The Wayro route from León to Cuernavaca is 278 miles (448 km), about 4 h 47 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 278 mi (448 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 47 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 → Periférico → MEX-95D |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Mexico City (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-95D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.1 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 León to Cuernavaca is like
MEX-45D (83 mi) and MEX-57D (74 mi) carry about 56% of the 278 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-95D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-57 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 6 states: Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Mexico City, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
The route from León to Cuernavaca, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 6–89 | 83 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-47D | 89–142 | 53 | Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 142–216 | 74 | Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| MEX-57 | 216–224 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| Periférico | 224–243 | 19 | State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 243–245 | 2 | Mexico City |
| MEX-95D | 245–266 | 21 | Mexico City, Morelos |
| local roads | 266–278 | 12 | Morelos |
- Mile 103 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 144 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 177 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 197 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 229 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 262 of this route: Mexico City → Morelos (state line)
Stops between León and Cuernavaca
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Torres de Satélite (mile 224), Acuario Inbursa (mile 228), Luis Barragán House and Studio (mile 231), Archaeological site of Mixcoac (mile 232), National Biodiversity Pavilion (mile 241)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 101), Tula National Park (mile 181)
- Museums and history: Celaya Cathedral (mile 77), Luis Barragán House and Studio (mile 231), Archaeological site of Mixcoac (mile 232), National Biodiversity Pavilion (mile 241)
- With kids: Acuario Inbursa (mile 228), Zoológico Los Coyotes (mile 243)
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.
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.
Torres de Satélite
The Torres de Satélite are giant sculptures in Ciudad Satélite, Naucalpan, conceived from 1957 by architect Luis Barragán, painter Jesús Reyes Ferreira and sculptor Mathias Goeritz.
Acuario Inbursa
In the Nuevo Polanco area of Mexico City, Acuario Inbursa spreads across about 3,500 square meters of exhibits holding some 1.6 million liters of seawater.
Luis Barragán House and Studio
Luis Barragán built his own house and studio in Mexico City in 1948, blending modern design with Mexican vernacular touches. The concrete house and its private garden joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2004.
Archaeological site of Mixcoac
Once on the shore of Lake Texcoco, Mixcoac is a Mexica archaeological zone that, in its final phase, was under the rule of Tenochtitlan.
National Biodiversity Pavilion
Opened in 2021 at Ciudad Universitaria in Mexico City, the National Biodiversity Pavilion is a museum about the variety of life found across Mexico.
Zoológico Los Coyotes
Opened on February 2, 1999, Los Coyotes is Mexico City's third zoo, created to complement the capital's other zoos.
When you get to Cuernavaca
Jardín Borda
Built in the first half of the 18th century for silver miner José de la Borda, this colonial-era house has an artificial lake, fountains and gardens once fed by the hydraulic engineering of its day.
Xochicalco
A fortified hilltop city that thrived between about 650 and 900, Xochicalco is a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can see the Pyramid of the Plumed Serpent with its carved reliefs, ball courts, an underground observatory and a site museum.
Palace of Cortés, Cuernavaca
Begun in the 16th century, the Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca now holds the Museo Regional de los Pueblos de Morelos, reopened in 2023. Out on the east terrace, Diego Rivera's mural on the history of Morelos is back on view.
More drives to Cuernavaca
- Toluca to Cuernavaca
- Querétaro to Cuernavaca
- Morelia to Cuernavaca
- Celaya to Cuernavaca
- Irapuato to Cuernavaca
- Guadalajara to Cuernavaca
From León to other places in Mexico
- León to Pabellón de Arteaga
- León to Real de Asientos
- León to Zacatecas
- León to Amatitán
- León to Tequila
- León to Jerez, Zacatecas
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from León to Cuernavaca?
About 4 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 278 miles.
How far is Cuernavaca from León by car?
About 278 miles (448 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 León to Cuernavaca?
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 León to Cuernavaca?
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; Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from León to Cuernavaca use?
In order: MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-57, Periférico and MEX-95D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between León and Cuernavaca?
Closest to the road: Torres de Satélite (sculpture, mile 224, 0.2 mi from the route); Luis Barragán House and Studio (museum, mile 231, 0.1 mi from the route); Archaeological site of Mixcoac (archaeological site, mile 232, 0.1 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.