The Wayro route from Salamanca to Ixcateopan is 281 miles (453 km), about 5 h 17 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 281 mi (453 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 17 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-43D → MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → MEX-95 → MEX-92D |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Guerrero (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-92D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.3 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 Ixcateopan is like
MEX-15D (87 mi) and MEX-55D (58 mi) carry about 52% of the 281 miles. MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-92D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-55, MEX-95 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Guerrero. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Salamanca to Ixcateopan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45 | 1–4 | 3 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-43D | 4–52 | 48 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 52–53 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 53–140 | 87 | Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 140–143 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 143–177 | 34 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 177–183 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 183–195 | 12 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 195–196 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 196–220 | 24 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 220–224 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 224–232 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 232–249 | 17 | State of Mexico, Guerrero |
| MEX-95 | 249–252 | 3 | Guerrero |
| connecting roads | 252–254 | 2 | Guerrero |
| MEX-92D | 254–259 | 5 | Guerrero |
| connecting roads | 259–260 | 1 | Guerrero |
| local roads | 260–281 | 21 | Guerrero |
- Mile 39 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 122 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 233 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 236 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 244 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
Stops between Salamanca and Ixcateopan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Toluca Cathedral (mile 182), Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario (mile 182), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 244), Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (mile 260), Museo de Arte Virreinal de Taxco (mile 260)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 119), Nevado de Toluca National Park (mile 201), Desierto del Carmen National Park (mile 216), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 244)
- Museums and history: Toluca Cathedral (mile 182), Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario (mile 182), Xochicalco (mile 242), Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (mile 260), Museo de Arte Virreinal de Taxco (mile 260)
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.
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.
Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario
Set in Toluca's Torres Bicentenario complex, built to celebrate Mexican independence, this gallery shows paintings, prints and sculpture by artists from the State of Mexico, and many works are for sale.
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.
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.
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.
When you get to Ixcateopan
Ixcateopan
Some 36 kilometers from Taxco in the rugged mountains of northern Guerrero, the ruins at Ixcateopan de Cuauhtémoc belong to a city that served as an important regional ceremonial center.
More drives to Ixcateopan
- Tlaltizapán to Ixcateopan
- Tepoztlán to Ixcateopan
- Metepec to Ixcateopan
- Oaxtepec to Ixcateopan
- Tlayacapan to Ixcateopan
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Ixcateopan
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 Ixcateopan?
About 5 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 281 miles.
How far is Ixcateopan from Salamanca by car?
About 281 miles (453 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 Ixcateopan?
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 Ixcateopan?
The U.S. State Department rates Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; 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 Salamanca to Ixcateopan use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-43D, 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 Salamanca and Ixcateopan?
Closest to the road: Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 244, 0.3 mi from the route); Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (church building, mile 260, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo de Arte Virreinal de Taxco (museum, mile 260, 0.4 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.