The Wayro route from Irapuato to Chipilo is 271 miles (436 km), about 4 h 20 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 271 mi (436 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 20 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-M40D → MEX-150D |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-150D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.8 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 Irapuato to Chipilo is like
MEX-M40D (106 mi) and MEX-47D (53 mi) carry about 59% of the 271 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-150D are toll highways (cuota). It runs through 6 states: Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Irapuato to Chipilo, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 4–50 | 46 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-47D | 50–103 | 53 | Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 103–137 | 34 | Querétaro, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 137–139 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-M40D | 139–245 | 106 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 245–263 | 18 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 263–267 | 4 | Puebla |
| local roads | 267–271 | 4 | Puebla |
- Mile 63 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 104 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 137 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 167 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 181 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 198 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 211 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 218 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 240 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
Stops between Irapuato and Chipilo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Atlantean figures (mile 150), La Constancia Mexicana (mile 262)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 61), El Cimatario National Park (mile 66)
- Museums and history: Celaya Cathedral (mile 37), Jorge R. Acosta Museum (mile 150), Teotihuacan (mile 198), Xochitecatl (mile 250), Cacaxtla (mile 250), La Constancia Mexicana (mile 262)
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.
El Cimatario National Park
El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.
Atlantean figures
Crowning the main pyramid at the Tula archaeological zone, these basalt sculptures of Toltec warriors stand more than four meters tall in what was once the Toltec capital; the nearby Wall of Snakes shows carved serpents devouring skeletons.
Jorge R. Acosta Museum
Next to the Tula ruins, the Museo de Sitio Jorge R. Acosta traces the rise and decline of the Toltecs and their city, Tollan Xicocotitlan. It moved into new facilities in 1982 and covers nearly 20 years of digs led by archaeologist Jorge R. Acosta.
Teotihuacan
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.
Xochitecatl
Xochitécatl is a pre-Hispanic archaeological site in the state of Tlaxcala. INAH runs it together with nearby Cacaxtla as a single zone, and the Xochitécatl site museum displays finds from the area.
Cacaxtla
Built on a hill rising above the Tlaxcala-Puebla valley, Cacaxtla is known for its pre-Hispanic murals on the Gran Basamento, a large platform now sheltered under a roof. INAH manages it together with nearby Xochitécatl.
La Constancia Mexicana
A textile factory founded in 1835 in Puebla now houses the La Constancia museum complex, with a children's museum, a puppet house, a Mexican music museum, an automobile museum and a park of miniature world monuments.
When you get to Chipilo
Convent Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Puebla
An early 17th-century example of Puebla Baroque, the Church of the Virgin of Carmen has two richly decorated chapels and a neoclassical altarpiece holding an image of the Virgin by sculptor José Antonio Villegas Cora.
Fort Loreto
Fort Loreto is a fort that stands in the city of Puebla, in the Mexican state of the same name.
Museo Amparo
Opened in 1991 in Puebla's historic center, Museo Amparo was sponsored by the Amparo Foundation, created in 1979 by Manuel Espinosa Yglesias in honor of his wife.
More drives to Chipilo
- Apizaco to Chipilo
- Calpulalpan to Chipilo
- Pachuca to Chipilo
- Cuernavaca to Chipilo
- Tepotzotlán to Chipilo
- Actopan to Chipilo
From Irapuato to other places in Mexico
- Irapuato to Paracho
- Irapuato to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Irapuato to Amatitán
- Irapuato to Tequila
- Irapuato to Jerez, Zacatecas
- Irapuato to Sombrerete
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Irapuato to Chipilo?
About 4 h 20 min of driving without stops, over 271 miles.
How far is Chipilo from Irapuato by car?
About 271 miles (436 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 Irapuato to Chipilo?
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 Irapuato to Chipilo?
The U.S. State Department rates 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 Irapuato to Chipilo use?
In order: MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D and MEX-150D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Irapuato and Chipilo?
Closest to the road: Atlantean figures (atlantean figures, mile 150, 1 mi from the route); Jorge R. Acosta Museum (museum, mile 150, 1 mi from the route); La Constancia Mexicana (museum, mile 262, 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.