Tzintzuntzan to Omitlán Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Tzintzuntzan to Omitlán is 239 miles (385 km), about 4 h 11 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not Travel; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Hidalgo is the Mexican state that contains Omitlán. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Historic Centre of MoreliaRayón National ParkCathedral of AtlacomulcoTulaJorge R. Acosta MuseumMuseo El RehileteCentro Interactivo Mundo FutbolTeatro Hidalgo Bartolomé de MedinaTzintzuntzanOmitlán
Route from Tzintzuntzan to Omitlán with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance239 mi (385 km)
Driving time, no stops4 h 11 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-120 → MEX-15 → MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-85 → MEX-105
Mexican states on the routeMichoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 9.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below8

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 insuranceRequired 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 Omitlán is like

MEX-15D (91 mi) and MEX-M40D (79 mi) carry about 71% of the 239 miles. MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-120, MEX-15, MEX-85, MEX-105 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Tzintzuntzan to Omitlán, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
MEX-1200–55Michoacán
MEX-155–1914Michoacán
MEX-37D19–4021Michoacán
MEX-15D40–13191Michoacán, State of Mexico
MEX-M40D131–21079State of Mexico, Hidalgo
connecting roads210–2111Hidalgo
MEX-85211–22211Hidalgo
local roads222–2308Hidalgo
MEX-105230–2344Hidalgo
local roads234–2395Hidalgo
  • 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)

Stops between Tzintzuntzan and Omitlán

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo El Rehilete (mile 224), Centro Interactivo Mundo Futbol (mile 225)
  • Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 109)
  • Museums and history: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 130), Tula (mile 175), Jorge R. Acosta Museum (mile 175), Museo El Rehilete (mile 224), Centro Interactivo Mundo Futbol (mile 225)

Historic Centre of Morelia

Mile 27 · Urban area · 9 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 109 · National Park of Mexico · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Cathedral of Atlacomulco

Mile 130 · Catholic cathedral · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.

Tula

Mile 175 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

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

Mile 175 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

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.

Museo El Rehilete

Mile 224 · Museum · 0.2 mi from the route

Kids head to Pachuca's interactive museum El Rehilete for its planetarium, observatory, dinosaur park, botanical garden and archaeological walk, plus a historic DC-3 airplane and a fire truck they can explore.

Centro Interactivo Mundo Futbol

Mile 225 · Museum · 0.4 mi from the route

Centro Interactivo Mundo Fútbol is an interactive museum devoted to soccer, located in the city of Pachuca de Soto in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

Teatro Hidalgo Bartolomé de Medina

Mile 231 · Theatre building · 1 mi from the route

The Teatro Hidalgo Bartolomé de Medina is a theater in the city of Pachuca de Soto, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

When you get to Omitlán

Museo de Medicina Laboral y Centro Cultural Nicolás Zavala

Museum · in Omitlán

Occupational medicine and mining history are the focus of this museum in Mineral del Monte, Hidalgo, which keeps the original facilities, furniture and medical equipment. Pachuca's mining archive and museum runs it.

Acosta Mine Museum

Museum · in Omitlán

In Mineral del Monte, Hidalgo, the Museo de Sitio Mina de Acosta is devoted to the history of mining and is run by Pachuca's Archivo Histórico y Museo de Minería.

La Dificultad Mine Museum

Museum · in Omitlán

At the La Dificultad mine in Mineral del Monte, a site museum and interpretation center tells the area's mining and hospital history, showing how the mines moved from steam power to electricity.

More drives to Omitlán

From Tzintzuntzan to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Tzintzuntzan to Omitlán?

About 4 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 239 miles.

How far is Omitlán from Tzintzuntzan by car?

About 239 miles (385 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 Omitlán?

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 Omitlán?

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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Tzintzuntzan to Omitlán use?

In order: MEX-120, MEX-15, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-85 and MEX-105. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Tzintzuntzan and Omitlán?

Closest to the road: Tula (archaeological site, mile 175, 1 mi from the route); Museo El Rehilete (museum, mile 224, 0.2 mi from the route); Centro Interactivo Mundo Futbol (museum, mile 225, 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.