The Wayro route from Puebla to Toluca is 118 miles (190 km), about 2 h 13 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 118 mi (190 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 13 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150D → Viaducto → MEX-15D → MEX-15 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Mexico City (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-150D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.7 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 Puebla to Toluca is like
MEX-150D (66 mi) and MEX-15D (19 mi) carry about 72% of the 118 miles. MEX-150D, MEX-15D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-15 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 3 states: Puebla, State of Mexico, Mexico City. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Puebla to Toluca, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 4–70 | 66 | Puebla, State of Mexico |
| local roads | 70–75 | 5 | State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 75–76 | 1 | Mexico City |
| Viaducto | 76–83 | 7 | Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 83–88 | 5 | Mexico City |
| MEX-15D | 88–107 | 19 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| MEX-15 | 107–118 | 11 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 40 of this route: Puebla → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 73 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 95 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Puebla and Toluca
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Cabeza de Juárez (mile 73), Museo de Historia Natural (mile 84), Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 94)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de la Estrella National Park (mile 74), Museo de Historia Natural (mile 84), Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan National Park (mile 89), Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 94)
- Museums and history: Cacaxtla (mile 17), Museo Cabeza de Juárez (mile 73), José Luis Cuevas Museum (mile 78), Museo de Arte Popular (mile 80), Mexico City Metro Museum (mile 83), Museo de Historia Natural (mile 84)
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.
Museo Cabeza de Juárez
A colossal head of Benito Juárez, the 26th president of Mexico, crowns this museum and monument in Mexico City's Iztapalapa borough.
Cerro de la Estrella National Park
Rising in eastern Mexico City's Iztapalapa borough, Cerro de la Estrella is where the Mexica lit the New Fire every 52 years; trails lead up to a pyramid-shaped site museum near the summit and to caves with traces of pre-Hispanic use.
José Luis Cuevas Museum
Just off the Zócalo in Mexico City's historic center, the José Luis Cuevas Museum was built, along with the Church of Santa Inés, as part of the Convent of Santa Inés complex.
Museo de Arte Popular
In an old firehouse in Mexico City's historic center, the Museo de Arte Popular shows Mexican folk art and crafts: textiles, pottery, glass, piñatas, alebrijes and furniture.
Mexico City Metro Museum
Mexico City's Metro Museum (Museo del Metro) is located inside Mixcoac station on Line 12 of the city's subway system.
Museo de Historia Natural
In the second section of Chapultepec Park, the Museo de Historia Natural y Cultura Ambiental displays mounted animals, fossils, rocks, minerals, sculptures and models about life on Earth and Mexico's biodiversity.
Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan National Park
In southern Mexico City's Tlalpan borough, Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan was declared a national park on September 28, 1936, on land once called the Barranca de los Manantiales.
Desierto de los Leones National Park
Declared a national park in 1917, this fir, ash and oak forest in Mexico City's Cuajimalpa and Álvaro Obregón boroughs surrounds a former Carmelite monastery. Locals come to hike, run and cycle, and more than 100 bird species live here.
When you get to Toluca
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.
Toluca Cathedral
Begun in 1867 and finished only in 1978, Toluca's Cathedral of Saint Joseph has a neoclassical facade and a bronze statue of the saint on its dome. It also preserves the 18th-century baroque front of the former San Elzeario church.
Museum José María Velasco
In Toluca's historic center, the Museo José María Velasco shares the work of 19th-century Mexican painter José María Velasco, with Plaza de los Mártires to the south and the Government Palace to the east.
More drives to Toluca
- Morelia to Toluca
- Irapuato to Toluca
- Durango to Toluca
- Mexico City to Toluca
- Veracruz to Toluca
- Acapulco to Toluca
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 Toluca?
About 2 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 118 miles.
How far is Toluca from Puebla by car?
About 118 miles (190 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 Toluca?
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 Toluca?
The U.S. State Department rates Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Puebla to Toluca use?
In order: MEX-150D, Viaducto, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Puebla and Toluca?
Closest to the road: Museo Cabeza de Juárez (museum, mile 73, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo de Historia Natural (museum, mile 84, 0.6 mi from the route); Desierto de los Leones National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 94, 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.