The Wayro route from Tepic to Cuernavaca is 469 miles (754 km), about 8 h 17 min of driving without stops.
| Distance by road | 469 mi (754 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 17 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.7 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.
How the Tepic to Cuernavaca drive plays out
MEX-15D (358 mi) and MEX-55D (34 mi) carry about 84% of the 469 miles. It runs through 5 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-15D, MEX-M40D and MEX-55D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Tepic to Cuernavaca
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–5 | 5 | Nayarit |
| MEX-15D | 5–110 | 105 | Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 110–122 | 12 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 122–375 | 253 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 375–378 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 378–412 | 34 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 412–418 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 418–423 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 423–424 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 424–432 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 432–435 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 435–440 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 440–444 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 444–469 | 25 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
- Mile 62 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 190 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 357 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 454 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Cuernavaca
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 51), Fine Arts Museum of Toluca (mile 416), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 453)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 354), La Marquesa National Park (mile 432), Cumbres del Ajusco National Park (mile 451), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 453)
- Museums and history: Ixtlán del Rio (mile 51), Guachimontones (mile 96), Museo Regional de Guadalajara (mile 126), Fine Arts Museum of Toluca (mile 416)
Ixtlán del Rio
Known locally as Los Toriles, the Ixtlán del Río site is famous for a temple with a fully circular floor plan, rare in Mesoamerica. People lived here from about 300 BC to AD 600, and an introductory gallery explains the finds.
Guachimontones
Western Mexico's first large population center, according to INAH, took shape near Teuchitlán around 1000 BC. Guachimontones stands out for its round architecture, with roughly 40 circular structures across the site.
Diana Theatre
The Diana Theatre, or Teatro Diana, is an indoor theater in Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco, with seating for 2,345 people.
Museo Regional de Guadalajara
Facing the Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres in downtown Guadalajara, the Museo Regional de Guadalajara fills a full city block bounded by Hidalgo, Pino Suárez, Liceo and Independencia streets.
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.
Fine Arts Museum of Toluca
Toluca's Museo de Bellas Artes has filled a former Carmelite convent since 1945. Its galleries hold colonial-era paintings and sculpture, including an 18th-century funeral catafalque.
La Marquesa National Park
Set in high-altitude conifer forest along the Mexico City–Toluca highway, La Marquesa National Park offers roadside eateries, horse and ATV rentals, mountain biking and camping, and marks the site of the 1810 Battle of Monte de las Cruces.
Cumbres del Ajusco National Park
Pine and oak forests climb toward alpine meadows in Cumbres del Ajusco National Park, on Mexico City's southern edge. It draws hikers, climbers and cyclists, and it gets occasional snow, a rarity for the region.
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
Seven lagoons, three of them permanent, sit among pine, oak and fir forest above 3,000 meters in this park, decreed in 1936 on the Morelos–State of Mexico line. Hiking, horseback riding, camping and rowboats are popular here.
Arriving in Cuernavaca
Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca
The Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca is a photography museum in Cuernavaca, Morelos, housed in a building that resembles a French-style castle.
Palace of Cortés, Cuernavaca
Begun in the 16th century, the Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca now holds the Museo Regional de los Pueblos de Morelos, reopened in 2023. Out on the east terrace, Diego Rivera's mural on the history of Morelos is back on view.
Cuernavaca Cathedral
Franciscans built this 16th-century convent church, now Cuernavaca's cathedral and part of the UNESCO-listed monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl; visitors can see its murals, side chapels and a sacred art museum.
More drives to Cuernavaca
- Toluca to Cuernavaca
- Querétaro to Cuernavaca
- Morelia to Cuernavaca
- Celaya to Cuernavaca
- Irapuato to Cuernavaca
- León to Cuernavaca
From Tepic to other places in Mexico
- Tepic to Amatitán
- Tepic to Ajijic
- Tepic to Tepatitlán
- Tepic to Temacapulín
- Tepic to Nochistlán
- Tepic to San Juan de los Lagos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tepic to Cuernavaca?
About 8 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 469 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tepic to Cuernavaca?
About 469 miles (754 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 Tepic to Cuernavaca?
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 Tepic to Cuernavaca?
The U.S. State Department rates Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico 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 Tepic to Cuernavaca use?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44 and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tepic to Cuernavaca?
Closest to the road: Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 51, 0.5 mi from the route); Fine Arts Museum of Toluca (museum, mile 416, 1 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (national park, mile 453, 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.