Celaya to Tuxpan, Veracruz Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Celaya to Tuxpan, Veracruz is 297 miles (478 km), about 4 h 48 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Querétaro — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Veracruz is the Mexican state that contains Tuxpan, Veracruz. Check the full advisory for this state before you go.
El Cimatario National ParkSala Histórica QuetzalcóatlTula National ParkTeotihuacanAqueduct of Padre TemblequeChurch and former convent of Todos los SantosMuseo de Datos HistóricosHuapalcalcoEl TajínCelayaTuxpan, Veracruz
Route from Celaya to Tuxpan, Veracruz with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance297 mi (478 km)
Driving time, no stops4 h 48 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-M40D → MEX-132 → MEX-132D → MEX-130D
Mexican states on the routeGuanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Veracruz (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-132D, MEX-130D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 11.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

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 insuranceRequired 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 Celaya to Tuxpan, Veracruz is like

MEX-132D (88 mi) and MEX-M40D (61 mi) carry about 50% of the 297 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-132D, MEX-130D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-132 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 6 states: Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Puebla, Veracruz. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Celaya to Tuxpan, Veracruz, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–22Guanajuato
MEX-452–75Guanajuato
connecting roads7–81Guanajuato
MEX-45D8–135Guanajuato
MEX-47D13–6552Guanajuato, Querétaro
MEX-57D65–10136Querétaro, State of Mexico
MEX-M40D101–16261Hidalgo, State of Mexico
MEX-132162–18523Hidalgo
MEX-132D185–27388Hidalgo, Puebla, Veracruz
MEX-130D273–29623Veracruz
local roads296–2971Veracruz
  • Mile 25 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
  • Mile 67 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 101 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 130 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 144 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 211 of this route: Hidalgo → Puebla (state line)
  • Mile 265 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)

Stops between Celaya and Tuxpan, Veracruz

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Tula National Park (mile 113), Huapalcalco (mile 193)
  • Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 30), Tula National Park (mile 113)
  • Museums and history: Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (mile 112), Teotihuacan (mile 162), Museo de Datos Históricos (mile 191), Huapalcalco (mile 193), El Tajín (mile 274)

El Cimatario National Park

Mile 30 · National Park of Mexico · 9 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.

Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl

Mile 112 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

The Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl is an archaeological museum located in Tula de Allende, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

Tula National Park

Mile 113 · National Park of Mexico · 1 mi from the route

This park protects the ruins of Tula, ancient capital of the Toltecs. Walk up to the main pyramid to stand beside the Atlantes, basalt warrior figures more than four meters tall, and look for the Coatepantli wall's reliefs of snakes devouring skeletons.

Teotihuacan

Mile 162 · Historic site · 13 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Built between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, this UNESCO-listed ancient city lines the Avenue of the Dead, where you can walk between the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.

Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque

Mile 164 · Aqueduct · 2 mi from the route

Built by Franciscan friar Francisco de Tembleque between 1554 and 1572, this 16th-century water system runs more than 48 km between Zempoala and Otumba. Its tallest arcade at Tepeyahualco reaches almost 40 meters, and UNESCO listed it in 2015.

Church and former convent of Todos los Santos

Mile 167 · Convent · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Franciscan friars built this fortress-style convent in Zempoala, and the complex still keeps the classic layout of atrium, church, open chapel and cloister. It pairs well with a drive through the area's old pulque haciendas.

Museo de Datos Históricos

Mile 191 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Tulancingo's first station of the Hidalgo and Northeast Railroad, built in 1893, now houses the Museo de Datos Históricos, with regional archaeological pieces such as the Huapalcalco feline, traditional clothing from Santa Ana Hueytlalpan and a historical photo archive.

Huapalcalco

Mile 193 · Archaeological site · 0.2 mi from the route

About 5 kilometers north of Tulancingo, the pre-Columbian site of Huapalcalco sits on the western slope of a hill called Tecolote.

El Tajín

Mile 274 · Archaeological site · 17 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Veracruz, El Tajín peaked from the early 9th to the early 13th century. Look for the Pyramid of the Niches, elaborately carved reliefs on columns and friezes, and some of the site's 17 ballcourts.

More drives to Tuxpan, Veracruz

From Celaya to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Celaya to Tuxpan, Veracruz?

About 4 h 48 min of driving without stops, over 297 miles.

How far is Tuxpan, Veracruz from Celaya by car?

About 297 miles (478 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 Celaya to Tuxpan, Veracruz?

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 Celaya to Tuxpan, Veracruz?

The U.S. State Department rates Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Celaya to Tuxpan, Veracruz use?

In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-132, MEX-132D and MEX-130D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Celaya and Tuxpan, Veracruz?

Closest to the road: Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (museum, mile 112, 1 mi from the route); Tula National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 113, 1 mi from the route); Huapalcalco (archaeological site, mile 193, 0.2 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.