The Wayro route from Mexico City to Ajijic is 349 miles (562 km), about 6 h 12 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 349 mi (562 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 12 min |
| Main roads, in order | Viaducto → Periférico → MEX-57 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → JAL 122 → MEX-35 → MEX-23 |
| Mexican states on the route | Mexico City (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.0 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 Mexico City to Ajijic is like
MEX-15D (203 mi) and MEX-57 (34 mi) carry about 68% of the 349 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-15D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-57, MEX-35, MEX-23 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Mexico City, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Michoacán, Jalisco. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Mexico City to Ajijic, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Mexico City |
| Viaducto | 2–6 | 4 | Mexico City |
| Periférico | 6–24 | 18 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| MEX-57 | 24–58 | 34 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 58–60 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-M40D | 60–93 | 33 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 93–296 | 203 | State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco |
| JAL 122 | 296–301 | 5 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 301–302 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-35 | 302–332 | 30 | Jalisco |
| MEX-23 | 332–349 | 17 | Jalisco |
- Mile 9 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 41 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 62 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 111 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 279 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
Stops between Mexico City and Ajijic
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Acuario Inbursa (mile 9), Museo Hacienda de Santa Mónica (mile 16)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Espejo de los Lirios (mile 26), Tula National Park (mile 56), Rayón National Park (mile 114)
- Museums and history: Catedral de Azcapotzalco (mile 11), Museo Tezozómoc (mile 12), Museo Hacienda de Santa Mónica (mile 16), Tlalnepantla Cathedral (mile 17), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 132)
- With kids: Acuario Inbursa (mile 9)
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.
Catedral de Azcapotzalco
Officially the Cathedral of the Holy Apostles Philip and James, the Catedral de Azcapotzalco is the seat of the Diocese of Azcapotzalco in Mexico City.
Museo Tezozómoc
Run by the Instituto Politécnico Nacional since 1999, Museo Tezozómoc is an interactive museum about science and technology.
Museo Hacienda de Santa Mónica
Part of the Antonio Haghenbeck Cultural Foundation, the Museo Hacienda de Santa Mónica is a museum in the municipality of Tlalnepantla de Baz, State of Mexico.
Tlalnepantla Cathedral
Consecrated on August 23, 1964, Tlalnepantla's Corpus Christi Cathedral stands where Franciscans founded the Convent of San Francisco in 1525.
Parque Espejo de los Lirios
Espejo de los Lirios is a lake park in Cuautitlán Izcalli, opened as a park in 1973 and declared a protected natural area in 2009 along with the city's Central 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.
Rayón National Park
Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
More drives to Ajijic
- Calvillo to Ajijic
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Ajijic
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Ajijic
- Fresnillo to Ajijic
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Ajijic
- Sombrerete to Ajijic
From Mexico City to other places in Mexico
- Mexico City to Metepec
- Mexico City to Toluca
- Mexico City to Cuernavaca
- Mexico City to Atlatlahucan
- Mexico City to Malinalco
- Mexico City to Cuautla
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Mexico City to Ajijic?
About 6 h 12 min of driving without stops, over 349 miles.
How far is Ajijic from Mexico City by car?
About 349 miles (562 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 Mexico City to Ajijic?
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 Mexico City to Ajijic?
The U.S. State Department rates Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Mexico City to Ajijic use?
In order: Viaducto, Periférico, MEX-57, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, JAL 122, MEX-35 and MEX-23. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Mexico City and Ajijic?
Closest to the road: Acuario Inbursa (public aquarium, mile 9, 0.6 mi from the route); Museo Hacienda de Santa Mónica (museum, mile 16, 0.4 mi from the route); Tlalnepantla Cathedral (catholic cathedral, mile 17, 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.