The Wayro route from Zitácuaro to Chiautempan is 170 miles (273 km), about 3 h 13 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 170 mi (273 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 13 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-A7D → MEX-55 → Viaducto → MEX-150D → MEX-150 → MEX-117D |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Mexico City (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-15D, MEX-A7D, MEX-150D, MEX-117D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 6.8 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 Zitácuaro to Chiautempan is like
MEX-150D (36 mi) and MEX-A7D (34 mi) carry about 41% of the 170 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-A7D, MEX-150D, MEX-117D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-15, MEX-55, MEX-150 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Mexico City, Puebla, Tlaxcala. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Zitácuaro to Chiautempan, 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 |
| connecting roads | 47–48 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 48–55 | 7 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-15 | 55–65 | 10 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 65–86 | 21 | State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 86–89 | 3 | Mexico City |
| Viaducto | 89–98 | 9 | Mexico City |
| local roads | 98–103 | 5 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 103–104 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-150D | 104–140 | 36 | State of Mexico, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 140–141 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-150 | 141–149 | 8 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 149–151 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-117D | 151–167 | 16 | Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| local roads | 167–170 | 3 | Tlaxcala |
- Mile 16 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 78 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 100 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 133 of this route: State of Mexico → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 153 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
Stops between Zitácuaro and Chiautempan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Marquesa National Park (mile 75), Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 78), Galería de Arte Mexicano (mile 89)
- Nature and outdoors: Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (mile 9), La Marquesa National Park (mile 75), Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 78)
- Museums and history: Museo Rufino Tamayo, Mexico City (mile 89), Galería de Arte Mexicano (mile 89), Museo Mural Diego Rivera (mile 93), Museo Archivo de la Fotografía (mile 94), Cathedral of Nezahualcóyotl (mile 101)
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.
La Marquesa National Park
Set in high-altitude conifer forest along the Mexico City–Toluca highway, La Marquesa National Park offers roadside eateries, horse and ATV rentals, mountain biking and camping, and marks the site of the 1810 Battle of Monte de las Cruces.
Desierto de los Leones National Park
Declared a national park in 1917, this fir, ash and oak forest in Mexico City's Cuajimalpa and Álvaro Obregón boroughs surrounds a former Carmelite monastery. Locals come to hike, run and cycle, and more than 100 bird species live here.
Museo Rufino Tamayo, Mexico City
In Chapultepec Park, the Museo Rufino Tamayo shows modern and contemporary art, including works from painter Rufino Tamayo's own collection, in a building by Teodoro González de León and Abraham Zabludovsky.
Galería de Arte Mexicano
Galería de Arte Mexicano was founded in 1935 and directed for decades by Inés Amor; its Mexico City building was designed by architect Andrés Casillas de Alba.
Museo Mural Diego Rivera
Museo Mural Diego Rivera in Mexico City is where you'll find Diego Rivera's 1946–47 mural Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda Central.
Museo Archivo de la Fotografía
Housed in the late-16th-century Casa de las Ajaracas on Guatemala Street, the Museo Archivo de la Fotografía preserves, studies and exhibits photographs in Mexico City's historic center.
Cathedral of Nezahualcóyotl
Consecrated on November 20, 2000, the Cathedral of Nezahualcóyotl, dedicated to Jesús, Señor de la Misericordia, is the seat of the Diocese of Nezahualcóyotl.
Convento de Huejotzingo
Founded by Franciscans in the 16th century, the former convent of San Miguel Arcángel in Huejotzingo shows colonial Plateresque architecture on the western slopes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1994.
When you get to Chiautempan
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.
Basílica de Ocotlán
On Cerro de San Lorenzo near the city of Tlaxcala, the Basílica de Ocotlán is a standout of Mexican Churrigueresque Baroque, begun in 1670 and home to an ocote-wood image of the Virgin tied to a 1541 legend.
Teatro Xicohténcatl
Tlaxcala's Teatro Xicohténcatl opened in 1873 and was reopened in 1888 after remodeling. Look up to see John Fulton's ceiling mural of the nine muses, painted in Art Nouveau style against a Tlaxcalan landscape.
More drives to Chiautempan
- Atlixco to Chiautempan
- Cuautla to Chiautempan
- Toluca to Chiautempan
- Cuernavaca to Chiautempan
- Celaya to Chiautempan
- Morelia to Chiautempan
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
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Zitácuaro to Chiautempan?
About 3 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 170 miles.
How far is Chiautempan from Zitácuaro by car?
About 170 miles (273 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 Chiautempan?
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 Chiautempan?
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; Puebla 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 Chiautempan use?
In order: MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-A7D, MEX-55, Viaducto, MEX-150D, MEX-150 and MEX-117D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Zitácuaro and Chiautempan?
Closest to the road: La Marquesa National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 75, 0.9 mi from the route); Desierto de los Leones National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 78, 1 mi from the route); Galería de Arte Mexicano (art gallery, mile 89, 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.