The Wayro route from Zacatelco to Jalpa is 429 miles (690 km), about 7 h 23 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 429 mi (690 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 23 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-119 → MEX-117D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → MEX-70 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Zacatecas (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.2 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 Zacatelco to Jalpa is like
MEX-45D (141 mi) and MEX-M40D (103 mi) carry about 57% of the 429 miles. MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-119, MEX-45, MEX-70 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 9 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Zacatelco to Jalpa, road by road
| 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 | 125–160 | 35 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| MEX-47D | 160–213 | 53 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 213–354 | 141 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 354–370 | 16 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 370–377 | 7 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-70 | 377–428 | 51 | Aguascalientes, Zacatecas |
| local roads | 428–429 | 1 | Zacatecas |
- 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 201 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 310 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 359 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
- Mile 412 of this route: Aguascalientes → Zacatecas (state line)
Stops between Zacatelco and Jalpa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro Aguascalientes (mile 370), Parque Rodolfo Landeros (mile 370), La Santa Cruz (mile 405)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 201), Parque Rodolfo Landeros (mile 370)
- Museums and history: Tlaxcala Cathedral (mile 9), Museo Nacional de Antropología e Historia de Tlaxcala (mile 9), Teotihuacan (mile 65), Tula (mile 113), Teatro Aguascalientes (mile 370), La Santa Cruz (mile 405)
Tlaxcala Cathedral
Part of a 16th-century Franciscan complex among the earliest in the Americas, Tlaxcala's cathedral is famous for its carved Mudéjar-style wooden ceiling. Look for the freestanding bell tower and the stone font where Tlaxcalan lords were baptized.
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.
Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena
The former convent of Santa María Magdalena (Exconvento de Santa María Magdalena) is a 17th-century Baroque church built by the Dieguino friars, still in use as a Catholic temple of the Archdiocese of Puebla.
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
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.
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
Teatro Aguascalientes
Teatro Aguascalientes is the city's main opera house, a modern building by architect Abraham Zabludovsky with seating for about 1,650 people.
Parque Rodolfo Landeros
Also called Parque Héroes, this environmental and recreation park on Avenida José María Chávez in Aguascalientes has an artificial lake, bike rentals and several other attractions.
La Santa Cruz
In Calvillo's town center, La Santa Cruz is a cultural and monumental complex with Catholic and historical themes devoted to Calvillo's role in the Cristero War of 1926; it opened in 2021.
When you get to Jalpa
Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes
The Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes is a community museum in the municipality of Jalpa, in the Mexican state of Zacatecas, named for teacher Arturo Reyes Viramontes.
More drives to Jalpa
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 is the drive from Zacatelco to Jalpa?
About 7 h 23 min of driving without stops, over 429 miles.
How far is Jalpa from Zacatelco by car?
About 429 miles (690 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 Jalpa?
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 Jalpa?
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; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Zacatelco to Jalpa use?
In order: MEX-119, MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and MEX-70. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Zacatelco and Jalpa?
Closest to the road: Parque Rodolfo Landeros (park, mile 370, 0.4 mi from the route); Teatro Aguascalientes (opera house, mile 370, 0.9 mi from the route); La Santa Cruz (museum, mile 405, 0.2 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.