Department rates Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Iguala to Matehuala use?
In order: MEX-95, MEX-92D, MEX-55, MEX-55D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D and MEX-57. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Iguala and Matehuala?
Closest to the road: Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (church, mile 22, 0.2 mi from the route); Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (national park, mile 40, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez (art museum, mile 101, 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.