The Wayro route from Veracruz to Aguascalientes is 524 miles (843 km), about 8 h 40 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 524 mi (843 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 40 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-180D → MEX-180 → MEX-140 → MEX-140D → MEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-180D, MEX-140D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.9 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 Veracruz to Aguascalientes is like
MEX-45D (141 mi) and MEX-140D (93 mi) carry about 45% of the 524 miles. MEX-180D, MEX-140D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-180, MEX-140, MEX-136, MEX-45 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 9 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Veracruz to Aguascalientes, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 4–21 | 17 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 21–30 | 9 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140 | 30–39 | 9 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140D | 39–47 | 8 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140 | 47–50 | 3 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140D | 50–135 | 85 | Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| MEX-136 | 135–186 | 51 | Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 186–187 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-M40D | 187–275 | 88 | Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-57D | 275–310 | 35 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| MEX-47D | 310–364 | 54 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 364–505 | 141 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 505–522 | 17 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 522–524 | 2 | Aguascalientes |
- Mile 101 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 127 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 196 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 203 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 216 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 233 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 247 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 276 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 309 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 350 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 460 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 509 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
Stops between Veracruz and Aguascalientes
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 91), La Malinche National Park (mile 147), Tula National Park (mile 263), El Cimatario National Park (mile 346), Cerro de las Campanas (mile 352)
- Museums and history: Cantona (mile 108), Museo de Sitio de Cantona (mile 110), Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (mile 159), Teotihuacan (mile 215)
Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote
Cofre de Perote National Park protects the forested slopes of the mountain, and its role is practical as well as scenic: a little over 40 percent of the water used in Xalapa comes from here.
Cantona
High on the Puebla plateau near the Veracruz line, Cantona was a fortified pre-Hispanic city that controlled trade toward the Gulf; its explored southern section reveals interconnected streets, walled residential units and more than two dozen ballgame courts.
Museo de Sitio de Cantona
At the Cantona archaeological zone in Tepeyahualco, this site museum shows finds from more than 20 years of digs: pottery, obsidian and stone tools, musical instruments, greenstone and shell ornaments, and burial remains.
La Malinche National Park
Tlaxcala's La Malinche National Park surrounds the inactive Matlalcuéyetl volcano, with pine, oak and fir forests on its slopes, hiking trails, birdwatching, and stone cabins and campsites at the Malintzi Vacation Center.
Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco
In the city of Apizaco, this Catholic basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia) was begun in the third decade of the 20th century and completed in 1961.
Teotihuacan
Built between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, this UNESCO-listed ancient city lines the Avenue of the Dead, where you can walk between the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.
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.
El Cimatario National Park
El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
When you get to Aguascalientes
Aguascalientes is the capital of the small central Mexican state of the same name, on the high plateau well south of the border states. The city is best known for the Feria Nacional de San Marcos, and its downtown holds churches, museums and a government palace tied to the 1914 revolutionary convention; the name nods to the hot springs still found at Ojocaliente.
- Museo Regional de Historia de Aguascalientes: Housed in a downtown mansion remodeled by Refugio Reyes around 1908, the INAH museum traces local history from the Pleistocene to the early 20th century. source
- Museo José Guadalupe Posada: Near the Jardín del Encino, the museum shows the famous engraver's calaveras, revolutionary figures and book illustrations. source
- Templo del Señor del Encino: This late-18th-century church, devoted to a Black Christ, keeps Stations of the Cross painted by Andrés López between 1798 and 1801. source
José Guadalupe Posada Museum
Aguascalientes is the birthplace of printmaker José Guadalupe Posada, and this museum shows the original signed printing plates he used to create his graphic images.
Aguascalientes Museum
Located in the state capital, the Aguascalientes Museum is the city's art museum, set in the city of Aguascalientes, Mexico.
Museum of Contemporary Art
Aguascalientes' Museum of Contemporary Art shows works by contemporary Mexican artists in its Jesús F. Contreras gallery.
More drives to Aguascalientes
- McAllen, TX to Aguascalientes
- Laredo, TX to Aguascalientes
- Brownsville, TX to Aguascalientes
- Mexico City to Aguascalientes
- Monterrey to Aguascalientes
From Veracruz to other places in Mexico
- Veracruz to Tecolutla
- Veracruz to Poza Rica
- Veracruz to Zacatelco
- Veracruz to Huejotzingo
- Veracruz to Cuautla
- Veracruz to Oaxtepec
Coming to Aguascalientes from the United States? Border crossings, permits and routes from U.S. cities: Driving to Aguascalientes, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Veracruz to Aguascalientes?
About 8 h 40 min of driving without stops, over 524 miles.
How far is Aguascalientes from Veracruz by car?
About 524 miles (843 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 Veracruz to Aguascalientes?
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 Veracruz to Aguascalientes?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Veracruz to Aguascalientes use?
In order: MEX-180D, MEX-180, MEX-140, MEX-140D, MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D and MEX-45. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Veracruz and Aguascalientes?
Closest to the road: Cantona (archaeological site, mile 108, 3 mi from the route); Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (basilica, mile 159, 2 mi from the route); Tula National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 263, 1 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.