The Wayro route from Tzintzuntzan to Atlatlahucan is 275 miles (443 km), about 4 h 47 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 275 mi (443 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 47 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → MEX-15 → MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-5D → MEX-115 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D, MEX-115D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.0 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 Tzintzuntzan to Atlatlahucan is like
MEX-15D (91 mi) and MEX-5D (54 mi) carry about 53% of the 275 miles. MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-120, MEX-15, MEX-115 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tzintzuntzan to Atlatlahucan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-120 | 0–5 | 5 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 5–19 | 14 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 19–40 | 21 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 40–131 | 91 | Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 131–164 | 33 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 164–165 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 165–186 | 21 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-5D | 186–240 | 54 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 240–241 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-115 | 241–257 | 16 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 257–271 | 14 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| MEX-115 | 271–274 | 3 | Morelos |
| local roads | 274–275 | 1 | Morelos |
- Mile 113 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 163 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 183 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 264 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Tzintzuntzan and Atlatlahucan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (mile 176), Sacromonte National Park (mile 256)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 109), El Tepeyac National Park (mile 215), Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park (mile 229), Sacromonte National Park (mile 256)
- Museums and history: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 91), Acozac (mile 239)
Historic Centre of Morelia
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.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
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.
Rayón National Park
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.
Templo y exconvento de San Francisco
The Templo y Exconvento de San Francisco is a church and former convent located in the city of Tepeji del Río, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
El Tepeyac National Park
Decreed in 1937 on reforested slopes of the Sierra de Guadalupe, including Cerro del Tepeyac, this national park was created for rest and recreation, with views toward Mexico City and the old Lake Texcoco plain.
Historic center of Mexico City
Built by the Spanish in the 16th century on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, Mexico City's Centro Histórico holds the Metropolitan Cathedral, the excavated Aztec Templo Mayor and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1987.
Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park
Named for Antonio Flores de Valdés, who inherited the estate in 1642, this former hacienda and mill near Texcoco became a national park in 1937. Visitors walk among its ruins, the San Joaquín church remains and a chapel built on rock.
Acozac
Acozac is an archaeological site in the municipality of Ixtapaluca, State of Mexico, located at kilometer 30 of the federal Mexico City–Puebla road, heading toward Ixtapaluca.
Sacromonte National Park
Sacromonte National Park is a national park and protected area in the State of Mexico, established in 1952 and covering roughly 0.44 square kilometers.
When you get to Atlatlahucan
Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol
Built by Augustinian friars, the Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol in Atlatlahucan is well preserved, with murals and decorated vaults, and is associated with the origins of the Chinelo dancers.
Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
Inscribed by UNESCO in 1994, this World Heritage site groups early 16th-century monasteries that Franciscan, Dominican and Augustinian friars built on the slopes of Popocatépetl, with large open spaces used to evangelize the Indigenous population.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Yecapixtla
The 16th-century church and former monastery of San Juan Bautista in Yecapixtla belongs to the Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl, inscribed by UNESCO in 1994 as early missionary architecture with large open courtyards.
More drives to Atlatlahucan
- Cuernavaca to Atlatlahucan
- Metepec to Atlatlahucan
- Toluca to Atlatlahucan
- Valle de Bravo to Atlatlahucan
- Zitácuaro to Atlatlahucan
- San Juan del Río to Atlatlahucan
From Tzintzuntzan to other places in Mexico
- Tzintzuntzan to Amatitán
- Tzintzuntzan to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Tzintzuntzan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tzintzuntzan to Real de Asientos
- Tzintzuntzan to Nombre de Dios
- Tzintzuntzan to San Ignacio, Sinaloa
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tzintzuntzan to Atlatlahucan?
About 4 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 275 miles.
How far is Atlatlahucan from Tzintzuntzan by car?
About 275 miles (443 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 Tzintzuntzan to Atlatlahucan?
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 Tzintzuntzan to Atlatlahucan?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tzintzuntzan to Atlatlahucan use?
In order: MEX-120, MEX-15, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D and MEX-115. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tzintzuntzan and Atlatlahucan?
Closest to the road: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 91, 1 mi from the route); Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (convent, mile 176, 0.5 mi from the route); Sacromonte National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 256, 0.4 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.