The Wayro route from Tulancingo to Sayulita is 536 miles (862 km), about 8 h 44 min of driving without stops.
| Total distance | 536 mi (862 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 44 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-130 → MEX-132 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-70D, MEX-200D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.4 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.
The Tulancingo–Sayulita drive in a few lines
MEX-15D (323 mi) and MEX-M40D (93 mi) carry about 78% of the 536 miles. It runs through 5 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-M40D, MEX-15D and MEX-70D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Tulancingo to Sayulita
| 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 | 29–122 | 93 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 122–123 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 123–380 | 257 | State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 380–388 | 8 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 388–454 | 66 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 454–488 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 488–506 | 18 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 506–521 | 15 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 521–534 | 13 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 534–536 | 2 | Nayarit |
- 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)
- Mile 437 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Tulancingo and Sayulita
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 378), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 418)
- Nature and outdoors: Agua Azul (mile 372), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 378), Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 516)
- Museums and history: Jorge R. Acosta Museum (mile 78), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 124), Museo de Cera (mile 372), Guachimontones (mile 402), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 418)
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.
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.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
The seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco is the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, which serves as the main Catholic church in town and takes its dedication from Divine Providence.
Museo de Cera
On the Plaza de la Liberación in downtown Guadalajara, the Museo de Cera has 12 rooms with more than 130 wax figures of athletes, singers, actors, politicians and religious figures. It opened in 1994.
Agua Azul
Parque Agua Azul is an urban park on Calzada Independencia in Guadalajara's historic center, a green stop close to downtown.
Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara
Zapopan's Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara is a public park in Jalisco with a busy event calendar that includes open-air film screenings, live concerts and food festivals.
Guachimontones
Western Mexico's first large population center, according to INAH, took shape near Teuchitlán around 1000 BC. Guachimontones stands out for its round architecture, with roughly 40 circular structures across the site.
Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería
The Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería, an interpretive museum of agave landscape and mining, is located in the municipality of Magdalena, Mexico.
Rincón de Guayabitos
Gentle waves are the draw at Rincón de Guayabitos, where roughly two kilometers of shoreline make this Compostela, Nayarit, beach town a favorite escape for people from Tepic and Guadalajara.
More drives to Sayulita
- Tepatitlán to Sayulita
- San Juan de los Lagos to Sayulita
- Jalpa to Sayulita
- León to Sayulita
- Aguascalientes to Sayulita
- Paracho to Sayulita
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 Sayulita?
About 8 h 44 min of driving without stops, over 536 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tulancingo to Sayulita?
About 536 miles (862 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 Sayulita?
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 Sayulita?
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; Nayarit 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 Sayulita use?
In order: MEX-130, MEX-132, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tulancingo to Sayulita?
Closest to the road: Jorge R. Acosta Museum (museum, mile 78, 1 mi from the route); Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (park, mile 378, 0.9 mi from the route); Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (museum, mile 418, 0.5 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.