Chiautempan to Tlacotalpan Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Chiautempan to Tlacotalpan is 231 miles (372 km), about 4 h 14 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Tlaxcala — 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 Tlacotalpan. See the full advisory for current details.
La Malinche National ParkCasa del DeánTeatro de la Ciudad de PueblaCañón del Río Blanco National ParkOrizaba CathedralCathedral of Córdoba, VeracruzHuatuscoChiautempanTlacotalpan
Route from Chiautempan to Tlacotalpan with the 7 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance231 mi (372 km)
Driving time, no stops4 h 14 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-121 → MEX-150D → MEX-175
Mexican states on the routeTlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Veracruz (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-150D, MEX-145D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 9.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below7

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 Chiautempan to Tlacotalpan is like

MEX-150D (132 mi) and MEX-175 (30 mi) carry about 70% of the 231 miles. MEX-150D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-121, MEX-175 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Chiautempan to Tlacotalpan, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Tlaxcala
MEX-1211–1716Tlaxcala, Puebla
MEX-150D17–149132Puebla, Veracruz
local roads149–20152Veracruz
MEX-175201–23130Veracruz
  • Mile 16 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
  • Mile 81 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)

Stops between Chiautempan and Tlacotalpan

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 94)
  • Nature and outdoors: La Malinche National Park (mile 11), Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 94)
  • Museums and history: Casa del Deán (mile 17), Orizaba Cathedral (mile 103), Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz (mile 116), Huatusco (mile 142)

La Malinche National Park

Mile 11 · National Park of Mexico · 10 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Tlaxcala's La Malinche National Park surrounds the inactive Matlalcuéyetl volcano, with pine, oak and fir forests on its slopes, hiking trails, birdwatching, and stone cabins and campsites at the Malintzi Vacation Center.

Casa del Deán

Mile 17 · Historic house museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Built in 1563 for Tomás de la Plaza y Goes, dean of Puebla Cathedral, the Casa del Deán is a historic house in Puebla that takes its name from his post.

Teatro de la Ciudad de Puebla

Mile 17 · Theatre building · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The Teatro de la Ciudad is a performance venue on the Portal Hidalgo, in the historic center of the city of Puebla.

Cañón del Río Blanco National Park

Mile 94 · National Park of Mexico · 0.5 mi from the route

Cañón del Río Blanco National Park is a protected natural area in the Mexican state of Veracruz, set aside by the government as a national park.

Orizaba Cathedral

Mile 103 · Cathedral · 1 mi from the route

The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel is the main Catholic church of Orizaba, in the state of Veracruz, and the seat of the Diocese of Orizaba.

Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz

Mile 116 · Cathedral · 2 mi from the route

Built in the first half of the 17th century, Córdoba's Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the city's main church; look up to see its octagonal dome covered in tiles, finished in a neoclassical style.

Huatusco

Mile 142 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Above the Atoyac River in Carrillo Puerto, the ruins of Huatusco (Cuauhtochco) include a Mexica-era temple that still keeps original surface finishes. There are no visitor facilities; reaching it means crossing a suspension bridge and climbing a steep trail, ideally with a local guide.

More drives to Tlacotalpan

From Chiautempan to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Chiautempan to Tlacotalpan?

About 4 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 231 miles.

How far is Tlacotalpan from Chiautempan by car?

About 231 miles (372 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 Chiautempan to Tlacotalpan?

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 Chiautempan to Tlacotalpan?

The U.S. State Department rates Tlaxcala 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 Chiautempan to Tlacotalpan use?

In order: MEX-121, MEX-150D and MEX-175. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Chiautempan and Tlacotalpan?

Closest to the road: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 94, 0.5 mi from the route); Orizaba Cathedral (cathedral, mile 103, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz (cathedral, mile 116, 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.