Tlaxcala to Amealco Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Tlaxcala to Amealco is 171 miles (275 km), about 2 h 49 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Tlaxcala — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Querétaro is the Mexican state that contains Amealco. See the full advisory for current details.
Exconvent of Santa María MagdalenaAqueduct of Padre TemblequeTeotihuacanChurch and former convent of Todos los SantosMuseo Arqueológico de ApaxcoTulaSala Histórica QuetzalcóatlTlaxcalaAmealco
Route from Tlaxcala to Amealco with the 7 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance171 mi (275 km)
Driving time, no stops2 h 49 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-117D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → QRO 300
Mexican states on the routeTlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 6.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below7

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 insuranceRequired 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 Tlaxcala to Amealco is like

MEX-M40D (103 mi) and MEX-57D (35 mi) carry about 81% of the 171 miles. MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D are toll highways (cuota). It runs through 5 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro. None of the 7 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.

The route from Tlaxcala to Amealco, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–22Tlaxcala
MEX-117D2–1311Tlaxcala, Puebla
MEX-M40D13–116103Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico
connecting roads116–1171Hidalgo
MEX-57D117–15235Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro
MEX-47D152–16210Querétaro
connecting roads162–1631Querétaro
QRO 300163–1718Querétaro
  • Mile 12 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
  • Mile 15 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
  • Mile 38 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 45 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 58 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 75 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 89 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 118 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 151 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)

Stops between Tlaxcala and Amealco

Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena

Mile 13 · Convent · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The former convent of Santa María Magdalena (Exconvento de Santa María Magdalena) is a 17th-century Baroque church built by the Dieguino friars, still in use as a Catholic temple of the Archdiocese of Puebla.

Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque

Mile 55 · Aqueduct · 2 mi from the route

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.

Teotihuacan

Mile 57 · Historic site · 13 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Church and former convent of Todos los Santos

Mile 59 · Convent · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco

Mile 89 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Founded in 1985, the Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco sits across from the parish church of San Francisco de Asís and beside the town hall in Apaxco, State of Mexico.

Tula

Mile 106 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

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.

Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl

Mile 106 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

The Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl is an archaeological museum located in Tula de Allende, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

More drives to Amealco

From Tlaxcala to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Tlaxcala to Amealco?

About 2 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 171 miles.

How far is Amealco from Tlaxcala by car?

About 171 miles (275 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 Tlaxcala to Amealco?

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 Tlaxcala to Amealco?

The U.S. State Department rates Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Tlaxcala to Amealco use?

In order: MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D and QRO 300. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Tlaxcala and Amealco?

Closest to the road: Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque (aqueduct, mile 55, 2 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 106, 1 mi from the route); Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (museum, mile 106, 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.