Chetumal to San Andrés Tuxtla is about 549 road miles (883 km): roughly 12 h 3 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Total distance | 549 mi (883 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 12 h 3 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-186 → MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-185 |
| Mexican states on the route | Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas, Veracruz |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.0 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.
How the Chetumal to San Andrés Tuxtla drive plays out
MEX-186 (350 mi) and MEX-180 (114 mi) carry about 85% of the 549 miles. It runs through 5 states: Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas, Veracruz. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Chetumal to San Andrés Tuxtla: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Quintana Roo |
| MEX-186 | 4–354 | 350 | Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas |
| local roads | 354–358 | 4 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 358–396 | 38 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180D | 396–430 | 34 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 430–449 | 19 | Tabasco, Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 449–470 | 21 | Veracruz |
| MEX-185 | 470–491 | 21 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 491–548 | 57 | Veracruz |
| local roads | 548–549 | 1 | Veracruz |
- Mile 52 of this route: Quintana Roo → Campeche (state line)
- Mile 257 of this route: Campeche → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 265 of this route: Tabasco → Chiapas (state line)
- Mile 308 of this route: Chiapas → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 432 of this route: Tabasco → Veracruz (state line)
What to see on the way from Chetumal to San Andrés Tuxtla
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Xpuhil (mile 75), Becan (mile 80), Chicanná (mile 81), Museo de Historia Natural José Narciso Rovirosa (mile 355)
- Nature and outdoors: Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (mile 86), Museo de Historia Natural José Narciso Rovirosa (mile 355)
- Museums and history: Xpuhil (mile 75), Becan (mile 80), Museo de Historia Natural José Narciso Rovirosa (mile 355), La Venta (mile 429)
Xpuhil
Near the town of Xpujil in Campeche, Xpuhil is a Maya archaeological site along Federal Highway 186, in an area with other Maya sites such as Becan, Chicanná and Calakmul.
Becan
Becan is a Maya archaeological site near the center of the Yucatán Peninsula in Campeche, about 150 km north of Tikal.
Chicanná
Chicanná is a Classic-period Maya city site named after Structure II, whose Maya name means "House of the Serpent Mouth."
Calakmul Biosphere Reserve
Bordering Guatemala's Petén department, the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve covers 7,231 square kilometers of southern Campeche, more than 14 percent of the state; it was established in 1989.
Balamku
Balamku is a small Maya archaeological site in Campeche, known for elaborate plaster facades from the Early Classic period.
Museo de Historia Natural José Narciso Rovirosa
Opened in Villahermosa in 1988, this natural history museum honors José Narciso Rovirosa, the Tabasco naturalist, botanist and mapmaker who explored Tabasco and Chiapas documenting plants, climate and wildlife.
La Venta
La Venta was an important city of the Olmec civilization, in Tabasco near Huimanguillo. Its site museum displays more than 200 artifacts, including monumental sandstone sculptures found at the foot of the main pyramid.
Arriving in San Andrés Tuxtla
Eyipantla Falls
In the Los Tuxtlas region of southern Veracruz, Eyipantla Falls is about 50 meters tall and 40 meters wide and is the main waterfall of the region.
More drives to San Andrés Tuxtla
- Puebla to San Andrés Tuxtla
- Cholula to San Andrés Tuxtla
- Mexico City to San Andrés Tuxtla
- Pachuca to San Andrés Tuxtla
- Cuernavaca to San Andrés Tuxtla
- Toluca to San Andrés Tuxtla
From Chetumal to other places in Mexico
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Chetumal to San Andrés Tuxtla?
About 12 h 3 min of driving without stops, over 549 miles.
How far is San Andrés Tuxtla from Chetumal by car?
About 549 miles (883 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 Chetumal to San Andrés Tuxtla?
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 Chetumal to San Andrés Tuxtla?
The U.S. State Department rates Quintana Roo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Campeche Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chiapas Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Chetumal to San Andrés Tuxtla?
In order: MEX-186, MEX-180, MEX-180D and MEX-185. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Chetumal to San Andrés Tuxtla?
Closest to the road: Xpuhil (archaeological site, mile 75, 0.1 mi from the route); Becan (archaeological site, mile 80, 0.4 mi from the route); Chicanná (maya site, mile 81, 0.6 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.