The Wayro route from Sayula to Tetela del Volcán is 459 miles (738 km), about 7 h 58 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 459 mi (738 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 58 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-GUA 10D → MEX-35 → JAL 122 → MEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-5D → MEX-115 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.4 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 Sayula to Tetela del Volcán is like
MEX-15D (204 mi) and MEX-5D (54 mi) carry about 56% of the 459 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 Tetela del Volcán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54 | 1–5 | 4 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 5–7 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54D | 7–48 | 41 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 48–49 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-GUA 10D | 49–71 | 22 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 71–72 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-35 | 72–101 | 29 | Jalisco |
| JAL 122 | 101–107 | 6 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 107–311 | 204 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 311–344 | 33 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 344–365 | 21 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-5D | 365–419 | 54 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 419–421 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-115 | 421–441 | 20 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 441–459 | 18 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
- 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 450 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Sayula and Tetela del Volcán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (mile 355), Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ecatepec (mile 388), Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (mile 388)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 289), El Tepeyac National Park (mile 395), Cerro de la Estrella National Park (mile 400), Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad (mile 432), Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park (mile 434)
- Museums and history: Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ecatepec (mile 388), Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (mile 388)
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.
Templo y exconvento de San Francisco
The Templo y Exconvento de San Francisco is a church and former convent located in the city of Tepeji del Río, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ecatepec
The Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, also called Ecatepec Cathedral, is the main Catholic church and seat of the Diocese of Ecatepec in Mexico, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec
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.
El Tepeyac National Park
Decreed in 1937 on reforested slopes of the Sierra de Guadalupe, including Cerro del Tepeyac, this national park was created for rest and recreation, with views toward Mexico City and the old Lake Texcoco plain.
Historic center of Mexico City
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.
Cerro de la Estrella National Park
Rising in eastern Mexico City's Iztapalapa borough, Cerro de la Estrella is where the Mexica lit the New Fire every 52 years; trails lead up to a pyramid-shaped site museum near the summit and to caves with traces of pre-Hispanic use.
Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad
Bosque de los Árboles de Navidad in Amecameca, State of Mexico, is a tourist park with a greenhouse, covering about 400 hectares.
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park
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.
When you get to Tetela del Volcán
Convento de Santiago Apóstol
In the town of Ocuituco, the Temple and Ex-convent of Santiago Apóstol (Templo y Exconvento de Santiago Apóstol) belongs to the UNESCO-listed group of 16th-century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, inscribed in 1994.
Convento de San Juan Bautista
This convent in Tetela del Volcán, known for its carved wooden sacristy and light-filled cloister walks, was cleaned of soot left from its use as a barracks during the Mexican Revolution in a conservation project completed in 2009.
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In the town of Hueyapan, the 16th-century church and former convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán keeps original frescoes and moldings inside, around a modest cloister typical of its era.
More drives to Tetela del Volcán
- Cuernavaca to Tetela del Volcán
- Mexico City to Tetela del Volcán
- Zacatelco to Tetela del Volcán
- Tlaxcala to Tetela del Volcán
- Apizaco to Tetela del Volcán
- Metepec to Tetela del Volcán
From Sayula to other places in Mexico
- Sayula to Amatitán
- Sayula to Temacapulín
- Sayula to Nochistlán
- Sayula to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Sayula to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Sayula to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Sayula to Tetela del Volcán?
About 7 h 58 min of driving without stops, over 459 miles.
How far is Tetela del Volcán from Sayula by car?
About 459 miles (738 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 Tetela del Volcán?
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 Tetela del Volcán?
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 Tetela del Volcán 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 Tetela del Volcán?
Closest to the road: Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (convent, mile 355, 0.5 mi from the route); Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (museum, mile 388, 0.1 mi from the route); Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ecatepec (cathedral, mile 388, 0.8 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.