Coatzacoalcos to San Cristóbal de las Casas is about 190 road miles (306 km): roughly 3 h 10 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance by road | 190 mi (306 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 3 h 10 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-180 → MEX-187D → MEX-190 → MEX-190D |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-187D, MEX-190D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
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 Coatzacoalcos to San Cristóbal de las Casas is like
MEX-187D (122 mi) and MEX-190D (29 mi) carry about 79% of the 190 miles. It runs through 3 states: Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-187D and MEX-190D. Of the 6 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Coatzacoalcos and San Cristóbal de las Casas
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | |
| MEX-180 | 2–16 | 14 | Veracruz |
| MEX-187D | 16–138 | 122 | Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas |
| MEX-190 | 138–146 | 8 | Chiapas |
| local roads | 146–156 | 10 | Chiapas |
| MEX-190 | 156–160 | 4 | Chiapas |
| MEX-190D | 160–189 | 29 | Chiapas |
| local roads | 189–190 | 1 | Chiapas |
- Mile 77 of this route: Veracruz → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 85 of this route: Tabasco → Chiapas (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Coatzacoalcos and San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Planetario Tuxtla - Jaime Sabines Gutiérrez (mile 153)
- Nature and outdoors: Sumidero Canyon National Park (mile 153), Selva El Ocote (mile 168)
- Museums and history: Museo de la Ciudad (mile 149), Planetario Tuxtla - Jaime Sabines Gutiérrez (mile 153), Chiapa de Corzo (mile 162), La Pila fountain (mile 162)
Museo de la Ciudad
Tuxtla Gutiérrez's city museum covers the history and growth of the city with three permanent exhibits and a temporary gallery, in a building whose site once briefly served as a bullring.
Sumidero Canyon National Park
The Grijalva River runs through Sumidero Canyon, whose walls rise from about 200 to 1,000 meters. Boat trips leave from colonial Chiapa de Corzo, and lookouts line the rim. It became a national park in 1980.
Planetario Tuxtla - Jaime Sabines Gutiérrez
Planetario Tuxtla - Jaime Sabines Gutiérrez is a planetarium in Tuxtla equipped with 2D and 3D image projection technology.
Chiapa de Corzo
Near the town of Chiapa de Corzo in Chiapas lies a pre-Columbian archaeological site of the same name that grew into a regional center around 700–500 BCE, during the Middle Formative period.
La Pila fountain
Built of brick in a diamond shape in 1562, La Pila fountain in the square of Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, is an example of Mudéjar-Renaissance style.
Selva El Ocote
Selva El Ocote Biosphere Reserve covers about 101,288 hectares of Chiapas, protecting tall evergreen rain forest on karst terrain, a landscape also known for its extensive caverns.
Once you reach San Cristóbal de las Casas
Museo Mesoamericano del Jade
The Museo Mesoamericano del Jade in San Cristóbal de Las Casas is housed in the Casa del Jade, a cultural center and company specializing in jade, with its own workshops.
Casa Na Bolom
Once the home of archaeologist Frans Blom and photographer Gertrude Duby Blom, Casa Na Bolom in San Cristóbal de las Casas occupies an 1891 building and shows pre-Hispanic, textile, ethnographic and colonial collections.
Museo de Medicina Maya
Dedicated to the healing practices of the Tzotzil and Tzeltal peoples, the Museo de Medicina Maya is a museum in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas.
More drives to San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Tuxtla to San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Villahermosa to San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Tehuacán to San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Puebla to San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Cholula to San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Mexico City to San Cristóbal de las Casas
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 does it take to drive from Coatzacoalcos to San Cristóbal de las Casas?
About 3 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 190 miles.
What is the driving distance from Coatzacoalcos to San Cristóbal de las Casas?
About 190 miles (306 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 San Cristóbal de las Casas?
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 San Cristóbal de las Casas?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chiapas Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Coatzacoalcos to San Cristóbal de las Casas use?
In order: MEX-180, MEX-187D, MEX-190 and MEX-190D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Coatzacoalcos and San Cristóbal de las Casas?
Closest to the road: Museo de la Ciudad (museum, mile 149, 1 mi from the route); Planetario Tuxtla - Jaime Sabines Gutiérrez (museum, mile 153, 0.6 mi from the route); La Pila fountain (monument, mile 162, 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.