The Wayro route from Zacatlán to Actopan is 93 miles (150 km), about 2 h 7 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 93 mi (150 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 7 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-119 → MEX-119D → MEX-132D → MEX-130 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-119D, MEX-132D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 3.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
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 Zacatlán to Actopan is like
MEX-132D (24 mi) and MEX-130 (19 mi) carry about 46% of the 93 miles. MEX-119D, MEX-132D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-119, MEX-130 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 2 states: Puebla, Hidalgo. Of the 6 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Zacatlán to Actopan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-119 | 1–9 | 8 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 9–11 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-119D | 11–22 | 11 | Puebla, Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 22–25 | 3 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-132D | 25–49 | 24 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-130 | 49–68 | 19 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 68–93 | 25 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 19 of this route: Puebla → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Zacatlán and Actopan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Huapalcalco (mile 41)
- Nature and outdoors: El Hiloche (mile 68)
- Museums and history: Huapalcalco (mile 41), Museo del Ferrocarril (mile 43), Templo y exconvento de San Andrés Apóstol (mile 60), Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (mile 72)
Huapalcalco
About 5 kilometers north of Tulancingo, the pre-Columbian site of Huapalcalco sits on the western slope of a hill called Tecolote.
Museo del Ferrocarril
This former railway station on the old Hidalgo Railroad line to Mexico City now works as a museum, with photographs of its construction and the office and bookkeeping objects used in its day.
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.
Templo y exconvento de San Andrés Apóstol
Augustinian friars raised this 16th-century church and convent in Epazoyucan, Hidalgo; the complex keeps its posa chapels, open chapel and atrium, and its stonework mixes Plateresque carving with Indigenous tequitqui craftsmanship.
El Hiloche
Bosque El Hiloche is a state park of about 100 hectares of forest in Mineral del Monte, Hidalgo, and one of the geosites of the Comarca Minera Geopark.
Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
Known locally as La Villita, the Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is a Catholic basilica dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe in Pachuca.
More drives to Actopan
- Tulancingo to Actopan
- Tepotzotlán to Actopan
- Mexico City to Actopan
- Tequisquiapan to Actopan
- Toluca to Actopan
- Cuernavaca to Actopan
From Zacatlán to other places in Mexico
- Zacatlán to Chipilo
- Zacatlán to Omitlán
- Zacatlán to Otumba
- Zacatlán to Metztitlán
- Zacatlán to Jilotepec
- Zacatlán to Atlatlahucan
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Zacatlán to Actopan?
About 2 h 7 min of driving without stops, over 93 miles.
How far is Actopan from Zacatlán by car?
About 93 miles (150 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 Zacatlán to Actopan?
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 Zacatlán to Actopan?
The U.S. State Department rates Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Zacatlán to Actopan use?
In order: MEX-119, MEX-119D, MEX-132D and MEX-130. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Zacatlán and Actopan?
Closest to the road: Huapalcalco (archaeological site, mile 41, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo del Ferrocarril (railway museum, mile 43, 2 mi from the route); Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (basilica, mile 72, 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.