The Wayro route from Zacatelco to Pabellón de Hidalgo is 396 miles (637 km), about 6 h 33 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 396 mi (637 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-119 → MEX-117D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → AGS 20 |
| 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) |
| Toll roads | MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.8 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 Pabellón de Hidalgo is like
MEX-45D (141 mi) and MEX-M40D (103 mi) carry about 62% of the 396 miles. MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-119, MEX-45 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 8 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Zacatelco to Pabellón de Hidalgo, 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 | 354–384 | 30 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 384–387 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 387–392 | 5 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 20 | 392–395 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 395–396 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
- 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 358 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
Stops between Zacatelco and Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro Morelos (mile 372), Museo Escarcega (mile 373)
- Nature and outdoors: Tula National Park (mile 113), El Cimatario National Park (mile 196)
- Museums and history: Tlaxcala Cathedral (mile 9), Museo Nacional de Antropología e Historia de Tlaxcala (mile 9), Tula (mile 113), Celaya Cathedral (mile 225), Museo Escarcega (mile 373)
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.
Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque
Built by Franciscan friar Francisco de Tembleque between 1554 and 1572, this 16th-century water system runs more than 48 km between Zempoala and Otumba. Its tallest arcade at Tepeyahualco reaches almost 40 meters, and UNESCO listed it in 2015.
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.
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.
Celaya Cathedral
Celaya's main Catholic church, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, occupies the space of a former chapel that was annexed to the neighboring Temple of St. Francis.
Teatro Morelos
In downtown Aguascalientes, Teatro Morelos is a neoclassical theater designed and built by engineer José Noriega and opened in 1885. In October and November 1914 it hosted the Sovereign Revolutionary Convention.
Museo Escarcega
Eduardo Escárcega Rangel created this museum in the city of Aguascalientes to show his personal collection of paintings and prints by local, national and international artists.
When you get to Pabellón de Hidalgo
Museo de la Insurgencia
Set in a 17th-century estate, the Museo de la Insurgencia opened in 1964 to tell the story of Mexico's independence movement. One hall shows farm, mining and textile tools from hacienda work; another displays everyday objects from past eras.
More drives to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Nombre de Dios to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- El Salto, Durango to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Tepatitlán to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Guadalajara to Pabellón de Hidalgo
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 Pabellón de Hidalgo?
About 6 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 396 miles.
How far is Pabellón de Hidalgo from Zacatelco by car?
About 396 miles (637 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 Pabellón de Hidalgo?
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 Pabellón de Hidalgo?
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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Zacatelco to Pabellón de Hidalgo use?
In order: MEX-119, MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and AGS 20. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Zacatelco and Pabellón de Hidalgo?
Closest to the road: Tula (archaeological site, mile 113, 1 mi from the route); Teatro Morelos (theatre building, mile 372, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Escarcega (art museum, mile 373, 0.7 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.