Plan on about 11 h 10 min of driving for the 509-mile (819 km) trip from Zacualpan de Amilpas to General Zaragoza, before any stops.
| Distance by road | 509 mi (819 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 10 min |
| Main roads, in order | MOR 17 → MEX-115 → MEX-57D → MEX-57 → SLP 29 → NL 3 |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.4 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas to General Zaragoza is like
MEX-57 (171 mi) and MEX-57D (157 mi) carry about 64% of the 509 miles. It runs through 7 states: Morelos, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Zacualpan de Amilpas to General Zaragoza: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Morelos |
| MOR 17 | 1–4 | 3 | Morelos |
| local roads | 4–28 | 24 | Morelos, State of Mexico |
| MEX-115 | 28–48 | 20 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 48–103 | 55 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-57D | 103–212 | 109 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro |
| connecting roads | 212–213 | 1 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57 | 213–309 | 96 | Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 309–310 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 310–352 | 42 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 352–427 | 75 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 427–433 | 6 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 29 | 433–462 | 29 | San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León |
| NL 3 | 462–468 | 6 | Nuevo León |
| local roads | 468–509 | 41 | Nuevo León |
- Mile 19 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 107 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 273 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
- Mile 442 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Nuevo León (state line)
Places worth a stop between Zacualpan de Amilpas and General Zaragoza
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (mile 113)
- Nature and outdoors: Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park (mile 34), Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park (mile 60), Cerro de la Estrella National Park (mile 68), El Tepeyac National Park (mile 74)
- Museums and history: San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 319), Matehuala Cathedral (mile 432)
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park, also called Izta-Popo Zoquiapan, protects the land around Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, Mexico's second- and third-highest peaks, where the states of México, Puebla and Morelos meet.
Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park
Named for Antonio Flores de Valdés, who inherited the estate in 1642, this former hacienda and mill near Texcoco became a national park in 1937. Visitors walk among its ruins, the San Joaquín church remains and a chapel built on rock.
Cerro de la Estrella National Park
Rising in eastern Mexico City's Iztapalapa borough, Cerro de la Estrella is where the Mexica lit the New Fire every 52 years; trails lead up to a pyramid-shaped site museum near the summit and to caves with traces of pre-Hispanic use.
Historic center of Mexico City
Built by the Spanish in the 16th century on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, Mexico City's Centro Histórico holds the Metropolitan Cathedral, the excavated Aztec Templo Mayor and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1987.
El Tepeyac National Park
Decreed in 1937 on reforested slopes of the Sierra de Guadalupe, including Cerro del Tepeyac, this national park was created for rest and recreation, with views toward Mexico City and the old Lake Texcoco plain.
Templo y exconvento de San Francisco
The Templo y Exconvento de San Francisco is a church and former convent located in the city of Tepeji del Río, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
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.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
A parish church from 1609 once stood where San Luis Potosí's cathedral rose between 1701 and 1728. Today the Baroque building serves as the seat of the archdiocese.
Matehuala Cathedral
Matehuala's Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Matehuala; it is open for worship though still under construction.
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 Zacualpan de Amilpas to other places in Mexico
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Ixtenco
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Omitlán
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Tetela de Ocampo
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Huasca de Ocampo
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to El Oro
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Metztitlán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Zacualpan de Amilpas to General Zaragoza?
About 11 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 509 miles.
What is the driving distance from Zacualpan de Amilpas to General Zaragoza?
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 Zacualpan de Amilpas 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas to General Zaragoza?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo 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.
Which highways go from Zacualpan de Amilpas to General Zaragoza?
In order: MOR 17, MEX-115, 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas to General Zaragoza?
Closest to the road: Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park (national park, mile 60, 6 mi from the route); Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (convent, mile 113, 0.5 mi from the route); Matehuala Cathedral (cathedral, mile 432, 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 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.