Tulancingo to Amatitán Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Tulancingo to Amatitán is 403 miles (648 km), about 6 h 36 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Jalisco is the Mexican state that contains Amatitán. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Aqueduct of Padre TemblequeTeotihuacanTulaJorge R. Acosta MuseumCathedral of AtlacomulcoRayón National ParkMuseo Regional de la Ceramica, TlaquepaqueDiana TheatreMuseo Regional de GuadalajaraTulancingoAmatitán
Route from Tulancingo to Amatitán with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance403 mi (648 km)
Driving time, no stops6 h 36 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-130 → MEX-132 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-15
Mexican states on the routeHidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-M40D, MEX-15D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 16.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

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 Tulancingo to Amatitán is like

MEX-15D (257 mi) and MEX-M40D (93 mi) carry about 87% of the 403 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-15D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-130, MEX-132, MEX-15 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.

The route from Tulancingo to Amatitán, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–22Hidalgo
MEX-1302–64Hidalgo
MEX-1326–2923Hidalgo
MEX-M40D29–12293Hidalgo, State of Mexico
connecting roads122–1231State of Mexico
MEX-15D123–380257State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco
MEX-15380–40323Jalisco
  • Mile 48 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 62 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 92 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 141 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 309 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)

Stops between Tulancingo and Amatitán

  • Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 144)
  • Museums and history: Teotihuacan (mile 30), Tula (mile 78), Jorge R. Acosta Museum (mile 78), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 124), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 369), Museo Regional de Guadalajara (mile 373)

Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque

Mile 28 · 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 30 · 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.

Tula

Mile 78 · 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.

Jorge R. Acosta Museum

Mile 78 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

Next to the Tula ruins, the Museo de Sitio Jorge R. Acosta traces the rise and decline of the Toltecs and their city, Tollan Xicocotitlan. It moved into new facilities in 1982 and covers nearly 20 years of digs led by archaeologist Jorge R. Acosta.

Cathedral of Atlacomulco

Mile 124 · Catholic cathedral · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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 144 · 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.

Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque

Mile 369 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

On Independencia Street in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, the Museo Regional de la Cerámica is one of the city's two main ceramics museums, alongside the Pantaleón Panduro Museum.

Diana Theatre

Mile 372 · Venue · 1 mi from the route

The Diana Theatre, or Teatro Diana, is an indoor theater in Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco, with seating for 2,345 people.

Museo Regional de Guadalajara

Mile 373 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Facing the Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres in downtown Guadalajara, the Museo Regional de Guadalajara fills a full city block bounded by Hidalgo, Pino Suárez, Liceo and Independencia streets.

More drives to Amatitán

From Tulancingo to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Tulancingo to Amatitán?

About 6 h 36 min of driving without stops, over 403 miles.

How far is Amatitán from Tulancingo by car?

About 403 miles (648 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 Tulancingo to Amatitán?

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 Tulancingo to Amatitán?

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

What roads does the drive from Tulancingo to Amatitán use?

In order: MEX-130, MEX-132, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Tulancingo and Amatitán?

Closest to the road: Tula (archaeological site, mile 78, 1 mi from the route); Jorge R. Acosta Museum (museum, mile 78, 1 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 369, 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.