Sombrerete to Zacualpan de Amilpas Road Trip: Stops & Tolls

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Sombrerete to Zacualpan de Amilpas is 547 miles (881 km), about 10 h 0 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Historic centre of ZacatecasMuseum of Contemporary ArtEl Cimatario National ParkCasa de Morelos, EcatepecHistoric center of Mexico CityLuis Barragán House and StudioGuerrero ChimalliMolino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National ParkAcozacSombrereteZacualpan de Amilpas
Route from Sombrerete to Zacualpan de Amilpas with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance547 mi (881 km)
Driving time, no stops10 h 0 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
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 21.9 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas is like

MEX-45D (202 mi) and MEX-45 (127 mi) carry about 60% of the 547 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas, 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-115500–51919State of Mexico
local roads519–54728State of Mexico, Morelos
  • 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 529 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)

Stops between Sombrerete and Zacualpan de Amilpas

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museum of Contemporary Art (mile 174), Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (mile 467)
  • Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 352), Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park (mile 487)
  • Museums and history: Museum of Contemporary Art (mile 174), Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (mile 467), Luis Barragán House and Studio (mile 476), Acozac (mile 498)

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.

Museum of Contemporary Art

Mile 174 · Art museum · 0.1 mi from the route

Aguascalientes' Museum of Contemporary Art shows works by contemporary Mexican artists in its Jesús F. Contreras gallery.

El Cimatario National Park

Mile 352 · National Park of Mexico · 9 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.

Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec

Mile 467 · 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 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.

Luis Barragán House and Studio

Mile 476 · 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 480 · 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.

Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park

Mile 487 · National Park of Mexico · 6 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Named for Antonio Flores de Valdés, who inherited the estate in 1642, this former hacienda and mill near Texcoco became a national park in 1937. Visitors walk among its ruins, the San Joaquín church remains and a chapel built on rock.

Acozac

Mile 498 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Acozac is an archaeological site in the municipality of Ixtapaluca, State of Mexico, located at kilometer 30 of the federal Mexico City–Puebla road, heading toward Ixtapaluca.

More drives to Zacualpan de Amilpas

From Sombrerete to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Sombrerete to Zacualpan de Amilpas?

About 10 h 0 min of driving without stops, over 547 miles.

How far is Zacualpan de Amilpas from Sombrerete by car?

About 547 miles (881 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas?

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 Zacualpan de Amilpas?

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 Zacualpan de Amilpas 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas?

Closest to the road: Museum of Contemporary Art (art museum, mile 174, 0.1 mi from the route); Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (museum, mile 467, 0.1 mi from the route); Guerrero Chimalli (colossal statue, mile 480, 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.