By road, Mexico City and General Zaragoza are about 444 miles (714 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 42 min of driving.
| Total distance | 444 mi (714 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 42 min |
| Main roads, in order | Viaducto → Periférico → MEX-57 → MEX-57D → SLP 29 → NL 3 |
| Mexican states on the route | Mexico City, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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.
How the Mexico City to General Zaragoza drive plays out
MEX-57 (243 mi) and MEX-57D (100 mi) carry about 77% of the 444 miles. It runs through 7 states: Mexico City, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Mexico City to General Zaragoza: the road sequence
| 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 | 24–94 | 70 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 94–147 | 53 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57 | 147–244 | 97 | Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 244–286 | 42 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 286–362 | 76 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 362–367 | 5 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 29 | 367–396 | 29 | San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León |
| NL 3 | 396–402 | 6 | Nuevo León |
| local roads | 402–444 | 42 | Nuevo León |
- Mile 9 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 41 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 60 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 93 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 153 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 207 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
- Mile 376 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Nuevo León (state line)
Places worth a stop between Mexico City and General Zaragoza
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Soumaya (mile 9)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Tezozómoc (mile 14), Tula National Park (mile 56), El Gogorrón National Park (mile 233)
- Museums and history: Museo Soumaya (mile 9), Tlalnepantla Cathedral (mile 17), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 253), Matehuala Cathedral (mile 367)
Museo Soumaya
Museo Soumaya is a private, nonprofit art museum in Mexico City with two buildings, Plaza Loreto and Plaza Carso. Its collection spans pre-Hispanic sculpture, Mexican art and European masters such as Rodin, Dalí and Tintoretto.
Parque Tezozómoc
A large park in the Azcapotzalco borough, Parque Tezozómoc offers open green space in the northwestern part of Mexico City.
Tlalnepantla Cathedral
Consecrated on August 23, 1964, Tlalnepantla's Corpus Christi Cathedral stands where Franciscans founded the Convent of San Francisco in 1525.
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.
Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro
Querétaro's historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996, pairs the Spaniards' grid of streets with the winding lanes of the old Indigenous quarters. Walk it for Baroque churches and mansions of the 17th and 18th centuries and the city's landmark aqueduct.
El Gogorrón National Park
Hot-spring balnearios lie within the bounds of Gogorrón National Park, which covers parts of Villa de Reyes and Santa María del Río in San Luis Potosí. Its higher ground carries pine-oak forest.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
Look closely at the two towers of San Luis Potosí's cathedral: one is built of mortar, the other of quarried cantera stone. The Baroque church is the seat of the archdiocese.
Matehuala Cathedral
In Matehuala, San Luis Potosí, the Diocese of Matehuala has its seat at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, a Catholic church that remains open to worshippers.
More drives to General Zaragoza
- Jerez, Zacatecas to General Zaragoza
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to General Zaragoza
- Celaya to General Zaragoza
- Salvatierra to General Zaragoza
- Tlalpujahua to General Zaragoza
- Angangueo to General Zaragoza
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 does it take to drive from Mexico City to General Zaragoza?
About 9 h 42 min of driving without stops, over 444 miles.
What is the driving distance from Mexico City to General Zaragoza?
About 444 miles (714 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 General Zaragoza?
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 General Zaragoza?
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; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Mexico City to General Zaragoza?
In order: Viaducto, Periférico, MEX-57, MEX-57D, SLP 29 and NL 3. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Mexico City and General Zaragoza?
Closest to the road: Museo Soumaya (museum network, mile 9, 0.6 mi from the route); Parque Tezozómoc (park, mile 14, 2 mi from the route); Tlalnepantla Cathedral (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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.