The Wayro route from Lagos de Moreno to Xico is 429 miles (690 km), about 7 h 18 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 429 mi (690 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 18 min |
| Main roads, in order | JAL 302 → MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-M40D → MEX-136 → MEX-140D → VER 7 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco (Level 3), 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-43D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-140D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.2 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 Lagos de Moreno to Xico is like
MEX-45D (107 mi) and MEX-M40D (87 mi) carry about 45% of the 429 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 8 states: Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Lagos de Moreno to Xico, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Jalisco |
| JAL 302 | 1–8 | 7 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 8–115 | 107 | Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 115–116 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-47D | 116–168 | 52 | Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 168–203 | 35 | Querétaro, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 203–204 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-M40D | 204–291 | 87 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 291–292 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-136 | 292–344 | 52 | Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 344–345 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-140D | 345–410 | 65 | Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz |
| connecting roads | 410–414 | 4 | Veracruz |
| local roads | 414–418 | 4 | Veracruz |
| VER 7 | 418–422 | 4 | Veracruz |
| local roads | 422–429 | 7 | Veracruz |
- Mile 18 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 128 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 170 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 203 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 232 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 247 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 263 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 276 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 283 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 354 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 380 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
Stops between Lagos de Moreno and Xico
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (mile 415), Pinacoteca Diego Rivera (mile 417), Jardín Botánico Francisco J. Clavijero (mile 419)
- Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 132), La Malinche National Park (mile 332), Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 388), Jardín Botánico Francisco J. Clavijero (mile 419)
- Museums and history: Teotihuacan (mile 264), Cantona (mile 371), Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (mile 415), Pinacoteca Diego Rivera (mile 417)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pinacoteca Diego Rivera
In downtown Xalapa, the Pinacoteca Diego Rivera is an art museum with a large collection of works by the muralist Diego Rivera.
Jardín Botánico Francisco J. Clavijero
Opened in 1977 by the Instituto de Ecología near Xalapa, this botanical garden sits in native cloud forest beside a 30-hectare forest sanctuary and keeps notable collections of Mexican cycads, bamboo and carnivorous butterworts.
When you get to Xico
Cascada de Texolo
Two waterfalls on the Matlacobatl River, Texolo with a 20-meter drop and La Monja with about 8 meters, sit roughly 3 kilometers from Xico amid cloud forest included in a Ramsar wetland site.
More drives to Xico
From Lagos de Moreno to other places in Mexico
- Lagos de Moreno to Real de Asientos
- Lagos de Moreno to Amatitán
- Lagos de Moreno to Tequila
- Lagos de Moreno to San Luis Soyatlán
- Lagos de Moreno to Bernal
- Lagos de Moreno to Ezequiel Montes
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Lagos de Moreno to Xico?
About 7 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 429 miles.
How far is Xico from Lagos de Moreno by car?
About 429 miles (690 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 Lagos de Moreno to Xico?
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 Lagos de Moreno to Xico?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; 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 Lagos de Moreno to Xico use?
In order: JAL 302, MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-136, MEX-140D and VER 7. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Lagos de Moreno and Xico?
Closest to the road: Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (archaeological museum, mile 415, 0.2 mi from the route); Pinacoteca Diego Rivera (art museum, mile 417, 0.6 mi from the route); Jardín Botánico Francisco J. Clavijero (botanical garden, mile 419, 0.7 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.