The Wayro route from Tlaxcala to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is 393 miles (632 km), about 6 h 34 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 393 mi (632 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 34 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-117D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → AGS 19 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 Tlaxcala to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is like
MEX-45D (141 mi) and MEX-M40D (103 mi) carry about 62% of the 393 miles. MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 8 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tlaxcala to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-117D | 2–13 | 11 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| MEX-M40D | 13–116 | 103 | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 116–117 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 117–152 | 35 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| MEX-47D | 152–206 | 54 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 206–347 | 141 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 347–377 | 30 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 377–380 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 380–383 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| connecting roads | 383–384 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 19 | 384–392 | 8 | Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 392–393 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
- 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)
- Mile 193 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 303 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 350 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
Stops between Tlaxcala and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museum of Contemporary Art (mile 365)
- Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 188), Cerro de las Campanas (mile 194)
- Museums and history: Tula (mile 106), Museum of Contemporary Art (mile 365)
Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena
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
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.
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.
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.
El Cimatario National Park
El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
Museum of Contemporary Art
Aguascalientes' Museum of Contemporary Art shows works by contemporary Mexican artists in its Jesús F. Contreras gallery.
When you get to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
Santuario del Cristo Roto, San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
A 28-meter broken Christ, the Cristo Roto, stands on an island in the Presidente Calles dam at San José de Gracia, reachable only by boat. Sculptors Erasmo Aguilar and Miguel Romo Santino made it to recall what the town lost when the dam was built.
More drives to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Jerez, Zacatecas to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Amatitán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Ajijic to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tequila to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
From Tlaxcala to other places in Mexico
- Tlaxcala to Omitlán
- Tlaxcala to Atlatlahucan
- Tlaxcala to Huasca de Ocampo
- Tlaxcala to Actopan
- Tlaxcala to Metepec
- Tlaxcala to Malinalco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tlaxcala to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
About 6 h 34 min of driving without stops, over 393 miles.
How far is San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes from Tlaxcala by car?
About 393 miles (632 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 San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
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 San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
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; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes 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 San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes use?
In order: MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and AGS 19. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tlaxcala and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
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); Museum of Contemporary Art (art museum, mile 365, 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 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.