Coatepec to Tlaxco Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Coatepec to Tlaxco is 119 miles (192 km), about 2 h 18 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 CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Tlaxcala is the Mexican state that contains Tlaxco. See the full advisory for current details.
Jardín de EsculturasParque Nacional Cofre de PeroteCantonaMuseo de Sitio de CantonaMuseo Nacional del TítereLa Malinche National ParkMuseo Casa de PiedraBasílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, ApizacoCoatepecTlaxco
Route from Coatepec to Tlaxco with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance119 mi (192 km)
Driving time, no stops2 h 18 min
Main roads, in orderVER 7 → MEX-140 → MEX-140D → MEX-136 → MEX-119
Mexican states on the routeVeracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-140D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 4.8 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 Tlaxco is like

MEX-140D (66 mi) and MEX-136 (22 mi) carry about 74% of the 119 miles. MEX-140D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-140, MEX-136, MEX-119 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Coatepec to Tlaxco, 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-13681–10322Tlaxcala
connecting roads103–1063Tlaxcala
MEX-119106–11913Tlaxcala
  • Mile 46 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
  • Mile 72 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)

Stops between Coatepec and Tlaxco

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Jardín de Esculturas (mile 7), Museo Nacional del Títere (mile 88)
  • Nature and outdoors: Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 37), La Malinche National Park (mile 92)
  • Museums and history: Jardín de Esculturas (mile 7), Cantona (mile 53), Museo de Sitio de Cantona (mile 55), Museo Nacional del Títere (mile 88), Museo Casa de Piedra (mile 104), Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (mile 105)

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.

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.

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.

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.

Museo Nacional del Títere

Mile 88 · Museum · 0.9 mi from the route

On the main square of Huamantla, the National Puppet Museum (Museo Nacional del Títere) fills eight galleries with puppets from Mexico and abroad, including pieces tied to the Rosete Aranda family, whose company toured Mexico for generations.

La Malinche National Park

Mile 92 · National Park of Mexico · 10 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Tlaxcala's La Malinche National Park surrounds the inactive Matlalcuéyetl volcano, with pine, oak and fir forests on its slopes, hiking trails, birdwatching, and stone cabins and campsites at the Malintzi Vacation Center.

Museo Casa de Piedra

Mile 104 · Railway museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 105 · Basilica · 2 mi from the route

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.

More drives to Tlaxco

From Coatepec to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Coatepec to Tlaxco?

About 2 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 119 miles.

How far is Tlaxco from Coatepec by car?

About 119 miles (192 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 Tlaxco?

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 Tlaxco?

The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala 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 Tlaxco use?

In order: VER 7, MEX-140, MEX-140D, MEX-136 and MEX-119. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Coatepec and Tlaxco?

Closest to the road: Jardín de Esculturas (museum, mile 7, 0.9 mi from the route); Museo Nacional del Títere (museum, mile 88, 0.9 mi from the route); Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (basilica, mile 105, 2 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.