The Wayro route from Santa Clara del Cobre to Tlaltizapán is 263 miles (423 km), about 5 h 20 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 263 mi (423 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 20 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → MEX-14D → MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-200 → MEX-95 → MEX-95D → MOR 14 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 Santa Clara del Cobre to Tlaltizapán is like
MEX-15D (91 mi) and MEX-37D (38 mi) carry about 49% of the 263 miles. MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-120, MEX-55, MEX-200, MEX-95 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Santa Clara del Cobre to Tlaltizapán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-120 | 1–10 | 9 | Michoacán |
| MEX-14D | 10–14 | 4 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 14–52 | 38 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 52–143 | 91 | Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 143–145 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 145–180 | 35 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 180–185 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 185–191 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 191–192 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 192–200 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 200–203 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 203–207 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 207–212 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 212–226 | 14 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 226–234 | 8 | Morelos |
| MEX-95 | 234–242 | 8 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 242–250 | 8 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 250–252 | 2 | Morelos |
| MOR 14 | 252–258 | 6 | Morelos |
| local roads | 258–263 | 5 | Morelos |
- Mile 125 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 220 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Santa Clara del Cobre and Tlaltizapán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 145), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 221)
- Nature and outdoors: La Marquesa National Park (mile 200), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 221)
- Museums and history: Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 10), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 104), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 145), Palace of Cortés, Cuernavaca (mile 242), Xochicalco (mile 249)
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.
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.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.
Ciénegas del Lerma
These marshes in the Toluca Valley are three lakes left from a wetland of about 27,000 hectares in the late 19th century. A Ramsar site since 2004, they hold dozens of endemic and threatened species and are a key stop for migratory species.
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.
Palace of Cortés, Cuernavaca
Begun in the 16th century, the Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca now holds the Museo Regional de los Pueblos de Morelos, reopened in 2023. Out on the east terrace, Diego Rivera's mural on the history of Morelos is back on view.
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.
More drives to Tlaltizapán
- Tetela del Volcán to Tlaltizapán
- Atlixco to Tlaltizapán
- Mexico City to Tlaltizapán
- Metepec to Tlaltizapán
- Zacatelco to Tlaltizapán
- Tlaxcala to Tlaltizapán
From Santa Clara del Cobre to other places in Mexico
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Amatitán
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Real de Asientos
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Nombre de Dios
- Santa Clara del Cobre to San Ignacio, Sinaloa
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Mineral de Pozos
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Bernal
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa Clara del Cobre to Tlaltizapán?
About 5 h 20 min of driving without stops, over 263 miles.
How far is Tlaltizapán from Santa Clara del Cobre by car?
About 263 miles (423 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 Santa Clara del Cobre to Tlaltizapán?
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 Santa Clara del Cobre to Tlaltizapán?
The U.S. State Department rates 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 Santa Clara del Cobre to Tlaltizapán use?
In order: MEX-120, MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95, MEX-95D and MOR 14. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Santa Clara del Cobre and Tlaltizapán?
Closest to the road: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 104, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 145, 0.4 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 221, 0.3 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.