The Wayro route from Tepotzotlán to Zacatelco is 102 miles (164 km), about 2 h 7 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 102 mi (164 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 7 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-57 → MEX-142 → MEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-117D → MEX-119 |
| Mexican states on the route | State of Mexico (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D, MEX-117D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.1 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.
What the drive from Tepotzotlán to Zacatelco is like
MEX-136 (33 mi) and MEX-M40D (16 mi) carry about 48% of the 102 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-117D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-57, MEX-142, MEX-136, MEX-119 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tepotzotlán to Zacatelco, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-57 | 3–7 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 7–9 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 9–22 | 13 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-142 | 22–31 | 9 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 31–32 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-136 | 32–65 | 33 | State of Mexico, Tlaxcala |
| MEX-M40D | 65–81 | 16 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| MEX-117D | 81–96 | 15 | Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| MEX-119 | 96–101 | 5 | Tlaxcala |
| local roads | 101–102 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
- Mile 47 of this route: State of Mexico → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 80 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 83 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
Stops between Tepotzotlán and Zacatelco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (mile 19), Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve (mile 49)
- Nature and outdoors: Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park (mile 36), Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve (mile 49)
- Museums and history: Luis Barragán House and Studio (mile 9), Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (mile 19), Paleontological Museum in Tocuila (mile 32), Cerrito de Los Melones (mile 34), Tepetlaoztoc (mile 39)
Historic center of Mexico City
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
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.
Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec
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.
Paleontological Museum in Tocuila
The Paleontological Museum in Tocuila, in Texcoco, State of Mexico, is a fossil museum displaying part of a rich deposit of Late Pleistocene animals from the Americas.
Cerrito de Los Melones
Named for the place where it sits, Cerrito de los Melones, the Ahuehuetitlán archaeological zone of ruler Nezahualcóyotl's palace is one of the few explored traces of the great pre-Hispanic city of Acolhuacan.
Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park
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.
Tepetlaoztoc
Tepetlaoztoc, also spelled Tepetlaoxtoc, was an Aztec-Nahua settlement of the Late Postclassic period in central Mexico, and it stayed occupied into the colonial era.
Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve
Surrounding the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, Los Volcanes is a UNESCO biosphere reserve in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, where North American and tropical wildlife zones meet.
Teatro Xicohténcatl
Tlaxcala's Teatro Xicohténcatl opened in 1873 and was reopened in 1888 after remodeling. Look up to see John Fulton's ceiling mural of the nine muses, painted in Art Nouveau style against a Tlaxcalan landscape.
When you get to Zacatelco
Laguna de Acomulco
A quiet lagoon in the state of Tlaxcala, Laguna de Acomulco is surrounded by vegetation and rural scenery and works well for a short walk, landscape photos or a calm break in nature.
Parque ecológico Los Ladrillos
Opened on April 2, 2015, Los Ladrillos Ecological Park is a nature reserve in the municipality of Zacatelco, in Tlaxcala.
More drives to Zacatelco
- Huamantla to Zacatelco
- Cuautla to Zacatelco
- Pachuca to Zacatelco
- Tulancingo to Zacatelco
- Cuernavaca to Zacatelco
- Toluca to Zacatelco
From Tepotzotlán to other places in Mexico
- Tepotzotlán to Metepec
- Tepotzotlán to Malinalco
- Tepotzotlán to Atlatlahucan
- Tepotzotlán to El Oro
- Tepotzotlán to Tonatico
- Tepotzotlán to Zimapán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tepotzotlán to Zacatelco?
About 2 h 7 min of driving without stops, over 102 miles.
How far is Zacatelco from Tepotzotlán by car?
About 102 miles (164 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 Tepotzotlán to Zacatelco?
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 Tepotzotlán to Zacatelco?
The U.S. State Department rates State of Mexico 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 Tepotzotlán to Zacatelco use?
In order: MEX-57, MEX-142, MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-117D and MEX-119. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tepotzotlán and Zacatelco?
Closest to the road: Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (museum, mile 19, 1 mi from the route); Cerrito de Los Melones (archaeological site, mile 34, 1 mi from the route); Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve (biosphere reserve, mile 49, 0.6 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.