Toluca to Pénjamo Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Toluca to Pénjamo is 209 miles (336 km), about 3 h 58 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Guanajuato is the Mexican state that contains Pénjamo. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Cathedral of AtlacomulcoRayón National ParkTeatro Morelos de MaravatíoTequila CorralejoTolucaPénjamo
Route from Toluca to Pénjamo with the 4 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance209 mi (336 km)
Driving time, no stops3 h 58 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-55 → MEX-55D → MEX-15D → MEX-43D → MEX-90
Mexican states on the routeState of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4), Guanajuato (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-55D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 8.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below4

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 Toluca to Pénjamo is like

MEX-15D (86 mi) and MEX-43D (35 mi) carry about 58% of the 209 miles. MEX-55D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-55, MEX-90 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: State of Mexico, Michoacán, Guanajuato. Of the 4 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Toluca to Pénjamo, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11State of Mexico
MEX-551–109State of Mexico
MEX-55D10–3929State of Mexico
MEX-5539–423State of Mexico
connecting roads42–431State of Mexico
MEX-15D43–12986State of Mexico, Michoacán
connecting roads129–1301Michoacán
MEX-43D130–16535Michoacán, Guanajuato
local roads165–19429Guanajuato
MEX-90194–20713Guanajuato
local roads207–2092Guanajuato
  • Mile 61 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 144 of this route: Michoacán → Guanajuato (state line)

Stops between Toluca and Pénjamo

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 40)
  • Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 64)
  • Museums and history: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 40), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 81)

Cathedral of Atlacomulco

Mile 40 · Catholic cathedral · 0.2 mi from the route

Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.

Rayón National Park

Mile 64 · National Park of Mexico · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Teatro Morelos de Maravatío

Mile 81 · Opera house · 1 mi from the route

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.

Tequila Corralejo

Mile 201 · Distillery · 1 mi from the route

Tequila Corralejo is distilled in Pénjamo, Guanajuato, at the historic Hacienda de Corralejo, where the brand, established in 1996, offers guided tours and hosts social events.

More drives to Pénjamo

From Toluca to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Toluca to Pénjamo?

About 3 h 58 min of driving without stops, over 209 miles.

How far is Pénjamo from Toluca by car?

About 209 miles (336 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 Pénjamo?

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 Pénjamo?

The U.S. State Department rates State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Toluca to Pénjamo use?

In order: MEX-55, MEX-55D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D and MEX-90. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Toluca and Pénjamo?

Closest to the road: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 40, 0.2 mi from the route); Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 81, 1 mi from the route); Tequila Corralejo (distillery, mile 201, 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.