The Wayro route from Coatepec to San Miguel, Morelos is 162 miles (261 km), about 3 h 4 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 162 mi (261 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 4 min |
| Main roads, in order | VER 7 → MEX-140 → MEX-140D → MEX-190 → PUE 438D |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-140D, MEX-150D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 6.5 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 San Miguel, Morelos is like
MEX-140D (91 mi) and PUE 438D (21 mi) carry about 69% of the 162 miles. MEX-140D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-140, MEX-190 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Coatepec to San Miguel, Morelos, road by road
| 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 | 14–105 | 91 | Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 105–107 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 107–122 | 15 | Puebla |
| local roads | 122–134 | 12 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 134–155 | 21 | Puebla |
| local roads | 155–162 | 7 | Puebla, Morelos |
- Mile 46 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 72 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 81 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 87 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 94 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 160 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Coatepec and San Miguel, Morelos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Xalapa Cathedral (mile 7), Museo Casa Xalapa (mile 7), Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (mile 11)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 37), Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (mile 116)
- Museums and history: Xalapa Cathedral (mile 7), Museo Casa Xalapa (mile 7), Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (mile 11), Cantona (mile 53), Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla (mile 112)
Xalapa Cathedral
One of Xalapa's oldest buildings, the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception mixes a baroque core with neo-Gothic touches added in 1895, and holds the remains of Bishop Rafael Guízar y Valencia.
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.
Xalapa Museum of Anthropology
Run by the Universidad Veracruzana in a building designed by Edward Durell Stone, the Xalapa Museum of Anthropology displays more than 1,500 pieces from Olmec, central Veracruz and Huastec cultures, including several Olmec colossal heads, amid subtropical gardens.
Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote
Cofre de Perote National Park protects the forested slopes of the mountain, and its role is practical as well as scenic: a little over 40 percent of the water used in Xalapa comes from here.
Cantona
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.
Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla
Behind the facade of Puebla's Santo Domingo church hides the Capilla del Rosario, inaugurated in 1690. Gold covers its walls, pilasters and vaults, and contemporaries hailed it as the eighth wonder of the New World.
Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla
On the Ciudad Universitaria campus of BUAP in Puebla, the university botanical garden covers about 10.7 hectares and was formerly named after Ignacio Rodríguez Alconedo.
Historic centre of Puebla
Laid out from scratch in 1531, Puebla's UNESCO-listed core is a grid of tile-covered houses, colonial churches and the 16th–17th-century cathedral, with the old archbishop's palace that houses the Palafox Library, established in 1646.
Tonantzintla Observatory
The Tonantzintla Observatory in Puebla was home to the National Astrophysical Observatory directed by Guillermo Haro. Its main instrument, a Schmidt camera, was a wide-field telescope built for photographing the sky.
When you get to San Miguel, Morelos
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In the town of Hueyapan, the 16th-century church and former convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán keeps original frescoes and moldings inside, around a modest cloister typical of its era.
Convento de San Juan Bautista
This convent in Tetela del Volcán, known for its carved wooden sacristy and light-filled cloister walks, was cleaned of soot left from its use as a barracks during the Mexican Revolution in a conservation project completed in 2009.
More drives to San Miguel, Morelos
- Cuernavaca to San Miguel, Morelos
- Zacatelco to San Miguel, Morelos
- Mexico City to San Miguel, Morelos
- Tlaxcala to San Miguel, Morelos
- Chiautempan to San Miguel, Morelos
- Apizaco to San Miguel, Morelos
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 San Miguel, Morelos?
About 3 h 4 min of driving without stops, over 162 miles.
How far is San Miguel, Morelos from Coatepec by car?
About 162 miles (261 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 San Miguel, Morelos?
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 San Miguel, Morelos?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Coatepec to San Miguel, Morelos use?
In order: VER 7, MEX-140, MEX-140D, MEX-190 and PUE 438D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Coatepec and San Miguel, Morelos?
Closest to the road: Xalapa Cathedral (cathedral, mile 7, 0.8 mi from the route); Museo Casa Xalapa (museum, mile 7, 0.8 mi from the route); Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (archaeological museum, mile 11, 0.8 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.