The Wayro route from Tzintzuntzan to Ocuituco is 262 miles (421 km), about 5 h 12 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 262 mi (421 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 12 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → MEX-15 → MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-200 → MEX-95D → MEX-160D → MEX-115 → MOR 10 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.5 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 Ocuituco is like
MEX-15D (90 mi) and MEX-55D (33 mi) carry about 47% of the 262 miles. MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-120, MEX-15, MEX-55, MEX-200, MEX-115 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tzintzuntzan to Ocuituco, 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 | 40–130 | 90 | Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 130–134 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 134–167 | 33 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 167–173 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 173–179 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 179–180 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 180–188 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 188–190 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 190–195 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 195–199 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 199–214 | 15 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 214–221 | 7 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 221–227 | 6 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 227–248 | 21 | Morelos |
| MEX-115 | 248–252 | 4 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 252–256 | 4 | Morelos |
| MOR 10 | 256–262 | 6 | Morelos |
- Mile 113 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 206 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Tzintzuntzan and Ocuituco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 208), Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán (mile 244)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 109), La Marquesa National Park (mile 188), Cumbres del Ajusco National Park (mile 206), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 208)
- Museums and history: Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 221), Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca (mile 221)
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.
Teatro Morelos
In Toluca's historic center, just west of the State of Mexico's Palace of Justice, Teatro Morelos stages plays along with other shows and cultural events.
La Marquesa National Park
Set in high-altitude conifer forest along the Mexico City–Toluca highway, La Marquesa National Park offers roadside eateries, horse and ATV rentals, mountain biking and camping, and marks the site of the 1810 Battle of Monte de las Cruces.
Cumbres del Ajusco National Park
Pine and oak forests climb toward alpine meadows in Cumbres del Ajusco National Park, on Mexico City's southern edge. It draws hikers, climbers and cyclists, and it gets occasional snow, a rarity for the region.
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
Seven lagoons, three of them permanent, sit among pine, oak and fir forest above 3,000 meters in this park, decreed in 1936 on the Morelos–State of Mexico line. Hiking, horseback riding, camping and rowboats are popular here.
Cuernavaca Cathedral
Franciscans built this 16th-century convent church, now Cuernavaca's cathedral and part of the UNESCO-listed monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl; visitors can see its murals, side chapels and a sacred art museum.
Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca
The Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca is a photography museum in Cuernavaca, Morelos, housed in a building that resembles a French-style castle.
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In Oaxtepec, the Exconvento de Santo Domingo de Guzmán is among the first convents the Dominicans built in Mexico, and its walls preserve extensive fresco painting from the colonial era.
When you get to Ocuituco
Convento de Santiago Apóstol
In the town of Ocuituco, the Temple and Ex-convent of Santiago Apóstol (Templo y Exconvento de Santiago Apóstol) belongs to the UNESCO-listed group of 16th-century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, inscribed in 1994.
Convento de San Juan Bautista
This convent in Tetela del Volcán, known for its carved wooden sacristy and light-filled cloister walks, was cleaned of soot left from its use as a barracks during the Mexican Revolution in a conservation project completed in 2009.
More drives to Ocuituco
- Tepoztlán to Ocuituco
- Cuernavaca to Ocuituco
- Mexico City to Ocuituco
- Zacatelco to Ocuituco
- Tlaxcala to Ocuituco
- Chiautempan to Ocuituco
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 Ocuituco?
About 5 h 12 min of driving without stops, over 262 miles.
How far is Ocuituco from Tzintzuntzan by car?
About 262 miles (421 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 Ocuituco?
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 Ocuituco?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico 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 Ocuituco use?
In order: MEX-120, MEX-15, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95D, MEX-160D, MEX-115 and MOR 10. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tzintzuntzan and Ocuituco?
Closest to the road: Teatro Morelos (theatre building, mile 172, 1 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 208, 0.4 mi from the route); Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán (convent, mile 244, 0.8 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.