Tzintzuntzan to Capulalpam de Méndez is about 541 road miles (871 km): roughly 9 h 9 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Total distance | 541 mi (871 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 9 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → MEX-15 → MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-150D → MEX-135D → MEX-190 → MEX-175 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Oaxaca |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-150D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.6 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.
The Tzintzuntzan–Capulalpam de Méndez drive in a few lines
MEX-135D (151 mi) and MEX-M40D (139 mi) carry about 54% of the 541 miles. It runs through 6 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Oaxaca. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-37D, MEX-15D and MEX-M40D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Tzintzuntzan to Capulalpam de Méndez: the road sequence
| 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 | 131–270 | 139 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 270–271 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 271–340 | 69 | Puebla |
| MEX-135D | 340–491 | 151 | Puebla, Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 491–501 | 10 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175 | 501–535 | 34 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 535–541 | 6 | Oaxaca |
- Mile 113 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 163 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 193 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 207 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 224 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 236 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 244 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 267 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 392 of this route: Puebla → Oaxaca (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Tzintzuntzan and Capulalpam de Méndez
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Tula National Park (mile 176), Suchilquitongo (mile 479)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 109), Tula National Park (mile 176), Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 383)
- Museums and history: Historic Centre of Morelia (mile 27), Fort Guadalupe (mile 291), Suchilquitongo (mile 479), Monte Albán (mile 497), Museo de Sitio de Monte Albán (mile 497)
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.
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.
Tula National Park
This park protects the ruins of Tula, ancient capital of the Toltecs. Walk up to the main pyramid to stand beside the Atlantes, basalt warrior figures more than four meters tall, and look for the Coatepantli wall's reliefs of snakes devouring skeletons.
Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque
At Tepeyahualco, the tallest arcade of this 16th-century water system rises almost 40 meters. Franciscan friar Francisco de Tembleque built it between 1554 and 1572.
Fort Guadalupe
Fort Guadalupe is a fort you'll find in the city of Puebla, within the Mexican state of the same name.
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
This arid valley straddling Puebla and Oaxaca joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2018 as a mixed site. It is a major center of cactus diversity and preserves ancient canals, wells, terraces and dams built to manage scarce water.
Suchilquitongo
Locals call this Zapotec hilltop city Cerro de la Campana; it flourished between about 300 and 800 AD in the northern Etla Valley. Tomb 5, excavated in 1985, holds murals and stucco carvings counted among ancient Mexico's finest funerary art.
Monte Albán
Carved into a mountaintop above the Valley of Oaxaca, Monte Albán was a Zapotec capital for some 1,300 years; visitors walk a 300-meter ceremonial plaza lined with temples, a ball court, tombs and carved reliefs. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Museo de Sitio de Monte Albán
The site museum of the Monte Albán archaeological zone in Oaxaca is located just outside the archaeological zone of Monte Albán itself.
More drives to Capulalpam de Méndez
- Tehuacán to Capulalpam de Méndez
- Orizaba to Capulalpam de Méndez
- Huamantla to Capulalpam de Méndez
- Ixtenco to Capulalpam de Méndez
- Puebla to Capulalpam de Méndez
- Chipilo to Capulalpam de Méndez
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 does it take to drive from Tzintzuntzan to Capulalpam de Méndez?
About 9 h 9 min of driving without stops, over 541 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tzintzuntzan to Capulalpam de Méndez?
About 541 miles (871 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 Capulalpam de Méndez?
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 Capulalpam de Méndez?
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; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tzintzuntzan to Capulalpam de Méndez use?
In order: MEX-120, MEX-15, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-150D, MEX-135D, MEX-190 and MEX-175. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tzintzuntzan to Capulalpam de Méndez?
Closest to the road: Tula National Park (national park, mile 176, 1 mi from the route); Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque (aqueduct, mile 226, 2 mi from the route); Suchilquitongo (archaeological site, mile 479, 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 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.