Monterrey to Metepec is about 554 road miles (892 km): roughly 10 h 44 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
What the State Department tells travelers on this route:
- Nuevo León: “Those traveling between the U.S. border and Monterrey on highways 85/85D, 54, and 40/40D should exercise caution and avoid travel after dark.”
- Nuevo León: “Armed robberies and carjackings have occurred along these highways even during daylight hours.”
- Nuevo León: “Those traveling between the U.S. border and Monterrey on highways 85/85D, 54, and 40/40D should exercise caution and avoid travel after dark.”
- Nuevo León: “Armed robberies and carjackings have occurred along these highways even during daylight hours.”
| Distance | 554 mi (892 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 44 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-40D → MEX-40 → MEX-57D → MEX-57 → MEX-55 → MEX-55D |
| Mexican states on the route | Nuevo León, Coahuila, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-40D, MEX-57D, MEX-55D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.2 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.
How the Monterrey to Metepec drive plays out
MEX-57 (292 mi) and MEX-57D (136 mi) carry about 77% of the 554 miles. It runs through 6 states: Nuevo León, Coahuila, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-40D, MEX-57D and MEX-55D. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Monterrey to Metepec: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-40D | 7–37 | 30 | Nuevo León, Coahuila |
| MEX-40 | 37–40 | 3 | Coahuila |
| connecting roads | 40–42 | 2 | Coahuila |
| MEX-57D | 42–75 | 33 | Coahuila |
| MEX-57 | 75–194 | 119 | Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 194–204 | 10 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 204–279 | 75 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 279–321 | 42 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 321–419 | 98 | San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 419–470 | 51 | Querétaro |
| MEX-55 | 470–510 | 40 | Querétaro, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 510–511 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 511–546 | 35 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 546–551 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 551–554 | 3 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 31 of this route: Nuevo León → Coahuila (state line)
- Mile 75 of this route: Coahuila → Nuevo León (state line)
- Mile 183 of this route: Nuevo León → San Luis Potosí (state line)
- Mile 359 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 412 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 473 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Monterrey and Metepec
- Nature and outdoors: El Gogorrón National Park (mile 332), Parque Estatal Sierra Morelos (mile 547)
- Museums and history: Matehuala Cathedral (mile 198), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 313), Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (mile 427), Casa de la Corregidora (mile 434), Calixtlahuaca (mile 546)
Cerro La Mota
Since 2000, Nuevo León state has protected Cerro La Mota, also known as Sierra Nacataz, a mountain area of about 9,400 hectares in García and Santa Catarina.
Matehuala Cathedral
Still open for worship, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral serves as the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Matehuala, a city in the state of San Luis Potosí.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
Look closely at the two towers of San Luis Potosí's cathedral: one is built of mortar, the other of quarried cantera stone. The Baroque church is the seat of the archdiocese.
El Gogorrón National Park
Decreed a national park in 1936, Gogorrón in San Luis Potosí mixes desert scrub and grassland with pine-oak forest on its heights, and hot-spring balnearios lie within its bounds.
Former hacienda of Chichimequillas
Discalced Carmelite friars founded this hacienda around 1690 to shelter travelers on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and to farm. Its two-story stone and lime main house, finished in 1813, wraps around a central courtyard beside a chapel.
Casa de la Corregidora
Completed in 1770 as Querétaro's royal houses and town hall, the Casa de la Corregidora is where Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, held there in 1810, sent word of danger to Miguel Hidalgo. After independence it became the state government palace.
Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro
Baroque churches and mansions from the 17th and 18th centuries line the streets of Querétaro's historic center, along with the city's landmark aqueduct.
Calixtlahuaca
Spread over the slopes of Cerro Tenismó near Toluca, this site's standout is the round Temple of Ehécatl-Quetzalcóatl, rebuilt in four phases. Nearby, a Mexica-era skull rack displays stone skulls set into cross-shaped walls.
Parque Estatal Sierra Morelos
This Toluca park, one of the State of Mexico's protected natural areas, is home to more than 500 species of plants and animals. Families come for the axolotl center, bat house, small farm and jogging track.
Once you reach Metepec
José María Morelos y Pavón University History Museum
The Museo de Historia Universitaria José María Morelos y Pavón is a history museum located in the city of Toluca de Lerdo.
Cosmovitral
Toluca's Cosmovitral wraps a botanical garden of more than 500 plant species in a huge stained-glass work designed by artist Leopoldo Flores. Light filtering through the colored glass sets the mood as you walk the garden paths.
Fine Arts Museum of Toluca
Toluca's Museo de Bellas Artes has filled a former Carmelite convent since 1945. Its galleries hold colonial-era paintings and sculpture, including an 18th-century funeral catafalque.
More drives to Metepec
- Zitácuaro to Metepec
- Salvatierra to Metepec
- Celaya to Metepec
- San Miguel de Allende to Metepec
- Uruapan to Metepec
- Pénjamo to Metepec
From Monterrey to other places in Mexico
- Monterrey to Ciudad Victoria
- Monterrey to Ciudad Tula
- Monterrey to Jerez, Zacatecas
- Monterrey to Ciudad Valles
- Monterrey to Aguascalientes
- Monterrey to Jalpa
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Monterrey to Metepec?
About 10 h 44 min of driving without stops, over 554 miles.
What is the driving distance from Monterrey to Metepec?
About 554 miles (892 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 Monterrey to Metepec?
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 Monterrey to Metepec?
The U.S. State Department rates Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Monterrey to Metepec?
In order: MEX-40D, MEX-40, MEX-57D, MEX-57, MEX-55 and MEX-55D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Monterrey to Metepec?
Closest to the road: Matehuala Cathedral (cathedral, mile 198, 2 mi from the route); Calixtlahuaca (archaeological site, mile 546, 1 mi from the route); Parque Estatal Sierra Morelos (park, mile 547, 3 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.