By road, Zitácuaro and Matehuala are about 352 miles (566 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 41 min of driving.
| Total distance | 352 mi (566 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 7 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15 → MICH 122 → MEX-126 → GTO 37 → GTO 47 → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-57 → MEX-57D |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán, Guanajuato, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-47D, MEX-45D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
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.
How the Zitácuaro to Matehuala drive plays out
MEX-57 (193 mi) and MEX-57D (41 mi) carry about 66% of the 352 miles. It runs through 4 states: Michoacán, Guanajuato, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-47D, MEX-45D and MEX-57D. Of the 5 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Zitácuaro to Matehuala: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 1–27 | 26 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 27–28 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MICH 122 | 28–44 | 16 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 44–45 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-126 | 45–54 | 9 | Michoacán, Guanajuato |
| GTO 37 | 54–91 | 37 | Guanajuato |
| GTO 47 | 91–94 | 3 | Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 94–97 | 3 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-47D | 97–100 | 3 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 100–115 | 15 | Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| MEX-57 | 115–230 | 115 | Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 230–231 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 231–272 | 41 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 272–350 | 78 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 350–352 | 2 | San Luis Potosí |
- Mile 51 of this route: Michoacán → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 109 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 140 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 193 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
What to see on the way from Zitácuaro to Matehuala
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 45)
- Nature and outdoors: El Gogorrón National Park (mile 219)
- Museums and history: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 45), Teatro de la República (mile 115), Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (mile 127), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 239)
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
French influence shapes the neoclassical lines of the Teatro Morelos, a late-19th-century theater in Maravatío by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It first opened in January 1879.
Teatro de la República
Originally named Teatro Iturbide, the Teatro de la República stands in Querétaro's historic center. The neoclassical building has a three-level hall with about 500 seats.
Former hacienda of Chichimequillas
Discalced Carmelite friars founded this hacienda around 1690 to shelter travelers on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and to farm. Its two-story stone and lime main house, finished in 1813, wraps around a central courtyard beside a chapel.
El Gogorrón National Park
Straddling San Luis Potosí and Guanajuato near Villa de Reyes, this national park offers rugged rock formations, mountain scenery and thermal springs, with camping, hiking and mountain biking.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
Look closely at the two towers of San Luis Potosí's cathedral: one is built of mortar, the other of quarried cantera stone. The Baroque church is the seat of the archdiocese.
Arriving in Matehuala
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 Matehuala
- Mexico City to Matehuala
- Pachuca to Matehuala
- Cuernavaca to Matehuala
- Tlaxcala to Matehuala
- Cuautla to Matehuala
- Colima to Matehuala
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 Matehuala?
About 7 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 352 miles.
What is the driving distance from Zitácuaro to Matehuala?
About 352 miles (566 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 Matehuala?
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 Matehuala?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Zitácuaro to Matehuala?
In order: MEX-15, MICH 122, MEX-126, GTO 37, GTO 47, MEX-47D, MEX-45D, MEX-57 and MEX-57D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Zitácuaro and Matehuala?
Closest to the road: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 45, 0.1 mi from the route); Teatro de la República (opera house, mile 115, 1 mi from the route); Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (historic estate, mile 127, 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 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.