The Wayro route from Tzintzuntzan to Tlayacapan is 247 miles (398 km), about 4 h 57 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 247 mi (398 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 57 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 → MOR 2 |
| 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 9.9 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 Tlayacapan is like
MEX-15D (90 mi) and MEX-55D (33 mi) carry about 50% of the 247 miles. MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-120, MEX-15, MEX-55, MEX-200 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tzintzuntzan to Tlayacapan, 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 | 227–240 | 13 | Morelos |
| MOR 2 | 240–244 | 4 | Morelos |
| local roads | 244–247 | 3 | 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 Tlayacapan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 132), Toluca Cathedral (mile 172), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 208), Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (mile 232)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 109), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 208)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 132), Toluca Cathedral (mile 172), Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 221), Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca (mile 221), El Tepozteco (mile 232), Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (mile 232)
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.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
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.
Toluca Cathedral
Begun in 1867 and finished only in 1978, Toluca's Cathedral of Saint Joseph has a neoclassical facade and a bronze statue of the saint on its dome. It also preserves the 18th-century baroque front of the former San Elzeario church.
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.
El Tepozteco
High on a hill above Tepoztlán, El Tepozteco holds the remains of a shrine to Ometochtli-Tepoztécatl, god of pulque, fertility and the harvest, along with terraced platforms built from around AD 1200.
Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum
Tepoztlán's Dominican monastery, built between 1555 and 1580, keeps original 16th-century murals in its cloister. Upstairs, the museum covers local daily life, faith, festivals and dances, and the complex is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing.
When you get to Tlayacapan
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.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
Templo y exconvento de San Guillermo
Augustinian friars began the Templo y Exconvento de San Guillermo in Totolapan in the mid-16th century; part of the UNESCO-listed Popocatépetl monasteries, it was badly damaged in the 2017 earthquake, and INAH has supervised its restoration.
More drives to Tlayacapan
- Atlixco to Tlayacapan
- Otumba to Tlayacapan
- Calpulalpan to Tlayacapan
- Metepec to Tlayacapan
- Toluca to Tlayacapan
- Puebla to Tlayacapan
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 Tlayacapan?
About 4 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 247 miles.
How far is Tlayacapan from Tzintzuntzan by car?
About 247 miles (398 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 Tlayacapan?
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 Tlayacapan?
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 Tlayacapan use?
In order: MEX-120, MEX-15, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95D, MEX-160D and MOR 2. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tzintzuntzan and Tlayacapan?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 132, 0.4 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 208, 0.4 mi from the route); Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (museum, mile 232, 0.6 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.