The Wayro route from Puebla to Jalpa is 433 miles (697 km), about 7 h 28 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 433 mi (697 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → MEX-70 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Zacatecas (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.3 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 Puebla to Jalpa is like
MEX-45D (142 mi) and MEX-M40D (107 mi) carry about 58% of the 433 miles. MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-70 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 9 states: Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Puebla to Jalpa, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 4–22 | 18 | Puebla |
| MEX-M40D | 22–129 | 107 | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-57D | 129–164 | 35 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| MEX-47D | 164–217 | 53 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 217–359 | 142 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 359–374 | 15 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 374–382 | 8 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-70 | 382–432 | 50 | Aguascalientes, Zacatecas |
| local roads | 432–433 | 1 | Zacatecas |
- Mile 27 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 50 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 58 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 70 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 87 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 101 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 130 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 163 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 205 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 314 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 363 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
- Mile 416 of this route: Aguascalientes → Zacatecas (state line)
Stops between Puebla and Jalpa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Santa Cruz (mile 409)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 206)
- Museums and history: Cacaxtla (mile 17), Xochitecatl (mile 18), Teotihuacan (mile 69), Tula (mile 117), Aguascalientes Museum (mile 375), La Santa Cruz (mile 409)
Cacaxtla
Built on a hill rising above the Tlaxcala-Puebla valley, Cacaxtla is known for its pre-Hispanic murals on the Gran Basamento, a large platform now sheltered under a roof. INAH manages it together with nearby Xochitécatl.
Xochitecatl
Xochitécatl is a pre-Hispanic archaeological site in the state of Tlaxcala. INAH runs it together with nearby Cacaxtla as a single zone, and the Xochitécatl site museum displays finds from the area.
Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena
The former convent of Santa María Magdalena (Exconvento de Santa María Magdalena) is a 17th-century Baroque church built by the Dieguino friars, still in use as a Catholic temple of the Archdiocese of Puebla.
Teotihuacan
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.
Tula
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.
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
Aguascalientes Museum
Located in the state capital, the Aguascalientes Museum is the city's art museum, set in the city of Aguascalientes, Mexico.
La Santa Cruz
In Calvillo's town center, La Santa Cruz is a cultural and monumental complex with Catholic and historical themes devoted to Calvillo's role in the Cristero War of 1926; it opened in 2021.
When you get to Jalpa
Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes
The Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes is a community museum in the municipality of Jalpa, in the Mexican state of Zacatecas, named for teacher Arturo Reyes Viramontes.
More drives to Jalpa
From Puebla to other places in Mexico
- Puebla to Calpulalpan
- Puebla to Cuautla
- Puebla to Otumba
- Puebla to Atlatlahucan
- Puebla to Cuernavaca
- Puebla to Omitlán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Puebla to Jalpa?
About 7 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 433 miles.
How far is Jalpa from Puebla by car?
About 433 miles (697 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 Puebla to Jalpa?
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 Puebla to Jalpa?
The U.S. State Department rates Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Puebla to Jalpa use?
In order: MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and MEX-70. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Puebla and Jalpa?
Closest to the road: Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena (convent, mile 23, 2 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 117, 1 mi from the route); La Santa Cruz (museum, mile 409, 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.