The Wayro route from Mexico City to Zacatlán is 105 miles (169 km), about 2 h 27 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 105 mi (169 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 27 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-136D → MEX-136 → MEX-119D → MEX-119 |
| Mexican states on the route | Mexico City (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-136D, MEX-119D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.2 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 Zacatlán is like
MEX-136 (22 mi) and MEX-119D (20 mi) carry about 40% of the 105 miles. MEX-136D, MEX-119D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-136, MEX-119 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Mexico City, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, Puebla. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Mexico City to Zacatlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Mexico City |
| MEX-136D | 6–17 | 11 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 17–19 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-136 | 19–41 | 22 | State of Mexico, Tlaxcala |
| local roads | 41–74 | 33 | Tlaxcala, Hidalgo |
| MEX-119D | 74–94 | 20 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 94–97 | 3 | Puebla |
| MEX-119 | 97–105 | 8 | Puebla |
- Mile 6 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 32 of this route: State of Mexico → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 43 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 63 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 81 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
Stops between Mexico City and Zacatlán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cerrito de Los Melones (mile 19), Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve (mile 35), Tecoaque (mile 37), Museo del Ferrocarril de Apan (mile 52)
- Nature and outdoors: Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park (mile 21), Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve (mile 35)
- Museums and history: Paleontological Museum in Tocuila (mile 17), Cerrito de Los Melones (mile 19), Tepetlaoztoc (mile 24), Tecoaque (mile 37), Museo del Ferrocarril de Apan (mile 52)
Paleontological Museum in Tocuila
The Paleontological Museum in Tocuila, in Texcoco, State of Mexico, is a fossil museum displaying part of a rich deposit of Late Pleistocene animals from the Americas.
Cerrito de Los Melones
Named for the place where it sits, Cerrito de los Melones, the Ahuehuetitlán archaeological zone of ruler Nezahualcóyotl's palace is one of the few explored traces of the great pre-Hispanic city of Acolhuacan.
Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park
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.
Tepetlaoztoc
Tepetlaoztoc, also spelled Tepetlaoxtoc, was an Aztec-Nahua settlement of the Late Postclassic period in central Mexico, and it stayed occupied into the colonial era.
Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve
Surrounding the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, Los Volcanes is a UNESCO biosphere reserve in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, where North American and tropical wildlife zones meet.
Tecoaque
Near Calpulalpan in western Tlaxcala, Tecoaque is a Mesoamerican archaeological site once inhabited by the Acolhua, one of the three groups that made up the Aztec Empire.
Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque
Built by Franciscan friar Francisco de Tembleque between 1554 and 1572, this 16th-century water system runs more than 48 km between Zempoala and Otumba. Its tallest arcade at Tepeyahualco reaches almost 40 meters, and UNESCO listed it in 2015.
Museo del Ferrocarril de Apan
Set in Apan's old train station on the former Mexico City–Veracruz line, this railroad museum preserves the town's history.
More drives to Zacatlán
- Chiautempan to Zacatlán
- Zacatelco to Zacatlán
- Pachuca to Zacatlán
- Cholula to Zacatlán
- Atlixco to Zacatlán
- Tepotzotlán to Zacatlán
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 Zacatlán?
About 2 h 27 min of driving without stops, over 105 miles.
How far is Zacatlán from Mexico City by car?
About 105 miles (169 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 Zacatlán?
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 Zacatlán?
The U.S. State Department rates Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala 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 Zacatlán use?
In order: MEX-136D, MEX-136, MEX-119D and MEX-119. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Mexico City and Zacatlán?
Closest to the road: Cerrito de Los Melones (archaeological site, mile 19, 0.6 mi from the route); Tecoaque (archaeological site, mile 37, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo del Ferrocarril de Apan (museum, mile 52, 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.