The Wayro route from Mexico City to Pátzcuaro is 227 miles (365 km), about 3 h 55 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 227 mi (365 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | Viaducto → Periférico → MEX-57 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D |
| Mexican states on the route | Mexico City (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.1 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.
What the drive from Mexico City to Pátzcuaro is like
MEX-15D (90 mi) and MEX-37D (39 mi) carry about 57% of the 227 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-57 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 4 states: Mexico City, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Michoacán. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Mexico City to Pátzcuaro, 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 | 93–183 | 90 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 183–222 | 39 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 222–227 | 5 | Michoacán |
- 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)
Stops between Mexico City and Pátzcuaro
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Soumaya (mile 9), Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (mile 47)
- Nature and outdoors: Los Remedios National Park (mile 12), Parque Tezozómoc (mile 14), Rayón National Park (mile 114)
- Museums and history: Museo Soumaya (mile 9), Tlalnepantla Cathedral (mile 17), Tenayuca (mile 18)
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.
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.
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.
Tenayuca
Tenayuca is a pre-Hispanic archaeological site in the Valley of Mexico. In the Postclassic period it was a settlement on the old western shore of Lake Texcoco.
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.
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.
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
When you get to Pátzcuaro
Ihuatzio
On the shore of Lake Pátzcuaro, Ihuatzio was one of three main Purépecha power centers. Visitors can see raised walkways and two semicircular pyramids called yácatas; excavations here also turned up Chac Mool and coyote sculptures carved from volcanic rock.
Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares
Housed in an 18th-century building adapted from the Colegio de San Nicolás, which Vasco de Quiroga founded in the 16th century, this INAH museum in Pátzcuaro shows Purépecha pottery, textiles, woodwork and lacquerware.
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro's basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) rises on pre-Hispanic platforms beside its own plaza. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga planned it as a five-nave cathedral, only one nave was finished, and his remains rest inside.
More drives to Pátzcuaro
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Pátzcuaro
- Zacatecas to Pátzcuaro
- Fresnillo to Pátzcuaro
- Mazatlán to Pátzcuaro
- Durango to Pátzcuaro
- Cuernavaca to Pátzcuaro
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 Pátzcuaro?
About 3 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 227 miles.
How far is Pátzcuaro from Mexico City by car?
About 227 miles (365 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 Pátzcuaro?
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 Pátzcuaro?
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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Mexico City to Pátzcuaro use?
In order: Viaducto, Periférico, MEX-57, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D and MEX-37D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Mexico City and Pátzcuaro?
Closest to the road: Museo Soumaya (museum network, mile 9, 0.6 mi from the route); Tlalnepantla Cathedral (catholic cathedral, mile 17, 1 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.