The Wayro route from Comalcalco to Malinalco is 517 miles (832 km), about 9 h 23 min of driving without stops.
| Total distance | 517 mi (832 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 23 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-187 → MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-145D → MEX-150D → MEX-190 → PUE 438D → MEX-94D → MOR 21 → MEX-185 → MEX-181 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tabasco, Veracruz, Puebla, Morelos, State of Mexico |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D, MEX-145D, MEX-150D, MEX-94D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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 Comalcalco to Malinalco is like
MEX-145D (142 mi) and MEX-150D (131 mi) carry about 53% of the 517 miles. It runs through 5 states: Tabasco, Veracruz, Puebla, Morelos, State of Mexico. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D, MEX-145D and MEX-150D. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Road-by-road breakdown: Comalcalco to Malinalco
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-187 | 0–24 | 24 | Tabasco |
| connecting roads | 24–25 | 1 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 25–35 | 10 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180D | 35–68 | 33 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 68–88 | 20 | Tabasco, Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 88–109 | 21 | Veracruz |
| MEX-145D | 109–251 | 142 | Veracruz |
| MEX-150D | 251–382 | 131 | Veracruz, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 382–383 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 383–398 | 15 | Puebla |
| local roads | 398–409 | 11 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 409–442 | 33 | Puebla, Morelos |
| MEX-94D | 442–475 | 33 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 475–478 | 3 | Morelos |
| MOR 21 | 478–487 | 9 | Morelos |
| local roads | 487–508 | 21 | Morelos, State of Mexico |
| MEX-185 | 508–513 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-181 | 513–516 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 516–517 | 1 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 71 of this route: Tabasco → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 319 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 435 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 505 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
What to see on the way from Comalcalco to Malinalco
- Nature and outdoors: Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 498)
- Museums and history: La Venta (mile 68), Orizaba Cathedral (mile 298), Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla (mile 388), International Museum of the Baroque (mile 398), Chalcatzingo (mile 443), Museo de sitio de Xochicalco (mile 492)
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.
Teatro Pedro Díaz
In downtown Córdoba, the Teatro Pedro Díaz was built in the late 19th century by Pedro Díaz to a design by engineer A. Durán; its facade was remodeled in 1905.
Orizaba Cathedral
The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel is the main Catholic church of Orizaba, in the state of Veracruz, and the seat of the Diocese of Orizaba.
Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla
Behind the facade of Puebla's Santo Domingo church hides the Capilla del Rosario, inaugurated in 1690. Gold covers its walls, pilasters and vaults, and contemporaries hailed it as the eighth wonder of the New World.
International Museum of the Baroque
Designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito and opened in 2016, Puebla's baroque museum wraps its galleries in curving white concrete walls beside a reflecting pond. Exhibits cover baroque painting, sculpture, architecture, music, theater and literature.
Tonantzintla Observatory
The Tonantzintla Observatory in Puebla was home to the National Astrophysical Observatory directed by Guillermo Haro. Its main instrument, a Schmidt camera, was a wide-field telescope built for photographing the sky.
Chalcatzingo
At the foot of Cerro Chalcatzingo in eastern Morelos, this early site is known for stone reliefs carved mainly between 700 and 500 BC, some among the region's earliest stone sculpture and several in Olmec style, spread across the hillside.
Museo de sitio de Xochicalco
Next to the Xochicalco archaeological zone in Morelos, the site museum sits along the Xochicalco–Tetlama federal road.
Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park
Protected as a national park since 1936, this area near Taxco centers on the Cacahuamilpa caverns, where a guided route of about 4 km passes chambers up to 80 meters high, decorated with flowstone and floor-to-ceiling columns.
Arriving in Malinalco
Malinalco
Carved straight into the hillside above Malinalco, the Cuauhcalli is a rock-cut temple at the heart of this archaeological zone. The Mexica took the Matlatzinca town around 1476 and used it to train and consecrate elite warriors.
Desierto del Carmen National Park
Declared a national park on October 10, 1942, Desierto del Carmen is a protected area in the municipality of Tenancingo, in the State of Mexico.
More drives to Malinalco
- Valle de Bravo to Malinalco
- Zitácuaro to Malinalco
- Tlalpujahua to Malinalco
- San Juan del Río to Malinalco
- Tequisquiapan to Malinalco
- Salvatierra to Malinalco
From Comalcalco to other places in Mexico
- Comalcalco to Huejotzingo
- Comalcalco to Tlaxco
- Comalcalco to Calpulalpan
- Comalcalco to Tetela del Volcán
- Comalcalco to Zacatlán
- Comalcalco to Otumba
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Comalcalco to Malinalco?
About 9 h 23 min of driving without stops, over 517 miles.
How far is Malinalco from Comalcalco by car?
About 517 miles (832 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 Comalcalco to Malinalco?
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 Comalcalco to Malinalco?
The U.S. State Department rates Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Comalcalco to Malinalco use?
In order: MEX-187, MEX-180, MEX-180D, MEX-145D, MEX-150D, MEX-190, PUE 438D, MEX-94D, MOR 21, MEX-185 and MEX-181. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Comalcalco to Malinalco?
Closest to the road: Orizaba Cathedral (cathedral, mile 298, 1 mi from the route); International Museum of the Baroque (art museum, mile 398, 1 mi from the route); Chalcatzingo (archaeological site, mile 443, 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.