The Wayro route from Morelia to Taxco is 218 miles (351 km), about 3 h 57 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 218 mi (351 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 57 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-126 → MEX-48D → MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → MEX-95 → MEX-92D |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Guerrero (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-48D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-92D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.7 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.
What the drive from Morelia to Taxco is like
MEX-15D (78 mi) and MEX-55D (58 mi) carry about 62% of the 218 miles. MEX-48D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-92D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-126, MEX-55, MEX-95 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Guerrero. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Morelia to Taxco, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-126 | 0–4 | 4 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 4–6 | 2 | Michoacán |
| MEX-48D | 6–20 | 14 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 20–98 | 78 | Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 98–101 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 101–134 | 33 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 134–140 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 140–152 | 12 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 152–153 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 153–178 | 25 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 178–181 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 181–190 | 9 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 190–206 | 16 | State of Mexico, Guerrero |
| MEX-95 | 206–209 | 3 | Guerrero |
| connecting roads | 209–211 | 2 | Guerrero |
| MEX-92D | 211–216 | 5 | Guerrero |
| local roads | 216–218 | 2 | Guerrero |
- Mile 80 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 191 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 194 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 201 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
Stops between Morelia and Taxco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 99), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 201)
- Nature and outdoors: Insurgente José María Morelos y Pavón National Park (mile 7), Rayón National Park (mile 76), Nevado de Toluca National Park (mile 158), Desierto del Carmen National Park (mile 173), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 201)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 99), Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez (mile 139), Xochicalco (mile 199)
Insurgente José María Morelos y Pavón National Park
Insurgente José María Morelos y Pavón National Park protects about 72 square kilometers of mountain terrain in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt in Michoacán.
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.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.
Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez
In Toluca's historic center, a building from the late 18th and early 19th centuries holds about 225 watercolors, oils and drawings tracing the work of painter Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez. It opened in December 1992.
Teatro Morelos
In Toluca's historic center, just west of the State of Mexico's Palace of Justice, Teatro Morelos stages plays along with other shows and cultural events.
Nevado de Toluca National Park
The Nevado de Toluca volcano was declared a flora and fauna protection area in 2013, a protected zone spanning ten municipalities of the State of Mexico, including Toluca, Zinacantepec and Temascaltepec.
Desierto del Carmen National Park
Declared a national park on October 10, 1942, Desierto del Carmen is a protected area in the municipality of Tenancingo, in the State of Mexico.
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.
Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park
Protected as a national park since 1936, this area near Taxco centers on the Cacahuamilpa caverns, where a guided route of about 4 km passes chambers up to 80 meters high, decorated with flowstone and floor-to-ceiling columns.
When you get to Taxco
Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco
Silver baron José de la Borda paid for Santa Prisca with the bonanza from his San Ignacio mine in Taxco, and the church was dedicated in 1759, the same year his nearby house on the plaza was finished.
William Spratling Museum
Taxco's archaeological museum grew from the collection of William Spratling, the American who revived the town's silver craft in the 1930s. It shows pre-Hispanic pieces, including Olmec and Mezcala-style works, plus a gallery on silversmithing.
Museo de Arte Virreinal de Taxco
Housed in the historic Casa Humboldt in Taxco, the Museo de Arte Virreinal shows colonial sacred art recovered from the Santa Prisca parish church, along with permanent exhibitions on Alexander von Humboldt and the town's history.
More drives to Taxco
- Celaya to Taxco
- San Miguel de Allende to Taxco
- Pátzcuaro to Taxco
- Irapuato to Taxco
- Salamanca to Taxco
- Guanajuato to Taxco
From Morelia to other places in Mexico
- Morelia to Cotija
- Morelia to Amatitán
- Morelia to Tequila
- Morelia to Real de Asientos
- Morelia to Guadalupe, Zacatecas
- Morelia to Jerez, Zacatecas
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Morelia to Taxco?
About 3 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 218 miles.
How far is Taxco from Morelia by car?
About 218 miles (351 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 Morelia to Taxco?
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 Morelia to Taxco?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Morelia to Taxco use?
In order: MEX-126, MEX-48D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, MEX-95 and MEX-92D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Morelia and Taxco?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 99, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez (art museum, mile 139, 1 mi from the route); Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 201, 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.