Driving from Mexico City to Zihuatenjo

My wife and I are coming to Mexico for 10 days and need to be in San Miguel for 4 of those days. We are flying into Mexico City and were thinking about driving out to Zihuatenjo/Ixtapa for 4 or 5 days, and then making the trip up to San Miguel.

I've heard that there are somewhat new tollways (since 2005) that drastically reduce the drive time from Mexico City to Zihuatenjo, but I cannot get feel for how long that trip will take on these new roads. Can someone provide me with the estimated trave time, distance and best itinerary?

Thanks in advance for all suggestions and assistance!

DSH

There are no "new" toll roads connecting Mexico City with Zihuatanejo - unless someone was referring to the new/improved highway in part of the state of Michoacan . . . that takes you to just about to the Pacific Coast, from which you can head south for Zihuatanejo. The quickest and most traveled route, I think, is still the Mexico City > Acapulco "Autopista del Sol" toll road, and from Acapulco to Zihuatanejo the trip is made on Pacific Coast highway MX#200. Travel time from Mexico City to Zihuatanejo by auto for most people, with only the typical stop for gas and nothing else, is probably 8 - 9 hours. Travel along Hwy. 200, in any direction in the states of Michoacan and Guerrero, is best done during daylight hours.

I drove from Cuernavaca to Zihua (via Acapulco) in about 7 hours on that very expensive toll highway. Yes highway 37 from Lazaro Cardenas to Uruapan is finished if you wanted to head inland in that direction. DF, Morelia, Patzcuaro, Uruapan is not the fastest route to Zihua. Consider that making that large loop to San Miguel - you'll be driving the better part of 3 days.

Highyway 37 - Lazaro Cardenas to Uruapan

Mexico City to Morelia to Patzcuaro. All freeway, about 5.5 hours. Overnight in Patzcuaro (beautiful town), then 3.5 hours (mostly freeway) to Zihuatenejo. Reverse the drive to go to San Miguel: Zihuat., Patzcuaro, San Miguel. Mostly freeway except for the dreadful Morelia to Celaya section.

Rick Davis
Restaurant Cha Cha Cha
Patzcuaro, Michoacan

The Mexican government's SCT website "Plan Your Route" says (as longford does) that the fastest way to get from DF to Zihua is to take 95/95D to Acapulco and then 200 to Zihuatanejo. The trip is 630 km, average driving time is 6:30 and you'll pay $453MN in tolls.

For getting from Zihua to San Miguel it recommends taking 200 from Zihua to Lázaro Cárdenas and then taking 37D (the "new" autopista) up to Pátzcuaro and then the divided highway 37D and then 14 to Morelia. From Morelia take 43, 52, 51 via Uriangato, Salvatierra, and Celaya to San Miguel (as ricpatz recommends). 572 km, 6:13, $205MN.

"Best itinerary" is a separate issue. If you want to take some time to stop and see things on the way down or back you could take any number or routes.

And buy a very good map like the current Guía Roji "Por las Carreteras de México" road atlas.

The SCT website is:

SCT

Click on the Traza Tu Ruta icon.

if you only have 4 or 5 days the drive will be hectic at best - the main route takes you on a toll road to Acapulco then up the coast
(10 hrs on a bus) not a great idea to drive at night

I would drive through Tasco and then back as suggested above through Patzcuaro

you will probably spend all your time driving and the toll are expensive

if you really want to see Zihua it might be easier (and about as cheap) to fly