The Wayro route from Coatzacoalcos to Izamal is 490 miles (789 km), about 9 h 50 min of driving without stops.
| Distance by road | 490 mi (789 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 50 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-202 → YUC 11 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.6 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.
How the Coatzacoalcos to Izamal drive plays out
MEX-180 (384 mi) and MEX-180D (71 mi) carry about 93% of the 490 miles. It runs through 4 states: Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Coatzacoalcos to Izamal, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | |
| MEX-180 | 2–30 | 28 | Veracruz, Tabasco |
| MEX-180D | 30–63 | 33 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 63–98 | 35 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180D | 98–111 | 13 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 111–314 | 203 | Tabasco, Campeche |
| MEX-180D | 314–339 | 25 | Campeche |
| MEX-202 | 339–349 | 10 | Campeche |
| MEX-180 | 349–441 | 92 | Campeche, Yucatán |
| local roads | 441–450 | 9 | Yucatán |
| MEX-180 | 450–476 | 26 | Yucatán |
| YUC 11 | 476–490 | 14 | Yucatán |
- Mile 29 of this route: Veracruz → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 168 of this route: Tabasco → Campeche (state line)
- Mile 402 of this route: Campeche → Yucatán (state line)
Stops between Coatzacoalcos and Izamal
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Arqueología Maya del Camino Real de Hecelchakán (mile 380), Xiol (mile 455)
- Museums and history: La Venta (mile 31), Museo de Barcos y Armas Fuerte de San José el Alto (mile 345), Museo de Arqueología Maya del Camino Real de Hecelchakán (mile 380), Uxmal (mile 400), Museo Conmemorativo de la Inmigración Coreana a Yucatán (mile 447), Xiol (mile 455), Cuca (mile 462)
La Venta
Once an important Olmec city, La Venta sits in Tabasco close to Huimanguillo. Monumental sandstone sculptures found at the foot of its main pyramid are among the 200-plus pieces in the site museum.
Historic Fortified Town of Campeche
Founded by the Spanish on the Gulf of Mexico, Campeche's walled center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sections of the hexagonal wall built from 1686 to 1704 against pirate raids survive with bastions and gates, framing a grid of colonial streets.
Museo de Barcos y Armas Fuerte de San José el Alto
Inside Fuerte de San José el Alto in Campeche city, the museum displays more than 900 objects recovered from underwater archaeological sites in the Gulf of Mexico, the Mexican Caribbean and the cenotes, lakes and rivers of the Yucatán Peninsula.
Museo de Arqueología Maya del Camino Real de Hecelchakán
On Highway 180 about 40 miles north of Campeche city, Hecelchakán's INAH museum displays Maya archaeology from the Camino Real region. It is the only museum of its kind along this historic route toward Calkiní.
Uxmal
Founded around A.D. 700, the Maya city of Uxmal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Puuc-style buildings such as the Pyramid of the Soothsayer, the Governor's Palace and the Nunnery Quadrangle carry carvings of the rain god Chaac.
Museo Conmemorativo de la Inmigración Coreana a Yucatán
In Mérida's historic center, this memorial museum tells the story of the first Korean immigrants to Yucatán and their work in the henequen industry, with more than 200 photos, documents, newspapers and pieces of traditional clothing.
Xiol
Xiol is a Maya archaeological site in Kanasín, about 10 kilometers from Mérida, found by accident in 2018 during construction of an industrial complex. Its Maya name means "the spirit of man."
Cuca
Near the town of Tixpéhual in Yucatán, Cuca is a pre-Columbian Maya site of about 10 hectares, where dozens of structures and their remains lie scattered inside a low wall.
In Izamal itself
Convento de Izamal
Built between 1549 and 1561, the Convent of San Antonio de Padua in Izamal was the fifth convent erected in what is now the state of Yucatán.
Kinich Kakmó
Kinich Kakmó is an archaeological site in Izamal, Yucatán, about 66.5 km east of Mérida, dedicated to the Maya deity of the same name.
More drives to Izamal
- Maxcanú to Izamal
- Campeche to Izamal
- Champotón to Izamal
- Teapa to Izamal
- Ocosingo to Izamal
- Progreso to Izamal
From Coatzacoalcos to other places in Mexico
- Coatzacoalcos to Orizaba
- Coatzacoalcos to Cholula
- Coatzacoalcos to Zacatelco
- Coatzacoalcos to Huejotzingo
- Coatzacoalcos to Tlaxcala
- Coatzacoalcos to Atlixco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Coatzacoalcos to Izamal?
About 9 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 490 miles.
What is the driving distance from Coatzacoalcos to Izamal?
About 490 miles (789 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 Coatzacoalcos to Izamal?
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 Coatzacoalcos to Izamal?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Campeche Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Yucatán Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Coatzacoalcos to Izamal use?
In order: MEX-180, MEX-180D, MEX-202 and YUC 11. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Coatzacoalcos to Izamal?
Closest to the road: Museo de Arqueología Maya del Camino Real de Hecelchakán (museum, mile 380, 0.5 mi from the route); Xiol (archaeological site, mile 455, 0.7 mi from the route); Cuca (archaeological site, mile 462, 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.