The Wayro route from Tulancingo to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is 365 miles (588 km), about 6 h 16 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 365 mi (588 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-130 → MEX-132 → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → AGS 19 |
| Mexican states on the route | Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.6 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 Tulancingo to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is like
MEX-45D (141 mi) and MEX-M40D (60 mi) carry about 55% of the 365 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-130, MEX-132, MEX-45 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 6 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tulancingo to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-130 | 2–6 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-132 | 6–29 | 23 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-M40D | 29–89 | 60 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 89–90 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 90–125 | 35 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| MEX-47D | 125–178 | 53 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 178–319 | 141 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 319–349 | 30 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 349–352 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 352–356 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| connecting roads | 356–357 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 19 | 357–365 | 8 | Aguascalientes |
- Mile 48 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 62 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 91 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 124 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 165 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 275 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 324 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
Stops between Tulancingo and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 338), Museo Nacional de la Muerte (mile 338)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 167)
- Museums and history: Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco (mile 62), Tula (mile 78), Jorge R. Acosta Museum (mile 78), Celaya Cathedral (mile 190), Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 338), Museo Nacional de la Muerte (mile 338)
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.
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.
Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco
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
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
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.
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
Celaya Cathedral
Celaya's main Catholic church, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, occupies the space of a former chapel that was annexed to the neighboring Temple of St. Francis.
Historic centre of Aguascalientes
The historic center of Aguascalientes is the city's zone of historic monuments, which INAH has declared part of the nation's heritage.
Museo Nacional de la Muerte
Run by the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes, the Museo Nacional de la Muerte displays objects about death in Mexican culture, drawn from a collection donated by printmaker Octavio Bajonero Gil.
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 Tulancingo to other places in Mexico
- Tulancingo to Tepotzotlán
- Tulancingo to Zimapán
- Tulancingo to Metepec
- Tulancingo to Atlatlahucan
- Tulancingo to Malinalco
- Tulancingo to Tonatico
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tulancingo to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
About 6 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 365 miles.
How far is San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes from Tulancingo by car?
About 365 miles (588 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 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 Tulancingo to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
The U.S. State Department rates 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 Tulancingo to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes use?
In order: MEX-130, MEX-132, 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 Tulancingo and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
Closest to the road: Tula (archaeological site, mile 78, 1 mi from the route); Historic centre of Aguascalientes (historic district, mile 338, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Nacional de la Muerte (art museum, mile 338, 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.