The Wayro route from Zitácuaro to Calpulalpan is 142 miles (228 km), about 2 h 36 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 142 mi (228 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 36 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-A7D → MEX-A6D → MEX-134D → MEX-134 → EM 10 → Periférico → MEX-136D → MEX-136 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Mexico City (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-15D, MEX-A7D, MEX-A6D, MEX-134D, MEX-5D, MEX-136D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 5.7 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 Zitácuaro to Calpulalpan is like
MEX-A7D (34 mi) and MEX-134D (22 mi) carry about 39% of the 142 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-A7D, MEX-A6D, MEX-134D, MEX-136D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-15, MEX-134, MEX-136 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Mexico City, Tlaxcala. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Zitácuaro to Calpulalpan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 2–6 | 4 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 6–13 | 7 | Michoacán |
| MEX-A7D | 13–47 | 34 | Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| MEX-A6D | 47–63 | 16 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-134D | 63–85 | 22 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-134 | 85–88 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 88–96 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 96–98 | 2 | State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| EM 10 | 98–103 | 5 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| Periférico | 103–106 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 106–109 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-136D | 109–117 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 117–119 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-136 | 119–141 | 22 | State of Mexico, Tlaxcala |
| local roads | 141–142 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
- Mile 16 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 97 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 102 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 132 of this route: State of Mexico → Tlaxcala (state line)
Stops between Zitácuaro and Calpulalpan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Paleontological Museum in Tocuila (mile 118), Cerrito de Los Melones (mile 119), Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve (mile 135)
- Nature and outdoors: Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (mile 9), Viveros de Coyoacán (mile 89), Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve (mile 135)
- Museums and history: Planetario Luis Enrique Erro (mile 98), Museo de los Ferrocarrileros (mile 101), Paleontological Museum in Tocuila (mile 118), Cerrito de Los Melones (mile 119), Tepetlaoztoc (mile 124)
- With kids: Planetario Luis Enrique Erro (mile 98), Zoológico de San Juan de Aragón (mile 103)
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
Every fall, millions of monarch butterflies from across North America return to the oyamel fir forests about 100 km northwest of Mexico City, clustering so densely they bend branches. The reserve became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
Viveros de Coyoacán
Part tree nursery, part public park, Viveros de Coyoacán covers 96 acres and was founded in the early 20th century by Miguel Ángel de Quevedo to grow seedlings for reforesting Mexico's forests.
Planetario Luis Enrique Erro
Run by the National Polytechnic Institute, the Planetario Luis Enrique Erro in Mexico City is a planetarium open to the public and one of the longest-running in Latin America.
Museo de los Ferrocarrileros
In the former La Villa train station in northern Mexico City, this museum opened in 2006 and tells the story of Mexico's railroads and the railroad workers' social movements.
Zoológico de San Juan de Aragón
Opened on November 20, 1964, near the San Juan de Aragón forest in Mexico City, this zoo was designed with a radial layout of semicircular exhibits that let visitors see animals from any angle.
Paleontological Museum in Tocuila
The Paleontological Museum in Tocuila, in Texcoco, State of Mexico, is a fossil museum displaying part of a rich deposit of Late Pleistocene animals from the Americas.
Cerrito de Los Melones
Named for the place where it sits, Cerrito de los Melones, the Ahuehuetitlán archaeological zone of ruler Nezahualcóyotl's palace is one of the few explored traces of the great pre-Hispanic city of Acolhuacan.
Tepetlaoztoc
Tepetlaoztoc, also spelled Tepetlaoxtoc, was an Aztec-Nahua settlement of the Late Postclassic period in central Mexico, and it stayed occupied into the colonial era.
Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve
Surrounding the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, Los Volcanes is a UNESCO biosphere reserve in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, where North American and tropical wildlife zones meet.
When you get to Calpulalpan
Tecoaque
Near Calpulalpan in western Tlaxcala, Tecoaque is a Mesoamerican archaeological site once inhabited by the Acolhua, one of the three groups that made up the Aztec Empire.
More drives to Calpulalpan
- Mexico City to Calpulalpan
- Pachuca to Calpulalpan
- Tepotzotlán to Calpulalpan
- Toluca to Calpulalpan
- Cuautla to Calpulalpan
- Cuernavaca to Calpulalpan
From Zitácuaro to other places in Mexico
- Zitácuaro to Amealco
- Zitácuaro to Cuanajo
- Zitácuaro to Ezequiel Montes
- Zitácuaro to Bernal
- Zitácuaro to Mineral de Pozos
- Zitácuaro to Pabellón de Arteaga
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Zitácuaro to Calpulalpan?
About 2 h 36 min of driving without stops, over 142 miles.
How far is Calpulalpan from Zitácuaro by car?
About 142 miles (228 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 Zitácuaro to Calpulalpan?
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 Zitácuaro to Calpulalpan?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Zitácuaro to Calpulalpan use?
In order: MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-A7D, MEX-A6D, MEX-134D, MEX-134, EM 10, Periférico, MEX-136D and MEX-136. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Zitácuaro and Calpulalpan?
Closest to the road: Paleontological Museum in Tocuila (paleontological museum, mile 118, 1 mi from the route); Cerrito de Los Melones (archaeological site, mile 119, 0.4 mi from the route); Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve (biosphere reserve, mile 135, 0.6 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.