The Wayro route from Mexico City to Tepoztlán is 51 miles (82 km), about 60 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 51 mi (82 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 60 min |
| Main roads, in order | Viaducto → MEX-95D → MEX-160D |
| Mexican states on the route | Mexico City (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-95D, MEX-115D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 2.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
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 Tepoztlán is like
MEX-95D (31 mi) and MEX-160D (5 mi) carry about 71% of the 51 miles. MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota). It runs through 2 states: Mexico City, Morelos. None of the 6 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Mexico City to Tepoztlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–9 | 9 | Mexico City |
| Viaducto | 9–12 | 3 | Mexico City |
| MEX-95D | 12–43 | 31 | Mexico City, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 43–44 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 44–49 | 5 | Morelos |
| local roads | 49–51 | 2 | Morelos |
- Mile 29 of this route: Mexico City → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Mexico City and Tepoztlán
- Nature and outdoors: Cumbres del Ajusco National Park (mile 21), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 34)
- Museums and history: Archivo Diseño y Arquitectura (mile 17), Xochicalco (mile 44), Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 44)
Teatro Juan Ruiz de Alarcón
The Teatro Juan Ruiz de Alarcón is one of the main university theaters in UNAM's Centro Cultural Universitario in Mexico City.
Archivo Diseño y Arquitectura
Founded in 2012 by architect Fernando Romero and Soumaya Slim, Archivo Diseño y Arquitectura in Mexico City exhibits and studies design, with more than 1,500 objects and Enrique del Moral's personal library.
Cumbres del Ajusco National Park
Pine and oak forests climb toward alpine meadows in Cumbres del Ajusco National Park, on Mexico City's southern edge. It draws hikers, climbers and cyclists, and it gets occasional snow, a rarity for the region.
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
Seven lagoons, three of them permanent, sit among pine, oak and fir forest above 3,000 meters in this park, decreed in 1936 on the Morelos–State of Mexico line. Hiking, horseback riding, camping and rowboats are popular here.
Xochicalco
A fortified hilltop city that thrived between about 650 and 900, Xochicalco is a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can see the Pyramid of the Plumed Serpent with its carved reliefs, ball courts, an underground observatory and a site museum.
Cuernavaca Cathedral
Franciscans built this 16th-century convent church, now Cuernavaca's cathedral and part of the UNESCO-listed monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl; visitors can see its murals, side chapels and a sacred art museum.
When you get to Tepoztlán
El Tepozteco
High on a hill above Tepoztlán, El Tepozteco holds the remains of a shrine to Ometochtli-Tepoztécatl, god of pulque, fertility and the harvest, along with terraced platforms built from around AD 1200.
El Tepozteco National Park
Eroded volcanic hills of the Sierra de Tepoztlán fill this national park, about half of which lies in Mexico City's Milpa Alta borough. A short, steep climb leads to the Tepozteco archaeological zone; wear good shoes, since the rocks get slippery.
Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum
Tepoztlán's Dominican monastery, built between 1555 and 1580, keeps original 16th-century murals in its cloister. Upstairs, the museum covers local daily life, faith, festivals and dances, and the complex is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing.
More drives to Tepoztlán
- Metepec to Tepoztlán
- Toluca to Tepoztlán
- Atlixco to Tepoztlán
- Taxco to Tepoztlán
- Tepotzotlán to Tepoztlán
- Puebla to Tepoztlán
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
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- Mexico City to Valle de Bravo Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety
- Mexico City to Irapuato Road Trip: Distance, Time & Stops
- Mexico City to Nombre de Dios Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops
- Mexico City to Pabellón de Arteaga Road Trip: Route & Stops
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Mexico City to Tepoztlán?
About 60 min of driving without stops, over 51 miles.
How far is Tepoztlán from Mexico City by car?
About 51 miles (82 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 Tepoztlán?
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 Tepoztlán?
The U.S. State Department rates Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos 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 Tepoztlán use?
In order: Viaducto, MEX-95D and MEX-160D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Mexico City and Tepoztlán?
Closest to the road: Teatro Juan Ruiz de Alarcón (theatre building, mile 11, 3 mi from the route); Archivo Diseño y Arquitectura (museum, mile 17, 2 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 34, 5 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.