The Wayro route from Toluca to Cholula is 115 miles (185 km), about 2 h 8 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 115 mi (185 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15 → MEX-15D → Viaducto → MEX-150D |
| Mexican states on the route | State of Mexico (Level 2), Mexico City (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-15D, MEX-150D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.6 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.
What the drive from Toluca to Cholula is like
MEX-150D (59 mi) and MEX-15D (20 mi) carry about 69% of the 115 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-150D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-15 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 3 states: State of Mexico, Mexico City, Puebla. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Toluca to Cholula, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-15 | 0–11 | 11 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 11–31 | 20 | State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 31–35 | 4 | Mexico City |
| Viaducto | 35–43 | 8 | Mexico City |
| local roads | 43–48 | 5 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 48–50 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-150D | 50–109 | 59 | State of Mexico, Puebla |
| local roads | 109–115 | 6 | Puebla |
- Mile 23 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 45 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 78 of this route: State of Mexico → Puebla (state line)
Stops between Toluca and Cholula
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 24), Museo Cabeza de Juárez (mile 46)
- Nature and outdoors: Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 24), Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan National Park (mile 28)
- Museums and history: Monumento a la Madre, Mexico City (mile 37), Interactive Museum of Economics (mile 39), Museo Cabeza de Juárez (mile 46), Cathedral of Nezahualcóyotl (mile 47), Xochitecatl (mile 100), Cacaxtla (mile 101)
- With kids: Chapultepec Zoo (mile 34)
Desierto de los Leones National Park
Declared a national park in 1917, this fir, ash and oak forest in Mexico City's Cuajimalpa and Álvaro Obregón boroughs surrounds a former Carmelite monastery. Locals come to hike, run and cycle, and more than 100 bird species live here.
Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan National Park
In southern Mexico City's Tlalpan borough, Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan was declared a national park on September 28, 1936, on land once called the Barranca de los Manantiales.
Chapultepec Zoo
Founded on July 6, 1923, by biologist Alfonso Luis Herrera, Chapultepec Zoo sits inside Mexico City's Chapultepec Park.
Monumento a la Madre, Mexico City
Inaugurated on May 10, 1949, the Monumento a la Madre in Mexico City is a monument honoring and commemorating Mexican mothers.
Interactive Museum of Economics
On Tacuba Street in Mexico City's historic center, the Interactive Museum of Economics (MIDE) opened in 2006 as a museum dedicated to economics.
Museo Cabeza de Juárez
A colossal head of Benito Juárez, the 26th president of Mexico, crowns this museum and monument in Mexico City's Iztapalapa borough.
Cathedral of Nezahualcóyotl
Consecrated on November 20, 2000, the Cathedral of Nezahualcóyotl, dedicated to Jesús, Señor de la Misericordia, is the seat of the Diocese of Nezahualcóyotl.
Xochitecatl
Xochitécatl is a pre-Hispanic archaeological site in the state of Tlaxcala. INAH runs it together with nearby Cacaxtla as a single zone, and the Xochitécatl site museum displays finds from the area.
Cacaxtla
Built on a hill rising above the Tlaxcala-Puebla valley, Cacaxtla is known for its pre-Hispanic murals on the Gran Basamento, a large platform now sheltered under a roof. INAH manages it together with nearby Xochitécatl.
When you get to Cholula
San Gabriel Franciscan Convent, Cholula
The San Gabriel Franciscan Convent, also called San Gabriel Friary, is a church and friary in Cholula, part of the Puebla metropolitan area.
Tonantzintla Observatory
The Tonantzintla Observatory in Puebla was home to the National Astrophysical Observatory directed by Guillermo Haro. Its main instrument, a Schmidt camera, was a wide-field telescope built for photographing the sky.
Museo de Historia y Antropología de Cholula
Run by INAH, the Museo de Historia y Antropología de Cholula is the site museum for Cholula's archaeological zone. Don't confuse it with the Museo Regional de Cholula, two blocks away.
More drives to Cholula
- Mexico City to Cholula
- San Juan del Río to Cholula
- Salamanca to Cholula
- Morelia to Cholula
- León to Cholula
- Uruapan to Cholula
From Toluca to other places in Mexico
- Toluca to Salvatierra
- Toluca to Celaya
- Toluca to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Toluca to Tócuaro
- Toluca to Pénjamo
- Toluca to Cotija
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Toluca to Cholula?
About 2 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 115 miles.
How far is Cholula from Toluca by car?
About 115 miles (185 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 Toluca to Cholula?
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 Toluca to Cholula?
The U.S. State Department rates State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Mexico City 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 Toluca to Cholula use?
In order: MEX-15, MEX-15D, Viaducto and MEX-150D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Toluca and Cholula?
Closest to the road: Desierto de los Leones National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 24, 1 mi from the route); Chapultepec Zoo (zoo, mile 34, 1 mi from the route); Museo Cabeza de Juárez (museum, mile 46, 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 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.