The Wayro route from San Luis Potosí to Apatzingán is 316 miles (509 km), about 5 h 53 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 316 mi (509 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 53 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-57 → SLP 80D → MEX-37 → GTO 77 → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-43D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D → MEX-14D → MEX-120 |
| Mexican states on the route | San Luis Potosí (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 San Luis Potosí to Apatzingán is like
MEX-37D (74 mi) and MEX-43D (51 mi) carry about 40% of the 316 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-57, MEX-37, MEX-45, MEX-120 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Michoacán. None of the 7 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from San Luis Potosí to Apatzingán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 1–13 | 12 | San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 13–14 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 80D | 14–36 | 22 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-37 | 36–58 | 22 | Guanajuato |
| local roads | 58–65 | 7 | Guanajuato |
| GTO 77 | 65–101 | 36 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45 | 101–119 | 18 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 119–137 | 18 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-43D | 137–188 | 51 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 188–189 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 189–192 | 3 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 192–193 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 193–231 | 38 | Michoacán |
| MEX-14D | 231–259 | 28 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 259–260 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 260–296 | 36 | Michoacán |
| MEX-120 | 296–316 | 20 | Michoacán |
- Mile 36 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 174 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between San Luis Potosí and Apatzingán
- Nature and outdoors: El Gogorrón National Park (mile 36), Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park (mile 260)
- Museums and history: Casa de Miguel Hidalgo (mile 62), Cristo Rey (mile 98), Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (mile 235), Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 235)
El Gogorrón National Park
Straddling San Luis Potosí and Guanajuato near Villa de Reyes, this national park offers rugged rock formations, mountain scenery and thermal springs, with camping, hiking and mountain biking.
Casa de Miguel Hidalgo
The Museo Histórico Casa de Hidalgo, also called La Francia Chiquita, is a museum in the town of San Felipe, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato.
Cristo Rey
Atop Cerro del Cubilete near Silao, at about 2,600 meters, a 20-meter statue of Christ the King stands on a concrete dome, with a sanctuary and a Cristero museum nearby.
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro's basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) rises on pre-Hispanic platforms beside its own plaza. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga planned it as a five-nave cathedral, only one nave was finished, and his remains rest inside.
Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares
Housed in an 18th-century building adapted from the Colegio de San Nicolás, which Vasco de Quiroga founded in the 16th century, this INAH museum in Pátzcuaro shows Purépecha pottery, textiles, woodwork and lacquerware.
Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park
In Michoacán, Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park follows the headwaters of the Cupatitzio River, which bubbles up from an underground spring and carves a small ravine as it starts to flow.
When you get to Apatzingán
Apatzingán Cathedral
In the city of Apatzingán, Michoacán, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral is a Modernist building that serves as the seat of the local Catholic diocese.
More drives to Apatzingán
- San Juan del Río to Apatzingán
- Mexico City to Apatzingán
- Pachuca to Apatzingán
- Cuautla to Apatzingán
- Iguala to Apatzingán
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Apatzingán
From San Luis Potosí to other places in Mexico
- San Luis Potosí to Guanajuato
- San Luis Potosí to Salamanca
- San Luis Potosí to Calvillo
- San Luis Potosí to Pedro Escobedo
- San Luis Potosí to Celaya
- San Luis Potosí to Jalpa
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from San Luis Potosí to Apatzingán?
About 5 h 53 min of driving without stops, over 316 miles.
How far is Apatzingán from San Luis Potosí by car?
About 316 miles (509 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 San Luis Potosí to Apatzingán?
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 San Luis Potosí to Apatzingán?
The U.S. State Department rates San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from San Luis Potosí to Apatzingán use?
In order: MEX-57, SLP 80D, MEX-37, GTO 77, MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14D and MEX-120. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between San Luis Potosí and Apatzingán?
Closest to the road: Casa de Miguel Hidalgo (museum, mile 62, 2 mi from the route); Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (museum, mile 235, 1 mi from the route); Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (minor basilica, mile 235, 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.