The Wayro route from Salamanca to Cuautla is 247 miles (398 km), about 4 h 17 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 247 mi (398 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 17 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-5D → MEX-115 |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D, MEX-115D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.9 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 Salamanca to Cuautla is like
MEX-57D (58 mi) and MEX-5D (54 mi) carry about 45% of the 247 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-115 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 5 states: Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Salamanca to Cuautla, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 2–39 | 37 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-47D | 39–91 | 52 | Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 91–149 | 58 | Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| MEX-5D | 149–203 | 54 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 203–204 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-115 | 204–219 | 15 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 219–234 | 15 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| MEX-115 | 234–246 | 12 | Morelos |
| local roads | 246–247 | 1 | Morelos |
- Mile 52 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 93 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 126 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 146 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 227 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Salamanca and Cuautla
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (mile 139)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 50), Cerro de la Estrella National Park (mile 184), Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park (mile 192)
- Museums and history: Celaya Cathedral (mile 27), Teotihuacan (mile 170), Luis Barragán House and Studio (mile 180)
Celaya Cathedral
Celaya's main Catholic church, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, occupies the space of a former chapel that was annexed to the neighboring Temple of St. Francis.
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
Templo y exconvento de San Francisco
The Templo y Exconvento de San Francisco is a church and former convent located in the city of Tepeji del Río, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
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.
Historic center of Mexico City
Built by the Spanish in the 16th century on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, Mexico City's Centro Histórico holds the Metropolitan Cathedral, the excavated Aztec Templo Mayor and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1987.
Luis Barragán House and Studio
Luis Barragán built his own house and studio in Mexico City in 1948, blending modern design with Mexican vernacular touches. The concrete house and its private garden joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2004.
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.
Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park
Named for Antonio Flores de Valdés, who inherited the estate in 1642, this former hacienda and mill near Texcoco became a national park in 1937. Visitors walk among its ruins, the San Joaquín church remains and a chapel built on rock.
Convento de Santiago Apóstol
In the town of Ocuituco, the Temple and Ex-convent of Santiago Apóstol (Templo y Exconvento de Santiago Apóstol) belongs to the UNESCO-listed group of 16th-century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, inscribed in 1994.
When you get to Cuautla
Museo Histórico del Oriente de Morelos "Casa de Morelos"
In this 18th-century house in Cuautla, José María Morelos lived during the 1812 Siege of Cuautla. Its INAH galleries trace regional history through Morelos and Emiliano Zapata and display "El Niño," his first cannon, a gift from the Galeana family.
More drives to Cuautla
- Cuernavaca to Cuautla
- Toluca to Cuautla
- San Juan del Río to Cuautla
- Querétaro to Cuautla
- Morelia to Cuautla
- Celaya to Cuautla
From Salamanca to other places in Mexico
- Salamanca to Zamora
- Salamanca to Cotija
- Salamanca to Temacapulín
- Salamanca to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Salamanca to Pinos
- Salamanca to Pabellón de Hidalgo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Salamanca to Cuautla?
About 4 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 247 miles.
How far is Cuautla from Salamanca by car?
About 247 miles (398 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 Salamanca to Cuautla?
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 Salamanca to Cuautla?
The U.S. State Department rates Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Salamanca to Cuautla use?
In order: MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D and MEX-115. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Salamanca and Cuautla?
Closest to the road: Celaya Cathedral (church building, mile 27, 2 mi from the route); Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (convent, mile 139, 0.6 mi from the route); Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 192, 6 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.