The Wayro route from Cholula to Poza Rica is 161 miles (259 km), about 2 h 53 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 161 mi (259 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 53 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-190 → MEX-119D → MEX-117D → MEX-119 → MEX-132D → MEX-130 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Veracruz (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-119D, MEX-117D, MEX-132D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 6.4 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.
What the drive from Cholula to Poza Rica is like
MEX-132D (62 mi) and MEX-119D (50 mi) carry about 70% of the 161 miles. MEX-119D, MEX-117D, MEX-132D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-190, MEX-119, MEX-130 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, Veracruz. Of the 7 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cholula to Poza Rica, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 2–7 | 5 | Puebla |
| MEX-119D | 7–18 | 11 | Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| MEX-117D | 18–28 | 10 | Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 28–31 | 3 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-119 | 31–44 | 13 | Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 44–47 | 3 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-119D | 47–86 | 39 | Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 86–88 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-132D | 88–150 | 62 | Puebla, Veracruz |
| MEX-130 | 150–158 | 8 | Veracruz |
| local roads | 158–161 | 3 | Veracruz |
- Mile 10 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 53 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 83 of this route: Puebla → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 88 of this route: Hidalgo → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 142 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
Stops between Cholula and Poza Rica
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque ecológico Los Ladrillos (mile 11), Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia (mile 27), Museo Casa de Piedra (mile 31), Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (mile 32)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque ecológico Los Ladrillos (mile 11)
- Museums and history: Tlaxcala Cathedral (mile 19), Museo Nacional de Antropología e Historia de Tlaxcala (mile 19), Museo Casa de Piedra (mile 31), Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (mile 32)
Convento de Huejotzingo
Founded by Franciscans in the 16th century, the former convent of San Miguel Arcángel in Huejotzingo shows colonial Plateresque architecture on the western slopes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1994.
Parque ecológico Los Ladrillos
Opened on April 2, 2015, Los Ladrillos Ecological Park is a nature reserve in the municipality of Zacatelco, in Tlaxcala.
Tlaxcala Cathedral
Part of a 16th-century Franciscan complex among the earliest in the Americas, Tlaxcala's cathedral is famous for its carved Mudéjar-style wooden ceiling. Look for the freestanding bell tower and the stone font where Tlaxcalan lords were baptized.
Museo Nacional de Antropología e Historia de Tlaxcala
Set in the cloisters of Tlaxcala's former Franciscan convent, founded in 1528, the regional museum (Museo Regional de Tlaxcala) traces the state from paleontology and pre-Hispanic cultures through the colonial era to the Revolution, with pottery, sculpture and paintings.
Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia
The ruined walls of this 16th-century Franciscan convent in Atlihuetzia rise as high as 21 meters beside the 17th-century Purísima Concepción church. The site also holds a sanctuary to Cristóbal, honored as the first Catholic child martyr in the Americas.
Museo Casa de Piedra
Apizaco's old railroad station, dating from 1916, now houses the Museo Casa de Piedra. Inside, photographs and documents trace the town's history, especially its long ties to the railroads.
Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco
In the city of Apizaco, this Catholic basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia) was begun in the third decade of the 20th century and completed in 1961.
When you get to Poza Rica
El Tajín
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 Poza Rica
- Toluca to Poza Rica
- Cuernavaca to Poza Rica
- Salamanca to Poza Rica
- Morelia to Poza Rica
- Uruapan to Poza Rica
- Zamora to Poza Rica
From Cholula to other places in Mexico
- Cholula to Apizaco
- Cholula to Calpulalpan
- Cholula to Otumba
- Cholula to Omitlán
- Cholula to Tepotzotlán
- Cholula to Huasca de Ocampo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cholula to Poza Rica?
About 2 h 53 min of driving without stops, over 161 miles.
How far is Poza Rica from Cholula by car?
About 161 miles (259 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 Cholula to Poza Rica?
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 Cholula to Poza Rica?
The U.S. State Department rates Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo 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 Cholula to Poza Rica use?
In order: MEX-190, MEX-119D, MEX-117D, MEX-119, MEX-132D and MEX-130. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Cholula and Poza Rica?
Closest to the road: Parque ecológico Los Ladrillos (park, mile 11, 0.5 mi from the route); Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia (convent, mile 27, 0.4 mi from the route); Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (basilica, mile 32, 0.4 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.