The Wayro route from Zitácuaro to Tlaxcala is 164 miles (264 km), about 3 h 7 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 164 mi (264 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 7 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 6.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 Tlaxcala is like
MEX-150D (36 mi) and MEX-A7D (34 mi) carry about 43% of the 164 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 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Zitácuaro to Tlaxcala, 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 | 151–163 | 12 | Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| local roads | 163–164 | 1 | 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 Tlaxcala
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 78), Galería de Arte Mexicano (mile 89)
- Nature and outdoors: Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (mile 9), Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 78), Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan National Park (mile 83)
- Museums and history: Galería de Arte Mexicano (mile 89), Museo Nacional de la Estampa (mile 93), 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.
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.
Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan National Park
In southern Mexico City's Tlalpan borough, Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan was declared a national park on September 28, 1936, on land once called the Barranca de los Manantiales.
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 Nacional de la Estampa
Dedicated to Mexican graphic arts, the Museo Nacional de la Estampa in Mexico City covers printmaking techniques such as woodcuts, lithography and seals.
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 Tlaxcala
Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco
Ocotelulco was the principal Tlaxcalan lordship in 1519; its site museum displays about 750 excavated objects beside temple remains painted with Tezcatlipoca and the fire serpent, and an ethnobotanical garden surrounds the building.
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.
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.
More drives to Tlaxcala
- Cuautla to Tlaxcala
- Toluca to Tlaxcala
- Cuernavaca to Tlaxcala
- San Juan del Río to Tlaxcala
- San Miguel de Allende to Tlaxcala
- Irapuato to Tlaxcala
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 Tlaxcala?
About 3 h 7 min of driving without stops, over 164 miles.
How far is Tlaxcala from Zitácuaro by car?
About 164 miles (264 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 Tlaxcala?
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 Tlaxcala?
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 Tlaxcala 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 Tlaxcala?
Closest to the road: 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); Museo Nacional de la Estampa (museum, mile 93, 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.