The Wayro route from Irapuato to Xalapa is 351 miles (565 km), about 5 h 47 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 351 mi (565 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 47 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-M40D → MEX-136 → MEX-140D |
| 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), Veracruz (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-140D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.1 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.
What the drive from Irapuato to Xalapa is like
MEX-M40D (87 mi) and MEX-140D (65 mi) carry about 43% of the 351 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-140D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-136 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 7 states: Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Irapuato to Xalapa, 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 | 139–226 | 87 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala |
| MEX-136 | 226–278 | 52 | Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 278–280 | 2 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-140D | 280–345 | 65 | Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz |
| local roads | 345–351 | 6 | Veracruz |
- 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 288 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 314 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
Stops between Irapuato and Xalapa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Atlantean figures (mile 150)
- Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 66), La Malinche National Park (mile 267), Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 322)
- Museums and history: Celaya Cathedral (mile 37), Teotihuacan (mile 198), Museo de Sitio de Cantona (mile 304), Cantona (mile 306)
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.
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.
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.
Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia
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.
La Malinche National Park
Tlaxcala's La Malinche National Park surrounds the inactive Matlalcuéyetl volcano, with pine, oak and fir forests on its slopes, hiking trails, birdwatching, and stone cabins and campsites at the Malintzi Vacation Center.
Museo de Sitio de Cantona
At the Cantona archaeological zone in Tepeyahualco, this site museum shows finds from more than 20 years of digs: pottery, obsidian and stone tools, musical instruments, greenstone and shell ornaments, and burial remains.
Cantona
High on the Puebla plateau near the Veracruz line, Cantona was a fortified pre-Hispanic city that controlled trade toward the Gulf; its explored southern section reveals interconnected streets, walled residential units and more than two dozen ballgame courts.
Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote
Cofre de Perote National Park protects the forested slopes of the mountain, and its role is practical as well as scenic: a little over 40 percent of the water used in Xalapa comes from here.
When you get to Xalapa
Xalapa Cathedral
One of Xalapa's oldest buildings, the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception mixes a baroque core with neo-Gothic touches added in 1895, and holds the remains of Bishop Rafael Guízar y Valencia.
Paseo de los Lagos
Paseo de los Lagos is a lakeside public path in Xalapa, on the site of an old dam, in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico.
Xalapa Museum of Anthropology
Run by the Universidad Veracruzana in a building designed by Edward Durell Stone, the Xalapa Museum of Anthropology displays more than 1,500 pieces from Olmec, central Veracruz and Huastec cultures, including several Olmec colossal heads, amid subtropical gardens.
More drives to Xalapa
- Mexico City to Xalapa
- Toluca to Xalapa
- Morelia to Xalapa
- León to Xalapa
- Aguascalientes to Xalapa
- San Luis Potosí to Xalapa
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 Xalapa?
About 5 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 351 miles.
How far is Xalapa from Irapuato by car?
About 351 miles (565 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 Xalapa?
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 Xalapa?
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; Veracruz 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 Xalapa use?
In order: MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-136 and MEX-140D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Irapuato and Xalapa?
Closest to the road: Celaya Cathedral (church building, mile 37, 2 mi from the route); Atlantean figures (atlantean figures, mile 150, 1 mi from the route); Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia (convent, mile 252, 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.