Coatepec to Pinos Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Coatepec to Pinos is 478 miles (769 km), about 8 h 56 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: 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; Zacatecas — Level 4, Do Not TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Zacatecas is the Mexican state that contains Pinos. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Jardín de EsculturasCantonaParque nacional XicoténcatlTeotihuacanFormer hacienda of ChichimequillasEl Gogorrón National ParkCatedral Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, San Luis PotosíSan Luis Potosí CathedralCoatepecPinos
Route from Coatepec to Pinos with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance478 mi (769 km)
Driving time, no stops8 h 56 min
Main roads, in orderVER 7 → MEX-140 → MEX-140D → MEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 → MEX-49 → ZAC 291
Mexican states on the routeVeracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3), San Luis Potosí (Level 2), Zacatecas (Level 4)
Toll roadsMEX-140D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 19.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below8

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 Coatepec to Pinos is like

MEX-57 (107 mi) and MEX-M40D (87 mi) carry about 41% of the 478 miles. MEX-140D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-140, MEX-136, MEX-57, MEX-49 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 9 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Coatepec to Pinos, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Veracruz
VER 71–65Veracruz
connecting roads6–82Veracruz
MEX-1408–135Veracruz
connecting roads13–141Veracruz
MEX-140D14–8066Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala
connecting roads80–811Tlaxcala
MEX-13681–13251Tlaxcala
MEX-M40D132–21987Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico
connecting roads219–2212Hidalgo
MEX-57D221–30786State of Mexico, Querétaro
connecting roads307–3081Querétaro
MEX-57308–415107Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí
connecting roads415–4183San Luis Potosí
MEX-49418–46143San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas
connecting roads461–4621Zacatecas
ZAC 291462–47614Zacatecas
local roads476–4782Zacatecas
  • 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 192 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)
  • Mile 450 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Zacatecas (state line)

Stops between Coatepec and Pinos

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Jardín de Esculturas (mile 7)
  • Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 107), El Gogorrón National Park (mile 394)
  • Museums and history: Jardín de Esculturas (mile 7), Cantona (mile 53), Teotihuacan (mile 160), Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (mile 300), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 416)

Jardín de Esculturas

Mile 7 · Museum · 0.9 mi from the route

Xalapa's Jardín de Esculturas is an open-air sculpture garden and museum displaying works by nationally and internationally recognized artists.

Cantona

Mile 53 · Archaeological site · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

High on the Puebla plateau near the Veracruz line, Cantona was a fortified pre-Hispanic city that controlled trade toward the Gulf; its explored southern section reveals interconnected streets, walled residential units and more than two dozen ballgame courts.

Parque nacional Xicoténcatl

Mile 107 · National Park of Mexico · 7 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Covering roughly 600 hectares in central Tlaxcala, Xicohténcatl National Park takes in the historic center of Tlaxcala city plus Quiahuixtlán, Ocotelulco and Tepeticpac, which correspond to three of the old Tlaxcalan lordships.

Teotihuacan

Mile 160 · 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.

Former hacienda of Chichimequillas

Mile 300 · Historic site · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 394 · National Park of Mexico · 11 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Straddling San Luis Potosí and Guanajuato near Villa de Reyes, this national park offers rugged rock formations, mountain scenery and thermal springs, with camping, hiking and mountain biking.

Catedral Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, San Luis Potosí

Mile 415 · Religious building · 1 mi from the route

The Basilica Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Catholic church on the Calzada de Guadalupe in the historic center of San Luis Potosí.

San Luis Potosí Cathedral

Mile 416 · Catholic cathedral · 1 mi from the route

San Luis Potosí's cathedral anchors the city's historic center, which UNESCO lists as a component of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro World Heritage Site.

More drives to Pinos

From Coatepec to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Coatepec to Pinos?

About 8 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 478 miles.

How far is Pinos from Coatepec by car?

About 478 miles (769 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 Pinos?

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 Pinos?

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; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Coatepec to Pinos use?

In order: VER 7, MEX-140, MEX-140D, MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-57, MEX-49 and ZAC 291. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Coatepec and Pinos?

Closest to the road: Jardín de Esculturas (museum, mile 7, 0.9 mi from the route); Catedral Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, San Luis Potosí (religious building, mile 415, 1 mi from the route); San Luis Potosí Cathedral (catholic cathedral, mile 416, 1 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.