The Wayro route from Uruapan to Cuautla is 287 miles (462 km), about 5 h 19 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 287 mi (462 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 19 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-14D → MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-200 → MEX-95D → MEX-160D |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.5 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 Uruapan to Cuautla is like
MEX-15D (91 mi) and MEX-37D (38 mi) carry about 45% of the 287 miles. MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); 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, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Uruapan to Cuautla, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Michoacán |
| MEX-14D | 4–37 | 33 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 37–75 | 38 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 75–166 | 91 | Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 166–169 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 169–203 | 34 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 203–208 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 208–214 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 214–215 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 215–223 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 223–226 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 226–231 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 231–235 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 235–249 | 14 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 249–257 | 8 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 257–262 | 5 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 262–283 | 21 | Morelos |
| local roads | 283–287 | 4 | Morelos |
- Mile 149 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 241 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Uruapan and Cuautla
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (mile 268), Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán (mile 279)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 145), La Marquesa National Park (mile 224)
- Museums and history: Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (mile 33), Calixtlahuaca (mile 203), Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca (mile 256), El Tepozteco (mile 267), Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (mile 268)
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro's basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) rises on pre-Hispanic platforms beside its own plaza. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga planned it as a five-nave cathedral, only one nave was finished, and his remains rest inside.
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.
Calixtlahuaca
Spread over the slopes of Cerro Tenismó near Toluca, this site's standout is the round Temple of Ehécatl-Quetzalcóatl, rebuilt in four phases. Nearby, a Mexica-era skull rack displays stone skulls set into cross-shaped walls.
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.
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.
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 Cuautla
Museo Histórico del Oriente de Morelos "Casa de Morelos"
In this 18th-century house in Cuautla, José María Morelos lived during the 1812 Siege of Cuautla. Its INAH galleries trace regional history through Morelos and Emiliano Zapata and display "El Niño," his first cannon, a gift from the Galeana family.
More drives to Cuautla
- Cuernavaca to Cuautla
- Toluca to Cuautla
- San Juan del Río to Cuautla
- Querétaro to Cuautla
- Morelia to Cuautla
- Celaya to Cuautla
From Uruapan to other places in Mexico
- Uruapan to Amatitán
- Uruapan to Tequila
- Uruapan to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Uruapan to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Uruapan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Uruapan to Real de Asientos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Uruapan to Cuautla?
About 5 h 19 min of driving without stops, over 287 miles.
How far is Cuautla from Uruapan by car?
About 287 miles (462 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 Uruapan to Cuautla?
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 Uruapan to Cuautla?
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 Uruapan to Cuautla use?
In order: MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95D and MEX-160D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Uruapan and Cuautla?
Closest to the road: El Tepozteco (archaeological site, mile 267, 1 mi from the route); Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (museum, mile 268, 0.6 mi from the route); Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán (convent, mile 279, 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.