Taxco to Real de Catorce is about 452 road miles (727 km): roughly 9 h 50 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Total distance | 452 mi (727 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 50 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-92D → MEX-95 → MEX-55 → MEX-55D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 → MEX-49 → MEX-63 → SLP 43 |
| Mexican states on the route | Guerrero, Morelos, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-92D, MEX-55D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.1 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.
Driving Taxco to Real de Catorce: the shape of the trip
MEX-57 (107 mi) and MEX-63 (74 mi) carry about 40% of the 452 miles. It runs through 6 states: Guerrero, Morelos, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-92D, MEX-55D and MEX-M40D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Taxco to Real de Catorce
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Guerrero |
| MEX-92D | 2–7 | 5 | Guerrero |
| MEX-95 | 7–13 | 6 | Guerrero |
| MEX-55 | 13–37 | 24 | Guerrero, Morelos, State of Mexico |
| local roads | 37–41 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 41–65 | 24 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 65–67 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 67–78 | 11 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 78–88 | 10 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 88–117 | 29 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 117–121 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 121–129 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 129–160 | 31 | State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 160–210 | 50 | Querétaro |
| connecting roads | 210–211 | 1 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57 | 211–318 | 107 | Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 318–321 | 3 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-49 | 321–337 | 16 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-63 | 337–411 | 74 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 43 | 411–445 | 34 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 445–452 | 7 | San Luis Potosí |
- Mile 15 of this route: Guerrero → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 18 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 26 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 29 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 157 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 217 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 271 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Taxco and Real de Catorce
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 18), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 119)
- Nature and outdoors: Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 18), Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México (mile 79), El Gogorrón National Park (mile 297)
- Museums and history: Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México (mile 79), Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez (mile 80), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 119), Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (mile 203), Centro de las Artes de San Luis Potosí (mile 318), Museo Regional Potosino (mile 321)
Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park
Protected as a national park since 1936, this area near Taxco centers on the Cacahuamilpa caverns, where a guided route of about 4 km passes chambers up to 80 meters high, decorated with flowstone and floor-to-ceiling columns.
Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México
Set in the Parque de los Matlatzincas on Cerro del Calvario, the Natural Sciences Museum of the State of Mexico explores biology, geology and the preservation of natural resources.
Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez
In Toluca's historic center, a building from the late 18th and early 19th centuries holds about 225 watercolors, oils and drawings tracing the work of painter Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez. It opened in December 1992.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
The seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco is the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, which serves as the main Catholic church in town and takes its dedication from Divine Providence.
Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro
Querétaro's historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996, pairs the Spaniards' grid of streets with the winding lanes of the old Indigenous quarters. Walk it for Baroque churches and mansions of the 17th and 18th centuries and the city's landmark aqueduct.
Former hacienda of Chichimequillas
Discalced Carmelite friars founded this hacienda around 1690 to shelter travelers on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and to farm. Its two-story stone and lime main house, finished in 1813, wraps around a central courtyard beside a chapel.
El Gogorrón National Park
Straddling San Luis Potosí and Guanajuato near Villa de Reyes, this national park offers rugged rock formations, mountain scenery and thermal springs, with camping, hiking and mountain biking.
Centro de las Artes de San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí's Centro de las Artes Centenario occupies the state's former penitentiary on Calzada de Guadalupe, an eclectic-style building listed as a historic monument by INAH.
Museo Regional Potosino
Opened on November 20, 1952, the Museo Regional Potosino occupies part of the former Convent of San Francisco, built in 1586, in San Luis Potosí.
Arriving in Real de Catorce
High in the mountains of northern San Luis Potosí Real de Catorce is a former silver-mining town whose most prosperous era began in 1778. It joined the Pueblos Mágicos program in 2001, and its identity grew out of both its mining past and the culture of the Huichol (Wixárika) people.
- Túnel de Ogarrio: The Túnel de Ogarrio, the town's famous tunnel, is one of the landmarks SECTUR highlights for visitors to Real de Catorce. source
- Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción: The Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción is the parish church at the center of town life, and the feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4 is its biggest celebration. source
- Museo Parroquial Padre José Robledo: The Museo Parroquial Padre José Robledo preserves pieces of the town's religious history. source
More drives to Real de Catorce
- Comfort, TX to Real de Catorce
- San Antonio, TX to Real de Catorce
- Boerne, TX to Real de Catorce
- San Marcos, TX to Real de Catorce
- McAllen, TX to Real de Catorce
- Bandera, TX to Real de Catorce
From Taxco to other places in Mexico
- Taxco to Metepec
- Taxco to Valle de Bravo
- Taxco to Pedro Escobedo
- Taxco to Cadereyta
- Taxco to Bernal
- Taxco to Zimapán
Coming to Real de Catorce from the United States? Border crossings, permits and routes from U.S. cities: Driving to Real de Catorce, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Taxco to Real de Catorce?
About 9 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 452 miles.
How far is Real de Catorce from Taxco by car?
About 452 miles (727 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 Taxco to Real de Catorce?
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 Taxco to Real de Catorce?
The U.S. State Department rates Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Taxco to Real de Catorce use?
In order: MEX-92D, MEX-95, MEX-55, MEX-55D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-57, MEX-49, MEX-63 and SLP 43. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Taxco to Real de Catorce?
Closest to the road: Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (national park, mile 18, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez (art museum, mile 80, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (cathedral, mile 119, 0.2 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.