The Wayro route from Mexico City to Cholula is 76 miles (122 km), about 1 h 24 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 76 mi (122 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 1 h 24 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150D |
| Mexican states on the route | Mexico City (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-150D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 3.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 Cholula is like
MEX-150D (59 mi) carries about 78% of the 76 miles. MEX-150D is a toll highway (cuota). It runs through 3 states: Mexico City, State of Mexico, Puebla. Of the 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Mexico City to Cholula, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–10 | 10 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 10–11 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-150D | 11–70 | 59 | State of Mexico, Puebla |
| local roads | 70–76 | 6 | Puebla |
- Mile 6 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 39 of this route: State of Mexico → Puebla (state line)
Stops between Mexico City and Cholula
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Jardín Botánico Medicinal De la Cruz-Badiano (mile 7), Museo Comunitario de San Miguel Teotongo (mile 11)
- Nature and outdoors: Jardín Botánico Medicinal De la Cruz-Badiano (mile 7), Sacromonte National Park (mile 28)
- Museums and history: Museo Comunitario de San Miguel Teotongo (mile 11), Acozac (mile 19), Xochitecatl (mile 62), Cacaxtla (mile 62)
- With kids: Iztapasauria (mile 8)
Jardín Botánico Medicinal De la Cruz-Badiano
UNAM's De la Cruz-Badiano medicinal botanical garden in Iztapalapa is one of Mexico's early gardens devoted to medicinal plants.
Iztapasauria
Opened on December 4, 2021, Iztapasauria is a dinosaur theme park inside the Deportivo Utopía Santa Cruz Meyehualco sports complex in Iztapalapa.
Museo Comunitario de San Miguel Teotongo
San Miguel Teotongo's community museum sits in the San Miguel Teotongo neighborhood of the Iztapalapa borough in Mexico City.
Acozac
Acozac is an archaeological site in the municipality of Ixtapaluca, State of Mexico, located at kilometer 30 of the federal Mexico City–Puebla road, heading toward Ixtapaluca.
Sacromonte National Park
Sacromonte National Park is a national park and protected area in the State of Mexico, established in 1952 and covering roughly 0.44 square kilometers.
Xochitecatl
Xochitécatl is a pre-Hispanic archaeological site in the state of Tlaxcala. INAH runs it together with nearby Cacaxtla as a single zone, and the Xochitécatl site museum displays finds from the area.
Cacaxtla
Built on a hill rising above the Tlaxcala-Puebla valley, Cacaxtla is known for its pre-Hispanic murals on the Gran Basamento, a large platform now sheltered under a roof. INAH manages it together with nearby Xochitécatl.
When you get to Cholula
San Gabriel Franciscan Convent, Cholula
The San Gabriel Franciscan Convent, also called San Gabriel Friary, is a church and friary in Cholula, part of the Puebla metropolitan area.
Museo de Historia y Antropología de Cholula
Run by INAH, the Museo de Historia y Antropología de Cholula is the site museum for Cholula's archaeological zone. Don't confuse it with the Museo Regional de Cholula, two blocks away.
Cholula
Cholula's Great Pyramid grew in successive construction phases around an adobe core. INAH repair work on its Pocito staircase after the 2017 earthquakes turned up broken pre-Hispanic braziers and a small limestone figure of the rain god Tláloc.
More drives to Cholula
- Toluca to Cholula
- San Juan del Río to Cholula
- Salamanca to Cholula
- Morelia to Cholula
- León to Cholula
- Uruapan to Cholula
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
- Mexico City to Nombre de Dios Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops
- Mexico City to Jerez, Zacatecas Road Trip: Stops & Drive Time
- Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende Road Trip: Stops & Tolls
- Mexico City to Pacanda Road Trip: Stops, Tolls & Drive Time
- Mexico City to Salvatierra Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Mexico City to Cholula?
About 1 h 24 min of driving without stops, over 76 miles.
How far is Cholula from Mexico City by car?
About 76 miles (122 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 Cholula?
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 Cholula?
The U.S. State Department rates Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Mexico City and Cholula?
Closest to the road: Jardín Botánico Medicinal De la Cruz-Badiano (botanical garden, mile 7, 0.7 mi from the route); Museo Comunitario de San Miguel Teotongo (museum, mile 11, 0.4 mi from the route); Xochitecatl (archaeological site, mile 62, 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.