Sombrerete to Atlatlahucan Road Trip: Distance, Time & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Sombrerete to Atlatlahucan is 534 miles (859 km), about 9 h 29 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Zacatecas — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Aguascalientes — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Querétaro — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; 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.
Historic centre of ZacatecasMuseo Nacional de la MuerteCerro de las CampanasEl Tepeyac National ParkHistoric center of Mexico CityCathedral of NezahualcóyotlMuseo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense BicentenarioBosque de los Arboles de NavidadIztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National ParkSombrereteAtlatlahucan
Route from Sombrerete to Atlatlahucan with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance534 mi (859 km)
Driving time, no stops9 h 29 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-5D → MEX-115
Mexican states on the routeZacatecas (Level 4), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D, MEX-115D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 21.4 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 Sombrerete to Atlatlahucan is like

MEX-45D (202 mi) and MEX-45 (127 mi) carry about 62% of the 534 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-115 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 8 states: Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Sombrerete to Atlatlahucan, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Zacatecas
MEX-451–6059Zacatecas
MEX-45D60–7212Zacatecas
MEX-4572–819Zacatecas
MEX-45D81–13049Zacatecas
MEX-45130–15929Zacatecas, Aguascalientes
local roads159–1634Aguascalientes
MEX-45163–19330Aguascalientes, Jalisco
MEX-45D193–334141Jalisco, Guanajuato
connecting roads334–3351Guanajuato
MEX-47D335–38752Guanajuato, Querétaro
MEX-57D387–44457Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo
MEX-5D444–49854State of Mexico
connecting roads498–5002State of Mexico
MEX-115500–51515State of Mexico
local roads515–52914State of Mexico, Morelos
MEX-115529–5334Morelos
local roads533–5341Morelos
  • Mile 135 of this route: Zacatecas → Aguascalientes (state line)
  • Mile 190 of this route: Aguascalientes → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 237 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
  • Mile 347 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
  • Mile 389 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 422 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 442 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 523 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)

Stops between Sombrerete and Atlatlahucan

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Nacional de la Muerte (mile 174), Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (mile 487)
  • Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 345), El Tepeyac National Park (mile 474), Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad (mile 511), Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park (mile 513)
  • Museums and history: Museo Nacional de la Muerte (mile 174), Cathedral of Nezahualcóyotl (mile 479), Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (mile 487)

Historic centre of Zacatecas

Mile 102 · Urban area · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Founded in 1546 after a rich silver strike, Zacatecas climbs the steep sides of a narrow valley; its UNESCO-listed center holds an 18th-century Baroque cathedral, colonial convents, the Calderón Theater and the old González Market.

Museo Nacional de la Muerte

Mile 174 · Art museum · 0.1 mi from the route

Run by the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes, the Museo Nacional de la Muerte displays objects about death in Mexican culture, drawn from a collection donated by printmaker Octavio Bajonero Gil.

Cerro de las Campanas

Mile 345 · National Park of Mexico · 12 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.

El Tepeyac National Park

Mile 474 · National Park of Mexico · 6 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 476 · 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.

Cathedral of Nezahualcóyotl

Mile 479 · Catholic cathedral · 1 mi from the route

Consecrated on November 20, 2000, the Cathedral of Nezahualcóyotl, dedicated to Jesús, Señor de la Misericordia, is the seat of the Diocese of Nezahualcóyotl.

Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario

Mile 487 · 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.

Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad

Mile 511 · Park · 1 mi from the route

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

Mile 513 · 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.

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.

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.

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.

More drives to Atlatlahucan

From Sombrerete to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Sombrerete to Atlatlahucan?

About 9 h 29 min of driving without stops, over 534 miles.

How far is Atlatlahucan from Sombrerete by car?

About 534 miles (859 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 Sombrerete 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 Sombrerete to Atlatlahucan?

The U.S. State Department rates Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; 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 Sombrerete to Atlatlahucan use?

In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-47D, 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 Sombrerete and Atlatlahucan?

Closest to the road: Museo Nacional de la Muerte (art museum, mile 174, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (museum, mile 487, 0.1 mi from the route); Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad (park, mile 511, 1 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.