The Wayro route from Salvatierra to Oaxtepec is 196 miles (315 km), about 4 h 19 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 196 mi (315 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 19 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-51 → MEX-61 → MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-200 → MEX-95D → MEX-160D |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.8 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 Salvatierra to Oaxtepec is like
MEX-15D (40 mi) and MEX-55D (34 mi) carry about 38% of the 196 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-51, MEX-61, MEX-55, MEX-200 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Salvatierra to Oaxtepec, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-51 | 1–20 | 19 | Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 20–21 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-61 | 21–42 | 21 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 42–82 | 40 | Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 82–85 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 85–119 | 34 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 119–124 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 124–130 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 130–131 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 131–139 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 139–142 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 142–147 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 147–151 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 151–165 | 14 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 165–173 | 8 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 173–178 | 5 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 178–194 | 16 | Morelos |
| local roads | 194–196 | 2 | Morelos |
- Mile 39 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 65 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 158 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Salvatierra and Oaxtepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Toluca Cathedral (mile 124), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 160), Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (mile 184)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 61), Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México (mile 125), La Marquesa National Park (mile 140), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 160)
- Museums and history: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 43), Toluca Cathedral (mile 124), Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México (mile 125), Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 172), Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca (mile 172), Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (mile 184)
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
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 de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México
Set in the Parque de los Matlatzincas on Cerro del Calvario, the Natural Sciences Museum of the State of Mexico explores biology, geology and the preservation of natural resources.
La Marquesa National Park
Set in high-altitude conifer forest along the Mexico City–Toluca highway, La Marquesa National Park offers roadside eateries, horse and ATV rentals, mountain biking and camping, and marks the site of the 1810 Battle of Monte de las Cruces.
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
Seven lagoons, three of them permanent, sit among pine, oak and fir forest above 3,000 meters in this park, decreed in 1936 on the Morelos–State of Mexico line. Hiking, horseback riding, camping and rowboats are popular here.
Cuernavaca Cathedral
Franciscans built this 16th-century convent church, now Cuernavaca's cathedral and part of the UNESCO-listed monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl; visitors can see its murals, side chapels and a sacred art museum.
Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca
The Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca is a photography museum in Cuernavaca, Morelos, housed in a building that resembles a French-style castle.
Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum
Tepoztlán's Dominican monastery, built between 1555 and 1580, keeps original 16th-century murals in its cloister. Upstairs, the museum covers local daily life, faith, festivals and dances, and the complex is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing.
When you get to Oaxtepec
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In Oaxtepec, the Exconvento de Santo Domingo de Guzmán is among the first convents the Dominicans built in Mexico, and its walls preserve extensive fresco painting from the colonial era.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
More drives to Oaxtepec
- Malinalco to Oaxtepec
- Mexico City to Oaxtepec
- Metepec to Oaxtepec
- Toluca to Oaxtepec
- Otumba to Oaxtepec
- Taxco to Oaxtepec
From Salvatierra to other places in Mexico
- Salvatierra to Temacapulín
- Salvatierra to Pinos
- Salvatierra to Calvillo
- Salvatierra to Real de Asientos
- Salvatierra to Amatitán
- Salvatierra to Tequila
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Salvatierra to Oaxtepec?
About 4 h 19 min of driving without stops, over 196 miles.
How far is Oaxtepec from Salvatierra by car?
About 196 miles (315 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 Salvatierra to Oaxtepec?
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 Salvatierra to Oaxtepec?
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; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Salvatierra to Oaxtepec use?
In order: MEX-51, MEX-61, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95D and MEX-160D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Salvatierra and Oaxtepec?
Closest to the road: Toluca Cathedral (catholic cathedral, mile 124, 1 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 160, 0.4 mi from the route); Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (museum, mile 184, 0.5 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.