The Wayro route from Coatepec to Zitácuaro is 286 miles (460 km), about 5 h 1 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 286 mi (460 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 1 min |
| Main roads, in order | VER 7 → MEX-140 → MEX-140D → MEX-136 → MEX-117D → MEX-150D → Viaducto → Periférico → MEX-134D → MEX-A6D → MEX-A7D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Mexico City (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-140D, MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-150D, MEX-134D, MEX-A6D, MEX-A7D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 Zitácuaro is like
MEX-140D (66 mi) and MEX-150D (48 mi) carry about 40% of the 286 miles. MEX-140D, MEX-117D, MEX-150D, MEX-134D, MEX-A6D, MEX-A7D, MEX-15D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-140, MEX-136, MEX-15 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 6 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, State of Mexico, Mexico City, Michoacán. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Coatepec to Zitácuaro, 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 | 14–80 | 66 | Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 80–81 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-136 | 81–109 | 28 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-117D | 109–128 | 19 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 128–130 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 130–178 | 48 | Puebla, State of Mexico |
| local roads | 178–183 | 5 | State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| Viaducto | 183–191 | 8 | Mexico City |
| Periférico | 191–195 | 4 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 195–196 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 196–201 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 201–202 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-134D | 202–222 | 20 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 222–223 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-A6D | 223–239 | 16 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-A7D | 239–273 | 34 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 273–280 | 7 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 280–284 | 4 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 284–286 | 2 | Michoacán |
- Mile 46 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 72 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 127 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 149 of this route: Puebla → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 181 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 194 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 271 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Coatepec and Zitácuaro
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Xalapa Cathedral (mile 7), Chapultepec Zoo (mile 193)
- Nature and outdoors: Sacromonte National Park (mile 159), Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 212), Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (mile 278)
- Museums and history: Xalapa Cathedral (mile 7), Cantona (mile 53), Tlaxcala Cathedral (mile 116), Museo Archivo de la Fotografía (mile 186)
- With kids: Chapultepec Zoo (mile 193)
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.
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.
Tlaxcala Cathedral
Part of a 16th-century Franciscan complex among the earliest in the Americas, Tlaxcala's cathedral is famous for its carved Mudéjar-style wooden ceiling. Look for the freestanding bell tower and the stone font where Tlaxcalan lords were baptized.
Sacromonte National Park
Sacromonte National Park is a national park and protected area in the State of Mexico, established in 1952 and covering roughly 0.44 square kilometers.
Museo Archivo de la Fotografía
Housed in the late-16th-century Casa de las Ajaracas on Guatemala Street, the Museo Archivo de la Fotografía preserves, studies and exhibits photographs in Mexico City's historic center.
Chapultepec Zoo
Founded on July 6, 1923, by biologist Alfonso Luis Herrera, Chapultepec Zoo sits inside Mexico City's Chapultepec Park.
Desierto de los Leones National Park
Declared a national park in 1917, this fir, ash and oak forest in Mexico City's Cuajimalpa and Álvaro Obregón boroughs surrounds a former Carmelite monastery. Locals come to hike, run and cycle, and more than 100 bird species live here.
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
Every fall, millions of monarch butterflies from across North America return to the oyamel fir forests about 100 km northwest of Mexico City, clustering so densely they bend branches. The reserve became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
More drives to Zitácuaro
- San Juan del Río to Zitácuaro
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Zitácuaro
- Zacatecas to Zitácuaro
- Fresnillo to Zitácuaro
- Durango to Zitácuaro
- Mazatlán to Zitácuaro
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 Zitácuaro?
About 5 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 286 miles.
How far is Zitácuaro from Coatepec by car?
About 286 miles (460 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 Zitácuaro?
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 Zitácuaro?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán 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 Zitácuaro use?
In order: VER 7, MEX-140, MEX-140D, MEX-136, MEX-117D, MEX-150D, Viaducto, Periférico, MEX-134D, MEX-A6D, MEX-A7D, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Coatepec and Zitácuaro?
Closest to the road: Xalapa Cathedral (cathedral, mile 7, 0.8 mi from the route); Tlaxcala Cathedral (catholic cathedral, mile 116, 1 mi from the route); Chapultepec Zoo (zoo, mile 193, 0.5 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.