The Wayro route from Coatepec to Matehuala is 527 miles (848 km), about 9 h 43 min of driving without stops.
| Total distance | 527 mi (848 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 43 min |
| Main roads, in order | VER 7 → MEX-140 → MEX-140D → MEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-140D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.1 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 Coatepec to Matehuala is like
MEX-57 (175 mi) and MEX-57D (128 mi) carry about 57% of the 527 miles. It runs through 8 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-140D, MEX-M40D and MEX-57D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Coatepec to Matehuala: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Veracruz |
| VER 7 | 1–6 | 5 | Veracruz |
| connecting roads | 6–8 | 2 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140 | 8–13 | 5 | Veracruz |
| connecting roads | 13–14 | 1 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140D | 14–80 | 66 | Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 80–81 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-136 | 81–132 | 51 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-M40D | 132–219 | 87 | Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 219–221 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 221–307 | 86 | State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| connecting roads | 307–308 | 1 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57 | 308–405 | 97 | Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 405–447 | 42 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 447–525 | 78 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 525–527 | 2 | San Luis Potosí |
- Mile 46 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 72 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 141 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 149 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 162 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 178 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 191 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 221 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 254 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 314 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 368 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
What to see on the way from Coatepec to Matehuala
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Casa Xalapa (mile 7), Jardín de Esculturas (mile 7), Museo Taurino de Huamantla (mile 88)
- Nature and outdoors: El Gogorrón National Park (mile 394)
- Museums and history: Museo Casa Xalapa (mile 7), Jardín de Esculturas (mile 7), Museo Taurino de Huamantla (mile 88), Teotihuacan (mile 160), Tula (mile 208), Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (mile 300), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 414)
Museo Casa Xalapa
Also called the Museo de la Ciudad, or MUXA, Museo Casa Xalapa traces the history of the Veracruz capital and state from pre-Hispanic times to today. It opened in 2007 and was renovated in 2016.
Jardín de Esculturas
Xalapa's Jardín de Esculturas is an open-air sculpture garden and museum displaying works by nationally and internationally recognized artists.
Museo Taurino de Huamantla
Next to Huamantla's La Taurina bullring, the Museo Taurino occupies an 18th-century building and since 1982 has displayed bullfighters' costumes, vintage posters, scale models of Mexican bullrings and murals about the Huamantlada.
Teotihuacan
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.
Tula
Basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall, the Atlantes, crown the main pyramid at Tula. Visitors can also explore a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall.
Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro
Querétaro's historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996, pairs the Spaniards' grid of streets with the winding lanes of the old Indigenous quarters. Walk it for Baroque churches and mansions of the 17th and 18th centuries and the city's landmark aqueduct.
Former hacienda of Chichimequillas
Discalced Carmelite friars founded this hacienda around 1690 to shelter travelers on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and to farm. Its two-story stone and lime main house, finished in 1813, wraps around a central courtyard beside a chapel.
El Gogorrón National Park
Hot-spring balnearios lie within the bounds of Gogorrón National Park, which covers parts of Villa de Reyes and Santa María del Río in San Luis Potosí. Its higher ground carries pine-oak forest.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
A parish church from 1609 once stood where San Luis Potosí's cathedral rose between 1701 and 1728. Today the Baroque building serves as the seat of the archdiocese.
When you get to Matehuala
Matehuala Cathedral
Matehuala's Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Matehuala; it is open for worship though still under construction.
More drives to Matehuala
- Zitácuaro to Matehuala
- Mexico City to Matehuala
- Pachuca to Matehuala
- Cuernavaca to Matehuala
- Tlaxcala to Matehuala
- Cuautla to Matehuala
From Coatepec to other places in Mexico
- Coatepec to Huamantla
- Coatepec to Ixtenco
- Coatepec to Apizaco
- Coatepec to Cuetzalan
- Coatepec to Chiautempan
- Coatepec to Tlaxcala
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Coatepec to Matehuala?
About 9 h 43 min of driving without stops, over 527 miles.
What is the driving distance from Coatepec to Matehuala?
About 527 miles (848 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 Coatepec to Matehuala?
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 Coatepec to Matehuala?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Coatepec to Matehuala use?
In order: VER 7, MEX-140, MEX-140D, MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D and MEX-57. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Coatepec and Matehuala?
Closest to the road: Museo Casa Xalapa (museum, mile 7, 0.8 mi from the route); Jardín de Esculturas (museum, mile 7, 0.9 mi from the route); Museo Taurino de Huamantla (bullfighting museum, mile 88, 0.7 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.