The Wayro route from Apizaco to Oaxtepec is 102 miles (164 km), about 1 h 56 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 102 mi (164 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 1 h 56 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-117D → MEX-119D → PUE 438D → MEX-160 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-117D, MEX-119D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.1 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 Apizaco to Oaxtepec is like
PUE 438D (34 mi) and MEX-160 (16 mi) carry about 49% of the 102 miles. MEX-117D, MEX-119D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-160 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 3 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Apizaco to Oaxtepec, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-117D | 3–14 | 11 | Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 14–15 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-119D | 15–25 | 10 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| local roads | 25–46 | 21 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 46–80 | 34 | Puebla, Morelos |
| MEX-160 | 80–96 | 16 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 96–98 | 2 | Morelos |
| local roads | 98–102 | 4 | Morelos |
- Mile 23 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 73 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Apizaco and Oaxtepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco (mile 10), Parque ecológico Los Ladrillos (mile 22)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque ecológico Los Ladrillos (mile 22)
- Museums and history: Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco (mile 10), Basílica de Ocotlán (mile 11), Casa del Caballero Águila (mile 30), International Museum of the Baroque (mile 35), Chalcatzingo (mile 80), Las Pilas archaeological site (mile 81), Museo Histórico del Oriente de Morelos "Casa de Morelos" (mile 94)
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.
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.
Parque ecológico Los Ladrillos
Opened on April 2, 2015, Los Ladrillos Ecological Park is a nature reserve in the municipality of Zacatelco, in Tlaxcala.
Casa del Caballero Águila
Facing the old pre-Hispanic plaza of San Pedro Cholula, the Casa del Caballero Águila is a colonial house built in the late 16th century.
Great Pyramid of Cholula
Under a hilltop church dedicated to the Virgin of los Remedios lies Tlachihualtepetl, a pyramid built in superimposed stages with a base about 400 meters per side. Excavations have opened roughly 8 km of tunnels inside the mound.
International Museum of the Baroque
Designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito and opened in 2016, Puebla's baroque museum wraps its galleries in curving white concrete walls beside a reflecting pond. Exhibits cover baroque painting, sculpture, architecture, music, theater and literature.
Chalcatzingo
At the foot of Cerro Chalcatzingo in eastern Morelos, this early site is known for stone reliefs carved mainly between 700 and 500 BC, some among the region's earliest stone sculpture and several in Olmec style, spread across the hillside.
Las Pilas archaeological site
Set inside a bathing park in Jonacatepec, Las Pilas was a ceremonial center devoted to water, where inhabitants built channels to collect and store underground water for irrigation; burials were found within the channel system.
Museo Histórico del Oriente de Morelos "Casa de Morelos"
In this 18th-century house in Cuautla, José María Morelos lived during the 1812 Siege of Cuautla. Its INAH galleries trace regional history through Morelos and Emiliano Zapata and display "El Niño," his first cannon, a gift from the Galeana family.
When you get to Oaxtepec
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
More drives to Oaxtepec
- Malinalco to Oaxtepec
- Mexico City to Oaxtepec
- Metepec to Oaxtepec
- Toluca to Oaxtepec
- Otumba to Oaxtepec
- Taxco to Oaxtepec
From Apizaco to other places in Mexico
- Apizaco to Omitlán
- Apizaco to Huasca de Ocampo
- Apizaco to Atlatlahucan
- Apizaco to Metepec
- Apizaco to Jilotepec
- Apizaco to Malinalco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Apizaco to Oaxtepec?
About 1 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 102 miles.
How far is Oaxtepec from Apizaco by car?
About 102 miles (164 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 Apizaco to Oaxtepec?
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 Apizaco to Oaxtepec?
The U.S. State Department rates Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Apizaco to Oaxtepec use?
In order: MEX-117D, MEX-119D, PUE 438D and MEX-160. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Apizaco and Oaxtepec?
Closest to the road: Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco (museum, mile 10, 0.4 mi from the route); Parque ecológico Los Ladrillos (park, mile 22, 0.4 mi from the route); International Museum of the Baroque (art museum, mile 35, 1 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.