The Wayro route from Tequila to Otumba is 395 miles (636 km), about 6 h 23 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 395 mi (636 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 23 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-M40D → MEX-132 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-15D, MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.8 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 Tequila to Otumba is like
MEX-15D (275 mi) and MEX-M40D (94 mi) carry about 93% of the 395 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-15, MEX-132 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Tequila to Otumba, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 4–25 | 21 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 25–36 | 11 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 36–290 | 254 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 290–384 | 94 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| MEX-132 | 384–391 | 7 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 391–395 | 4 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 104 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 272 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 322 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 352 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 366 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 383 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Tequila and Otumba
- Nature and outdoors: Agua Azul (mile 40), Rayón National Park (mile 268)
- Museums and history: Museo del Tequila y el Mariachi (mile 40), Museo Regional de la Cerámica (mile 44), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 250), Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (mile 334), Tula (mile 335)
Agua Azul
Parque Agua Azul is an urban park on Calzada Independencia in Guadalajara's historic center, a green stop close to downtown.
Museo del Tequila y el Mariachi
The Museo del Tequila y el Mariachi is a space devoted to showing and sharing the culture of tequila and mariachi, both part of Mexico's heritage and cultural identity.
Museo Regional de la Cerámica
On Calle Independencia in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, the Museo Regional de la Cerámica is one of the town's two main ceramics museums.
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
Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.
Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl
The Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl is an archaeological museum located in Tula de Allende, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
Tula
Once the Toltec capital, the Tula archaeological zone is best known for its Atlantes, basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall crowning the main pyramid. Visitors also see a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall, carved with snakes devouring skeletons.
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.
Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque
Built by Franciscan friar Francisco de Tembleque between 1554 and 1572, this 16th-century water system runs more than 48 km between Zempoala and Otumba. Its tallest arcade at Tepeyahualco reaches almost 40 meters, and UNESCO listed it in 2015.
When you get to Otumba
Teotihuacan
Built between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, this UNESCO-listed ancient city lines the Avenue of the Dead, where you can walk between the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.
Pyramid of the Sun
Rising along the Avenue of the Dead between the Pyramid of the Moon and the Ciudadela, the Pyramid of the Sun is the largest building in Teotihuacan, believed to date to about AD 200.
Museo del Ferrocarril en Otumba
The Museo del Ferrocarril en Otumba is a museum in the town of Otumba de Gómez Farías devoted, as its name says, to the railroad.
More drives to Otumba
- Mexico City to Otumba
- Tepotzotlán to Otumba
- Toluca to Otumba
- Metepec to Otumba
- Jilotepec to Otumba
- Cuernavaca to Otumba
From Tequila to other places in Mexico
- Tequila to Temacapulín
- Tequila to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Tequila to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tequila to Calvillo
- Tequila to Real de Asientos
- Tequila to El Rosario, Sinaloa
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tequila to Otumba?
About 6 h 23 min of driving without stops, over 395 miles.
How far is Otumba from Tequila by car?
About 395 miles (636 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 Tequila to Otumba?
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 Tequila to Otumba?
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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tequila to Otumba use?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-M40D and MEX-132. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tequila and Otumba?
Closest to the road: Agua Azul (park, mile 40, 1 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Cerámica (museum, mile 44, 1 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 335, 1 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.