Mexico City to Huauchinango Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Mexico City to Huauchinango is 99 miles (159 km), about 2 h 10 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Mexico City — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Puebla is the Mexican state that contains Huauchinango. See the full advisory for current details.
Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, EcatepecCasa de Morelos, EcatepecMolino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National ParkCatedral de TeotihuacánPyramid of the MoonMuseo del Ferrocarril en OtumbaMuseo de Datos HistóricosHuapalcalcoMexico CityHuauchinango
Route from Mexico City to Huauchinango with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance99 mi (159 km)
Driving time, no stops2 h 10 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-132D → MEX-132
Mexican states on the routeMexico City (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-132D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 4.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below8

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 insuranceRequired 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 Huauchinango is like

MEX-132 (40 mi) and MEX-132D (34 mi) carry about 75% of the 99 miles. MEX-132D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-132 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 4 states: Mexico City, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Puebla. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Mexico City to Huauchinango, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–1616Mexico City, State of Mexico
connecting roads16–215State of Mexico
MEX-132D21–265State of Mexico
MEX-13226–6640State of Mexico, Hidalgo
connecting roads66–671Hidalgo
MEX-132D67–9629Hidalgo, Puebla
local roads96–993Puebla
  • Mile 7 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 45 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 93 of this route: Hidalgo → Puebla (state line)

Stops between Mexico City and Huauchinango

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Huapalcalco (mile 75)
  • Nature and outdoors: Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park (mile 24)
  • Museums and history: Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ecatepec (mile 14), Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (mile 14), Catedral de Teotihuacán (mile 27), Museo del Ferrocarril en Otumba (mile 35), Museo de Datos Históricos (mile 73), Huapalcalco (mile 75)

Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ecatepec

Mile 14 · Cathedral · 2 mi from the route

The Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, also called Ecatepec Cathedral, is the main Catholic church and seat of the Diocese of Ecatepec in Mexico, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec

Mile 14 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

Also called the Centro Comunitario Casa de Morelos, the Casa de Morelos is a museum in the municipality of Ecatepec de Morelos dedicated to José María Morelos y Pavón.

Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park

Mile 24 · National Park of Mexico · 9 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Named for Antonio Flores de Valdés, who inherited the estate in 1642, this former hacienda and mill near Texcoco became a national park in 1937. Visitors walk among its ruins, the San Joaquín church remains and a chapel built on rock.

Catedral de Teotihuacán

Mile 27 · Catholic cathedral · 2 mi from the route

In Teotihuacán de Arista, the town at the heart of the municipality, the Cathedral Sanctuary of the Divine Redeemer serves as the seat of the Diocese of Teotihuacán.

Pyramid of the Moon

Mile 32 · Step pyramid · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

In the western part of ancient Teotihuacan, in present-day San Martín de las Pirámides, the Pyramid of the Moon mimics the contours of Cerro Gordo, the mountain just north of the site.

Museo del Ferrocarril en Otumba

Mile 35 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The Museo del Ferrocarril en Otumba is a museum in the town of Otumba de Gómez Farías devoted, as its name says, to the railroad.

Museo de Datos Históricos

Mile 73 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Tulancingo's first station of the Hidalgo and Northeast Railroad, built in 1893, now houses the Museo de Datos Históricos, with regional archaeological pieces such as the Huapalcalco feline, traditional clothing from Santa Ana Hueytlalpan and a historical photo archive.

Huapalcalco

Mile 75 · Archaeological site · 0.2 mi from the route

About 5 kilometers north of Tulancingo, the pre-Columbian site of Huapalcalco sits on the western slope of a hill called Tecolote.

More drives to Huauchinango

From Mexico City to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Mexico City to Huauchinango?

About 2 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 99 miles.

How far is Huauchinango from Mexico City by car?

About 99 miles (159 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 Huauchinango?

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 Huauchinango?

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; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Mexico City to Huauchinango use?

In order: MEX-132D and MEX-132. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Mexico City and Huauchinango?

Closest to the road: Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (museum, mile 14, 1 mi from the route); Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ecatepec (cathedral, mile 14, 2 mi from the route); Huapalcalco (archaeological site, mile 75, 0.2 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.