Plan on about 10 h 28 min of driving for the 489-mile (787 km) trip from Tepoztlán to General Zaragoza, before any stops.
| Total distance | 489 mi (787 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-160D → MEX-95D → Periférico → MEX-57 → MEX-57D → SLP 29 → NL 3 |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos, Mexico City, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-160D, MEX-95D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.6 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 Tepoztlán to General Zaragoza: the shape of the trip
MEX-57 (242 mi) and MEX-57D (101 mi) carry about 70% of the 489 miles. It runs through 8 states: Morelos, Mexico City, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-160D, MEX-95D and MEX-57D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Tepoztlán to General Zaragoza
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 1–5 | 4 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 5–6 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 6–34 | 28 | Morelos, Mexico City |
| local roads | 34–39 | 5 | Mexico City |
| Periférico | 39–69 | 30 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| MEX-57 | 69–139 | 70 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 139–192 | 53 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57 | 192–289 | 97 | Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 289–290 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 290–332 | 42 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 332–407 | 75 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 407–413 | 6 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 29 | 413–442 | 29 | San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León |
| NL 3 | 442–447 | 5 | Nuevo León |
| local roads | 447–489 | 42 | Nuevo León |
- Mile 22 of this route: Morelos → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 55 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 86 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 106 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 139 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 199 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 253 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
- Mile 421 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Nuevo León (state line)
Places worth a stop between Tepoztlán and General Zaragoza
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (mile 42), Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo (mile 47), Mexico City Metro Museum (mile 50)
- Nature and outdoors: El Pensil Mexicano (mile 54)
- Museums and history: Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (mile 42), Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo (mile 47), Mexico City Metro Museum (mile 50), Monument to Cuauhtémoc (mile 53), Santa Cecilia Acatitlan (mile 63), Casa de la Corregidora (mile 176), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 298), Matehuala Cathedral (mile 413)
Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo
On the main campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the University Museum of Contemporary Art (MUAC) has shown art made in the 21st century since opening in November 2008.
Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo
Juan O'Gorman designed these two functionalist houses in 1931 for Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, one red and white, one blue, joined by a small rooftop bridge. Since 1986 they've been a museum about the couple and their generation.
Mexico City Metro Museum
Mexico City's Metro Museum (Museo del Metro) is located inside Mixcoac station on Line 12 of the city's subway system.
Monument to Cuauhtémoc
At the junction of Insurgentes and Paseo de la Reforma, this 1887 monument by Francisco Jiménez and Miguel Noreña honors Cuauhtémoc, the last Mexica ruler of Tenochtitlan.
El Pensil Mexicano
At 80 Lago Chiem street in Mexico City's Colonia Pensil, El Pensil Mexicano is a Baroque-style garden on a 3,000-square-meter lot, one of the last remnants of New Spain's pleasure gardens.
Santa Cecilia Acatitlan
Santa Cecilia Acatitlan is an early Aztec archaeological zone in Tlalnepantla de Baz, about 10 km northwest of Mexico City, once on the shore of Lake Texcoco.
Casa de la Corregidora
Completed in 1770 as Querétaro's royal houses and town hall, the Casa de la Corregidora is where Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, held there in 1810, sent word of danger to Miguel Hidalgo. After independence it became the state government palace.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
San Luis Potosí's cathedral anchors the city's historic center, which UNESCO lists as a component of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro World Heritage Site.
Matehuala Cathedral
Matehuala's Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Matehuala; it is open for worship though still under construction.
More drives to General Zaragoza
- Jerez, Zacatecas to General Zaragoza
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to General Zaragoza
- Celaya to General Zaragoza
- Salvatierra to General Zaragoza
- Tlalpujahua to General Zaragoza
- Angangueo to General Zaragoza
From Tepoztlán to other places in Mexico
- Tepoztlán to San Miguel, Morelos
- Tepoztlán to Malinalco
- Tepoztlán to Tonatico
- Tepoztlán to Otumba
- Tepoztlán to Jilotepec
- Tepoztlán to Ixtenco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tepoztlán to General Zaragoza?
About 10 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 489 miles.
How far is General Zaragoza from Tepoztlán by car?
About 489 miles (787 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 Tepoztlán to General Zaragoza?
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 Tepoztlán to General Zaragoza?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Tepoztlán to General Zaragoza?
In order: MEX-160D, MEX-95D, Periférico, MEX-57, MEX-57D, SLP 29 and NL 3. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tepoztlán to General Zaragoza?
Closest to the road: Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (museum, mile 42, 0.8 mi from the route); Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo (museum, mile 47, 0.3 mi from the route); Mexico City Metro Museum (museum, mile 50, 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.