Plan on about 8 h 20 min of driving for the 485-mile (780 km) trip from Tapalpa to Chipilo, before any stops.
| Distance by road | 485 mi (780 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 20 min |
| Main roads, in order | JAL 436 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-GUA 10D → MEX-35 → JAL 122 → MEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-150D |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.4 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 Tapalpa to Chipilo is like
MEX-15D (204 mi) and MEX-M40D (140 mi) carry about 71% of the 485 miles. It runs through 6 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tapalpa to Chipilo, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Jalisco |
| JAL 436 | 1–20 | 19 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54 | 20–30 | 10 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 30–34 | 4 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54D | 34–56 | 22 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 56–58 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-GUA 10D | 58–80 | 22 | Jalisco |
| MEX-35 | 80–109 | 29 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 109–110 | 1 | Jalisco |
| JAL 122 | 110–115 | 5 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 115–319 | 204 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 319–459 | 140 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 459–477 | 18 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 477–481 | 4 | Puebla |
| local roads | 481–485 | 4 | Puebla |
- Mile 133 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 301 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 350 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 381 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 395 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 412 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 424 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 432 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 455 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
Stops between Tapalpa and Chipilo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Constancia Mexicana (mile 476)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 297)
- Museums and history: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 280), Tula (mile 364), Jorge R. Acosta Museum (mile 364), Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco (mile 380), Cacaxtla (mile 464), La Constancia Mexicana (mile 476)
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.
Rayón National Park
On the outskirts of Tlalpujahua, Parque Nacional Rayón is the gateway to the area's well-known butterfly reserves, which spread out to the south and west of the park.
Tula
Basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall, the Atlantes, crown the main pyramid at Tula. Visitors can also explore a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall.
Jorge R. Acosta Museum
Next to the Tula ruins, the Museo de Sitio Jorge R. Acosta traces the rise and decline of the Toltecs and their city, Tollan Xicocotitlan. It moved into new facilities in 1982 and covers nearly 20 years of digs led by archaeologist Jorge R. Acosta.
Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco
Founded in 1985, the Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco sits across from the parish church of San Francisco de Asís and beside the town hall in Apaxco, State of Mexico.
Church and former convent of Todos los Santos
Franciscan friars built this fortress-style convent in Zempoala, and the complex still keeps the classic layout of atrium, church, open chapel and cloister. It pairs well with a drive through the area's old pulque haciendas.
Cacaxtla
Built on a hill rising above the Tlaxcala-Puebla valley, Cacaxtla is known for its pre-Hispanic murals on the Gran Basamento, a large platform now sheltered under a roof. INAH manages it together with nearby Xochitécatl.
Convento de Huejotzingo
Founded by Franciscans in the 16th century, the former convent of San Miguel Arcángel in Huejotzingo shows colonial Plateresque architecture on the western slopes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1994.
La Constancia Mexicana
A textile factory founded in 1835 in Puebla now houses the La Constancia museum complex, with a children's museum, a puppet house, a Mexican music museum, an automobile museum and a park of miniature world monuments.
When you get to Chipilo
Convent Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Puebla
An early 17th-century example of Puebla Baroque, the Church of the Virgin of Carmen has two richly decorated chapels and a neoclassical altarpiece holding an image of the Virgin by sculptor José Antonio Villegas Cora.
Convent Church of San Francisco, Puebla
The Convent Church of San Francisco is a historic church that you'll find in the city of Puebla, in the Mexican state of Puebla.
Museo Amparo
Opened in 1991 in Puebla's historic center, Museo Amparo was sponsored by the Amparo Foundation, created in 1979 by Manuel Espinosa Yglesias in honor of his wife.
More drives to Chipilo
- Apizaco to Chipilo
- Calpulalpan to Chipilo
- Pachuca to Chipilo
- Cuernavaca to Chipilo
- Tepotzotlán to Chipilo
- Actopan to Chipilo
From Tapalpa to other places in Mexico
- Tapalpa to Temacapulín
- Tapalpa to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Tapalpa to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Tapalpa to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tapalpa to Real de Asientos
- Tapalpa to Mineral de Pozos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tapalpa to Chipilo?
About 8 h 20 min of driving without stops, over 485 miles.
How far is Chipilo from Tapalpa by car?
About 485 miles (780 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 Tapalpa to Chipilo?
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 Tapalpa to Chipilo?
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; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tapalpa to Chipilo use?
In order: JAL 436, MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-35, JAL 122, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D and MEX-150D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tapalpa and Chipilo?
Closest to the road: Tula (archaeological site, mile 364, 1 mi from the route); Jorge R. Acosta Museum (museum, mile 364, 1 mi from the route); La Constancia Mexicana (museum, mile 476, 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.