Tulancingo to Maruata Road Trip: Distance, Time & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Tulancingo to Maruata is 519 miles (835 km), about 8 h 34 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; Guerrero — Level 4, Do Not TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Michoacán is the Mexican state that contains Maruata. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Church and former convent of Todos los SantosAqueduct of Padre TemblequeMuseo Arqueológico de ApaxcoTulaJorge R. Acosta MuseumCathedral of AtlacomulcoHistoric Centre of MoreliaMuseo de Artes e Industrias PopularesBarranca del Cupatitzio National ParkTulancingoMaruata
Route from Tulancingo to Maruata with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance519 mi (835 km)
Driving time, no stops8 h 34 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-130 → MEX-132 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D → MEX-14D → MEX-200
Mexican states on the routeHidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4), Guerrero (Level 4)
Toll roadsMEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 20.8 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 Maruata is like

MEX-37D (171 mi) and MEX-200 (102 mi) carry about 53% of the 519 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-130, MEX-132, MEX-200 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán, Guerrero. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.

The route from Tulancingo to Maruata, 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-15D123–21390State of Mexico, Michoacán
connecting roads213–2141Michoacán
MEX-37D214–25238Michoacán
MEX-14D252–28028Michoacán
connecting roads280–2811Michoacán
MEX-37D281–414133Michoacán, Guerrero
connecting roads414–4173Michoacán
MEX-200417–519102Michoacán
  • 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 378 of this route: Michoacán → Guerrero (state line)
  • Mile 412 of this route: Guerrero → Michoacán (state line)

Stops between Tulancingo and Maruata

  • Nature and outdoors: Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park (mile 281)
  • Museums and history: Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco (mile 62), Tula (mile 78), Jorge R. Acosta Museum (mile 78), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 124), Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 256)

Church and former convent of Todos los Santos

Mile 24 · Convent · 2 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.

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.

Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco

Mile 62 · 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 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.

Historic Centre of Morelia

Mile 226 · Urban area · 9 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.

Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares

Mile 256 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

Housed in an 18th-century building adapted from the Colegio de San Nicolás, which Vasco de Quiroga founded in the 16th century, this INAH museum in Pátzcuaro shows Purépecha pottery, textiles, woodwork and lacquerware.

Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park

Mile 281 · National Park of Mexico · 8 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

In Michoacán, Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park follows the headwaters of the Cupatitzio River, which bubbles up from an underground spring and carves a small ravine as it starts to flow.

More drives to Maruata

From Tulancingo to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Tulancingo to Maruata?

About 8 h 34 min of driving without stops, over 519 miles.

How far is Maruata from Tulancingo by car?

About 519 miles (835 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 Maruata?

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 Maruata?

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; Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Tulancingo to Maruata use?

In order: MEX-130, MEX-132, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Tulancingo and Maruata?

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 de Artes e Industrias Populares (museum, mile 256, 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.