The Wayro route from Zacatelco to General Zaragoza is 509 miles (819 km), about 10 h 16 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 509 mi (819 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-119 → MEX-117D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 → SLP 29 → NL 3 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.3 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.
Driving Zacatelco to General Zaragoza: the shape of the trip
MEX-57 (172 mi) and MEX-57D (135 mi) carry about 60% of the 509 miles. It runs through 8 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-117D, MEX-M40D and MEX-57D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Zacatelco to General Zaragoza
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-119 | 0–6 | 6 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-117D | 6–21 | 15 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| MEX-M40D | 21–124 | 103 | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 124–125 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 125–212 | 87 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| MEX-57 | 212–309 | 97 | Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 309–352 | 43 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 352–427 | 75 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 427–432 | 5 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 29 | 432–462 | 30 | San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León |
| NL 3 | 462–467 | 5 | Nuevo León |
| local roads | 467–509 | 42 | Nuevo León |
- Mile 19 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 23 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 45 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 53 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 66 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 83 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 96 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 126 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 158 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 219 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 272 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
- Mile 441 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Nuevo León (state line)
Stops between Zacatelco and General Zaragoza
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Exconvento de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves (mile 9)
- Nature and outdoors: El Gogorrón National Park (mile 298)
- Museums and history: Museo Nacional de Antropología e Historia de Tlaxcala (mile 9), Casa de la Corregidora (mile 196), Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (mile 204), Matehuala Cathedral (mile 432)
Museo Nacional de Antropología e Historia de Tlaxcala
Set in the cloisters of Tlaxcala's former Franciscan convent, founded in 1528, the regional museum (Museo Regional de Tlaxcala) traces the state from paleontology and pre-Hispanic cultures through the colonial era to the Revolution, with pottery, sculpture and paintings.
Exconvento de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves
The remains of this 16th-century convent stand in San Juan Totolac, Tlaxcala, and are open to visitors. Parts of the nave, two side chapels and a freestanding bell tower survive; in 1591 Tlaxcalan families left here to settle northern New Spain.
Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque
Running more than 48 km between Zempoala and Otumba, Padre Tembleque's 16th-century water system has been on UNESCO's list since 2015. The friar built it from 1554 to 1572.
Atlantean figures
Crowning the main pyramid at the Tula archaeological zone, these basalt sculptures of Toltec warriors stand more than four meters tall in what was once the Toltec capital; the nearby Wall of Snakes shows carved serpents devouring skeletons.
Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro
Baroque churches and mansions from the 17th and 18th centuries line the streets of Querétaro's historic center, along with the city's landmark aqueduct.
Casa de la Corregidora
Completed in 1770 as Querétaro's royal houses and town hall, the Casa de la Corregidora is where Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, held there in 1810, sent word of danger to Miguel Hidalgo. After independence it became the state government palace.
Former hacienda of Chichimequillas
Discalced Carmelite friars founded this hacienda around 1690 to shelter travelers on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and to farm. Its two-story stone and lime main house, finished in 1813, wraps around a central courtyard beside a chapel.
El Gogorrón National Park
Decreed a national park in 1936, Gogorrón in San Luis Potosí mixes desert scrub and grassland with pine-oak forest on its heights, and hot-spring balnearios lie within its bounds.
Matehuala Cathedral
Still open for worship, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral serves as the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Matehuala, a city in the state of San Luis Potosí.
More drives to General Zaragoza
- Jerez, Zacatecas to General Zaragoza
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to General Zaragoza
- Celaya to General Zaragoza
- Salvatierra to General Zaragoza
- Tlalpujahua to General Zaragoza
- Angangueo to General Zaragoza
From Zacatelco to other places in Mexico
- Zacatelco to Tlaxco
- Zacatelco to Calpulalpan
- Zacatelco to Otumba
- Zacatelco to Atlatlahucan
- Zacatelco to Omitlán
- Zacatelco to Huasca de Ocampo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Zacatelco to General Zaragoza?
About 10 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 509 miles.
How far is General Zaragoza from Zacatelco by car?
About 509 miles (819 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 Zacatelco to General Zaragoza?
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 Zacatelco to General Zaragoza?
The U.S. State Department rates Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla 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; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Zacatelco to General Zaragoza use?
In order: MEX-119, MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-57, SLP 29 and NL 3. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Zacatelco to General Zaragoza?
Closest to the road: Exconvento de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves (convent, mile 9, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Nacional de Antropología e Historia de Tlaxcala (museum, mile 9, 1 mi from the route); Atlantean figures (sculptures, mile 113, 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.