Sayula to Atlatlahucan Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Sayula to Atlatlahucan is 455 miles (732 km), about 7 h 46 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not Travel; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Morelos is the Mexican state that contains Atlatlahucan. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Rayón National ParkTula National ParkCasa de Morelos, EcatepecHistoric center of Mexico CityLuis Barragán House and StudioGuerrero ChimalliMuseo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense BicentenarioIztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National ParkSacromonte National ParkSayulaAtlatlahucan
Route from Sayula to Atlatlahucan with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance455 mi (732 km)
Driving time, no stops7 h 46 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-GUA 10D → MEX-35 → JAL 122 → MEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-5D → MEX-115
Mexican states on the routeJalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D, MEX-115D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 18.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

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 insuranceRequired 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 Sayula to Atlatlahucan is like

MEX-15D (204 mi) and MEX-5D (54 mi) carry about 57% of the 455 miles. MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-54, MEX-35, MEX-115 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Sayula to Atlatlahucan, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Jalisco
MEX-541–54Jalisco
connecting roads5–72Jalisco
MEX-54D7–4841Jalisco
connecting roads48–491Jalisco
MEX-GUA 10D49–7122Jalisco
connecting roads71–721Jalisco
MEX-3572–10129Jalisco
JAL 122101–1076Jalisco
MEX-15D107–311204Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico
MEX-M40D311–34433State of Mexico, Hidalgo
MEX-57D344–36521Hidalgo, State of Mexico
MEX-5D365–41954State of Mexico
connecting roads419–4212State of Mexico
MEX-115421–43615State of Mexico
local roads436–45014State of Mexico, Morelos
MEX-115450–4544Morelos
local roads454–4551Morelos
  • Mile 124 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 293 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 342 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 363 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 444 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)

Stops between Sayula and Atlatlahucan

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (mile 388), Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (mile 408), Sacromonte National Park (mile 436)
  • Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 289), Tula National Park (mile 347), Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park (mile 434), Sacromonte National Park (mile 436)
  • Museums and history: Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (mile 388), Luis Barragán House and Studio (mile 397), Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (mile 408)

Rayón National Park

Mile 289 · National Park of Mexico · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Tula National Park

Mile 347 · National Park of Mexico · 9 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

This park protects the ruins of Tula, ancient capital of the Toltecs. Walk up to the main pyramid to stand beside the Atlantes, basalt warrior figures more than four meters tall, and look for the Coatepantli wall's reliefs of snakes devouring skeletons.

Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec

Mile 388 · Museum · 0.1 mi from the route

Also called the Centro Comunitario Casa de Morelos, the Casa de Morelos is a museum in the municipality of Ecatepec de Morelos dedicated to José María Morelos y Pavón.

Historic center of Mexico City

Mile 397 · Old town · 8 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 397 · Museum · 12 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Guerrero Chimalli

Mile 401 · Colossal statue · 1 mi from the route

Rising 60 meters beside Bordo de Xochiaca Avenue in Chimalhuacán, this steel sculpture by Sebastián depicts an Indigenous warrior holding a shield (chimalli) and a mace.

Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario

Mile 408 · Museum · 0.1 mi from the route

The museum at the Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario opened in 2011 with a permanent exhibit, Encuentro con Nuestras Raíces, a hall of art from the State of Mexico and three temporary galleries.

Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park

Mile 434 · National Park of Mexico · 8 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park, also called Izta-Popo Zoquiapan, protects the land around Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, Mexico's second- and third-highest peaks, where the states of México, Puebla and Morelos meet.

Sacromonte National Park

Mile 436 · National Park of Mexico · 0.4 mi from the route

Sacromonte National Park is a national park and protected area in the State of Mexico, established in 1952 and covering roughly 0.44 square kilometers.

When you get to Atlatlahucan

Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol

Convent · in Atlatlahucan

Built by Augustinian friars, the Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol in Atlatlahucan is well preserved, with murals and decorated vaults, and is associated with the origins of the Chinelo dancers.

Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl

World Heritage Site · in Atlatlahucan

Inscribed by UNESCO in 1994, this World Heritage site groups early 16th-century monasteries that Franciscan, Dominican and Augustinian friars built on the slopes of Popocatépetl, with large open spaces used to evangelize the Indigenous population.

Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Yecapixtla

Convent · in Atlatlahucan

The 16th-century church and former monastery of San Juan Bautista in Yecapixtla belongs to the Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl, inscribed by UNESCO in 1994 as early missionary architecture with large open courtyards.

More drives to Atlatlahucan

From Sayula to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Sayula to Atlatlahucan?

About 7 h 46 min of driving without stops, over 455 miles.

How far is Atlatlahucan from Sayula by car?

About 455 miles (732 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 Sayula to Atlatlahucan?

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 Sayula to Atlatlahucan?

The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; 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 Sayula to Atlatlahucan use?

In order: MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-35, JAL 122, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, 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 Sayula and Atlatlahucan?

Closest to the road: Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (museum, mile 388, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (museum, mile 408, 0.1 mi from the route); Sacromonte National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 436, 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.