Coatepec to Temacapulín Road Trip: Distance, Time & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Coatepec to Temacapulín is 483 miles (777 km), about 8 h 23 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; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Jalisco is the Mexican state that contains Temacapulín. Check the full advisory for this state before you go.
Xalapa CathedralMuseo Casa XalapaXalapa Museum of AnthropologyParque Nacional Cofre de PeroteMuseo de Sitio de CantonaParque nacional XicoténcatlChurch and former convent of Todos los SantosCerro de las CampanasCathedral Basilica of San Juan de los LagosCoatepecTemacapulín
Route from Coatepec to Temacapulín with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance483 mi (777 km)
Driving time, no stops8 h 23 min
Main roads, in orderVER 7 → MEX-140 → MEX-140D → MEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-80 → MEX-80D
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), Jalisco (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-140D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D, MEX-80D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 19.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

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 Temacapulín is like

MEX-45D (114 mi) and MEX-M40D (87 mi) carry about 42% of the 483 miles. MEX-140D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D, MEX-80D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-140, MEX-136, MEX-80 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 8 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Jalisco. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Coatepec to Temacapulín, 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-57D221–25534State of Mexico, Querétaro
MEX-47D255–30954Querétaro, Guanajuato
MEX-45D309–423114Guanajuato, Jalisco
MEX-80423–43714Jalisco
MEX-80D437–46326Jalisco
connecting roads463–4663Jalisco
local roads466–48317Jalisco
  • 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 296 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
  • Mile 406 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)

Stops between Coatepec and Temacapulín

  • 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), Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 107), Cerro de las Campanas (mile 297)
  • Museums and history: Xalapa Cathedral (mile 7), Museo Casa Xalapa (mile 7), Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (mile 11), Museo de Sitio de Cantona (mile 55), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 442)

Xalapa Cathedral

Mile 7 · Cathedral · 0.8 mi from the route

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

Mile 7 · Museum · 0.8 mi from the route

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

Mile 11 · Archaeological museum · 0.8 mi from the route

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

Mile 37 · National Park of Mexico · 10 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Museo de Sitio de Cantona

Mile 55 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

At the Cantona archaeological zone in Tepeyahualco, this site museum shows finds from more than 20 years of digs: pottery, obsidian and stone tools, musical instruments, greenstone and shell ornaments, and burial remains.

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.

Church and former convent of Todos los Santos

Mile 162 · Convent · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Franciscan friars built this fortress-style convent in Zempoala, and the complex still keeps the classic layout of atrium, church, open chapel and cloister. It pairs well with a drive through the area's old pulque haciendas.

Cerro de las Campanas

Mile 297 · National Park of Mexico · 12 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.

Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos

Mile 442 · Minor basilica · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Pilgrims come from far and wide to San Juan de los Lagos to see the small image of the Virgin kept in this cathedral basilica, built between 1732 and 1769. Inside are Gothic-style ribbed vaults and a silver-framed Way of the Cross.

More drives to Temacapulín

From Coatepec to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Coatepec to Temacapulín?

About 8 h 23 min of driving without stops, over 483 miles.

How far is Temacapulín from Coatepec by car?

About 483 miles (777 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 Temacapulín?

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 Temacapulín?

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; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Coatepec to Temacapulín use?

In order: VER 7, MEX-140, MEX-140D, MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D, MEX-80 and MEX-80D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Coatepec and Temacapulín?

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.