The Wayro route from Ixtenco to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is 412 miles (663 km), about 7 h 4 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 412 mi (663 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 4 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → AGS 19 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.5 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 Ixtenco to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is like
MEX-45D (141 mi) and MEX-M40D (88 mi) carry about 56% of the 412 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-136, MEX-45 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 7 states: Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Ixtenco to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-136 | 0–48 | 48 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-M40D | 48–136 | 88 | Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 136–137 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 137–171 | 34 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-47D | 171–225 | 54 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 225–366 | 141 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 366–396 | 30 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 396–399 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 399–403 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 19 | 403–411 | 8 | Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 411–412 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
- Mile 58 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 65 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 78 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 94 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 109 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 138 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 171 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 213 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 322 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 370 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
Stops between Ixtenco and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 384), Centro de Artes Visuales (mile 384)
- Nature and outdoors: Tula National Park (mile 125), Cerro de las Campanas (mile 213)
- Museums and history: Museo Casa de Piedra (mile 22), Tula (mile 125), Celaya Cathedral (mile 237), Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 384), Centro de Artes Visuales (mile 384)
Museo Casa de Piedra
Apizaco's old railroad station, dating from 1916, now houses the Museo Casa de Piedra. Inside, photographs and documents trace the town's history, especially its long ties to the railroads.
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.
Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque
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.
Tula
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.
Tula National Park
This park protects the ruins of Tula, ancient capital of the Toltecs. Walk up to the main pyramid to stand beside the Atlantes, basalt warrior figures more than four meters tall, and look for the Coatepantli wall's reliefs of snakes devouring skeletons.
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
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.
Historic centre of Aguascalientes
The historic center of Aguascalientes is the city's zone of historic monuments, which INAH has declared part of the nation's heritage.
Centro de Artes Visuales
Run by the Instituto Cultural de Aguascalientes, the Centro de Artes Visuales is an arts education center in the city of Aguascalientes with its own exhibition space for visual art.
When you get to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
Santuario del Cristo Roto, San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
A 28-meter broken Christ, the Cristo Roto, stands on an island in the Presidente Calles dam at San José de Gracia, reachable only by boat. Sculptors Erasmo Aguilar and Miguel Romo Santino made it to recall what the town lost when the dam was built.
More drives to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Jerez, Zacatecas to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Amatitán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Ajijic to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tequila to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
From Ixtenco to other places in Mexico
- Ixtenco to Omitlán
- Ixtenco to Huasca de Ocampo
- Ixtenco to Tonatico
- Ixtenco to El Oro
- Ixtenco to Mineral de Pozos
- Ixtenco to Santa Fe de la Laguna
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ixtenco to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
About 7 h 4 min of driving without stops, over 412 miles.
How far is San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes from Ixtenco by car?
About 412 miles (663 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 Ixtenco to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
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 Ixtenco to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
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; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Ixtenco to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes use?
In order: MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and AGS 19. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Ixtenco and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
Closest to the road: Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia (convent, mile 24, 1 mi from the route); Historic centre of Aguascalientes (historic district, mile 384, 0.1 mi from the route); Centro de Artes Visuales (art museum, mile 384, 0.2 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.