The Wayro route from Mexico City to Guanajuato is 222 miles (358 km), about 4 h 14 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 222 mi (358 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 14 min |
| Main roads, in order | Viaducto → Periférico → MEX-57 → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → MEX-110 |
| Mexican states on the route | Mexico City (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.9 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 Guanajuato is like
MEX-57 (70 mi) and MEX-47D (54 mi) carry about 56% of the 222 miles. MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-57, MEX-45, MEX-110 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Mexico City, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Guanajuato. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Mexico City to Guanajuato, 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 | 24–94 | 70 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro |
| MEX-47D | 94–148 | 54 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 148–199 | 51 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45 | 199–209 | 10 | Guanajuato |
| local roads | 209–215 | 6 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-110 | 215–222 | 7 | Guanajuato |
- 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 135 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
Stops between Mexico City and Guanajuato
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Colección Jumex (mile 9), Museo Hacienda de Santa Mónica (mile 16), Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (mile 47)
- Nature and outdoors: Bicentennial Park (mile 11), Los Remedios National Park (mile 12), El Cimatario National Park (mile 130), Cerro de las Campanas (mile 136)
- Museums and history: Colección Jumex (mile 9), Museo Hacienda de Santa Mónica (mile 16), Tlalnepantla Cathedral (mile 17), Cuautitlán Cathedral (mile 27)
Colección Jumex
Colección Jumex, a private contemporary art collection owned by Eugenio López Alonso, is shown at Museo Jumex in Mexico City's Polanco neighborhood.
Bicentennial Park
On the line between the Azcapotzalco and Miguel Hidalgo boroughs, Bicentennial Park (Parque Bicentenario) is a park in the western part of Mexico City.
Los Remedios National Park
Los Remedios National Park, created by federal decree in 1938, covers about 400 hectares on the far western side of Naucalpan, just northwest of Mexico City.
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.
Cuautitlán Cathedral
Cuautitlán's St. Bonaventure Cathedral (Catedral de San Buenaventura) is a Catholic church that forms part of the convent of the same name in this State of Mexico municipality.
Templo y exconvento de San Francisco
The Templo y Exconvento de San Francisco is a church and former convent located in the city of Tepeji del Río, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
El Cimatario National Park
El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
When you get to Guanajuato
Tucked into a narrow mountain valley in central Mexico, Guanajuato grew into the world's leading silver-extraction center in the 18th century. Its Baroque churches, tunnels and underground streets earned the Historic Town of Guanajuato and Adjacent Mines a place on UNESCO's World Heritage list in 1988.
- Alhóndiga de Granaditas: Built from 1797 to 1809 as a granary and stormed by Miguel Hidalgo's insurgents in 1810, it has housed the Regional Museum of Guanajuato since 1958. source
- Underground streets: Drive or walk the subterranean roadways that run beneath the city, one of the features UNESCO singles out in its listing. source
- Historic mines: The old silver mines on the edge of town are part of the World Heritage property along with the historic center. source
Alfredo Dugès Museum
Named for French naturalist Alfredo Dugès, who settled in Guanajuato, this natural history museum is in the city of Guanajuato.
Cervantes Theater
Guanajuato's Cervantes Theater is a stone building in colonial style designed by José Martínez Cossio and inaugurated in 1979.
Museo Iconográfico del Quijote
Founded in 1987 with works donated by Spanish businessman and patron Eulalio Ferrer, this Guanajuato museum collects art in many media inspired by Don Quixote.
More drives to Guanajuato
- McAllen, TX to Guanajuato
- Brownsville, TX to Guanajuato
- Laredo, TX to Guanajuato
- South Padre Island, TX to Guanajuato
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Guanajuato
- Fresnillo to Guanajuato
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
Coming to Guanajuato from the United States? Border crossings, permits and routes from U.S. cities: Driving to Guanajuato, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Mexico City to Guanajuato?
About 4 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 222 miles.
How far is Guanajuato from Mexico City by car?
About 222 miles (358 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 Guanajuato?
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 Guanajuato?
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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Mexico City to Guanajuato use?
In order: Viaducto, Periférico, MEX-57, MEX-47D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and MEX-110. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Mexico City and Guanajuato?
Closest to the road: Colección Jumex (art museum, mile 9, 0.7 mi from the route); Museo Hacienda de Santa Mónica (museum, mile 16, 0.4 mi from the route); Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (convent, mile 47, 0.6 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.