The Wayro route from Lagos de Moreno to Zacatelco is 329 miles (529 km), about 5 h 16 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 329 mi (529 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | JAL 302 → MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-M40D → MEX-117D → MEX-119 |
| 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) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-117D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.1 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 Lagos de Moreno to Zacatelco is like
MEX-45D (107 mi) and MEX-M40D (104 mi) carry about 64% of the 329 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-117D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-119 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 7 states: Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Lagos de Moreno to Zacatelco, 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 | 204–308 | 104 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| MEX-117D | 308–322 | 14 | Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| MEX-119 | 322–328 | 6 | Tlaxcala |
| local roads | 328–329 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
- 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 306 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 310 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
Stops between Lagos de Moreno and Zacatelco
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 127), Tula National Park (mile 216)
- Museums and history: Celaya Cathedral (mile 103), Jorge R. Acosta Museum (mile 215), Teotihuacan (mile 264), Tlaxcala Cathedral (mile 319), Museo Miguel N. Lira (mile 319)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena
The former convent of Santa María Magdalena (Exconvento de Santa María Magdalena) is a 17th-century Baroque church built by the Dieguino friars, still in use as a Catholic temple of the Archdiocese of Puebla.
Tlaxcala Cathedral
Part of a 16th-century Franciscan complex among the earliest in the Americas, Tlaxcala's cathedral is famous for its carved Mudéjar-style wooden ceiling. Look for the freestanding bell tower and the stone font where Tlaxcalan lords were baptized.
Museo Miguel N. Lira
Downtown Tlaxcala's Museo Miguel N. Lira fills the old State Printing Office, linked to the writer and poet. Visitors see his manuscripts, family photos and personal belongings, plus the original linotype machines and the press that printed his work.
When you get to Zacatelco
Laguna de Acomulco
A quiet lagoon in the state of Tlaxcala, Laguna de Acomulco is surrounded by vegetation and rural scenery and works well for a short walk, landscape photos or a calm break in nature.
Parque ecológico Los Ladrillos
Opened on April 2, 2015, Los Ladrillos Ecological Park is a nature reserve in the municipality of Zacatelco, in Tlaxcala.
More drives to Zacatelco
- Huamantla to Zacatelco
- Cuautla to Zacatelco
- Pachuca to Zacatelco
- Tulancingo to Zacatelco
- Tepotzotlán to Zacatelco
- Cuernavaca to Zacatelco
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 Zacatelco?
About 5 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 329 miles.
How far is Zacatelco from Lagos de Moreno by car?
About 329 miles (529 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 Zacatelco?
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 Zacatelco?
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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Lagos de Moreno to Zacatelco use?
In order: JAL 302, MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-117D and MEX-119. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Lagos de Moreno and Zacatelco?
Closest to the road: Jorge R. Acosta Museum (museum, mile 215, 1 mi from the route); Tula National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 216, 1 mi from the route); Museo Miguel N. Lira (museum, mile 319, 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.