Pachuca to Jilotepec Road Trip: Stops, Tolls & Drive Time

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Pachuca to Jilotepec is 71 miles (114 km), about 1 h 18 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. State of Mexico is the Mexican state that contains Jilotepec. See the full advisory for current details.
Aqueduct of Padre TemblequeTeotihuacanMuseo Arqueológico de ApaxcoTulaSala Histórica QuetzalcóatlPachucaJilotepec
Route from Pachuca to Jilotepec with the 5 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance71 mi (114 km)
Driving time, no stops1 h 18 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-85 → MEX-M40D
Mexican states on the routeHidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-M40D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 2.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below5

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 insuranceRequired 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 Pachuca to Jilotepec is like

MEX-M40D (49 mi) and MEX-85 (12 mi) carry about 86% of the 71 miles. MEX-M40D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-85 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 2 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico. None of the 5 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.

The route from Pachuca to Jilotepec, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–66Hidalgo
MEX-856–1812Hidalgo
connecting roads18–191Hidalgo
MEX-M40D19–6849Hidalgo, State of Mexico
local roads68–713State of Mexico
  • Mile 23 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 37 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 67 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)

Stops between Pachuca and Jilotepec

Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque

Mile 14 · Aqueduct · 16 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Teotihuacan

Mile 18 · Historic site · 17 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Built between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, this UNESCO-listed ancient city lines the Avenue of the Dead, where you can walk between the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.

Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco

Mile 37 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Founded in 1985, the Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco sits across from the parish church of San Francisco de Asís and beside the town hall in Apaxco, State of Mexico.

Tula

Mile 53 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

Once the Toltec capital, the Tula archaeological zone is best known for its Atlantes, basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall crowning the main pyramid. Visitors also see a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall, carved with snakes devouring skeletons.

Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl

Mile 54 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

The Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl is an archaeological museum located in Tula de Allende, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

More drives to Jilotepec

From Pachuca to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Pachuca to Jilotepec?

About 1 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 71 miles.

How far is Jilotepec from Pachuca by car?

About 71 miles (114 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 Pachuca to Jilotepec?

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 Pachuca to Jilotepec?

The U.S. State Department rates Hidalgo 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.

What roads does the drive from Pachuca to Jilotepec use?

In order: MEX-85 and MEX-M40D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Pachuca and Jilotepec?

Closest to the road: Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco (museum, mile 37, 3 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 53, 1 mi from the route); Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (museum, mile 54, 1 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.