The Wayro route from Cuautla to Coatepec is 181 miles (292 km), about 3 h 21 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 181 mi (292 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 21 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-160 → PUE 438D → MEX-190D → MEX-190 → MEX-140D → VER 7 |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos (Level 3), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Veracruz (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-190D, MEX-150D, MEX-140D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.2 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 Cuautla to Coatepec is like
MEX-140D (65 mi) and PUE 438D (34 mi) carry about 55% of the 181 miles. MEX-190D, MEX-140D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-160, MEX-190 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Morelos, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Veracruz. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cuautla to Coatepec, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-160 | 1–16 | 15 | Morelos |
| PUE 438D | 16–50 | 34 | Morelos, Puebla |
| MEX-190D | 50–60 | 10 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 60–61 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 61–75 | 14 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 75–77 | 2 | Puebla |
| local roads | 77–103 | 26 | Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| MEX-140D | 103–168 | 65 | Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz |
| connecting roads | 168–172 | 4 | Veracruz |
| local roads | 172–176 | 4 | Veracruz |
| VER 7 | 176–180 | 4 | Veracruz |
| local roads | 180–181 | 1 | Veracruz |
- Mile 24 of this route: Morelos → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 89 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 96 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 103 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 112 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 137 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
Stops between Cuautla and Coatepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (mile 173), Xalapa Cathedral (mile 175)
- Nature and outdoors: Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (mile 65), Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 146)
- Museums and history: Chalcatzingo (mile 16), Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla (mile 71), Museo de Sitio de Cantona (mile 128), Cantona (mile 129), Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (mile 173), Xalapa Cathedral (mile 175)
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.
Historic centre of Puebla
Laid out from scratch in 1531, Puebla's UNESCO-listed core is a grid of tile-covered houses, colonial churches and the 16th–17th-century cathedral, with the old archbishop's palace that houses the Palafox Library, established in 1646.
Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla
On the Ciudad Universitaria campus of BUAP in Puebla, the university botanical garden covers about 10.7 hectares and was formerly named after Ignacio Rodríguez Alconedo.
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.
Museo de Sitio de Cantona
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.
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.
Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote
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.
Xalapa Museum of Anthropology
Run by the Universidad Veracruzana in a building designed by Edward Durell Stone, the Xalapa Museum of Anthropology displays more than 1,500 pieces from Olmec, central Veracruz and Huastec cultures, including several Olmec colossal heads, amid subtropical gardens.
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.
When you get to Coatepec
Cascada de Texolo
Two waterfalls on the Matlacobatl River, Texolo with a 20-meter drop and La Monja with about 8 meters, sit roughly 3 kilometers from Xico amid cloud forest included in a Ramsar wetland site.
Jardín Botánico Francisco J. Clavijero
Opened in 1977 by the Instituto de Ecología near Xalapa, this botanical garden sits in native cloud forest beside a 30-hectare forest sanctuary and keeps notable collections of Mexican cycads, bamboo and carnivorous butterworts.
More drives to Coatepec
- Teziutlán to Coatepec
- Puebla to Coatepec
- Cholula to Coatepec
- Tulancingo to Coatepec
- Pachuca to Coatepec
- Mexico City to Coatepec
From Cuautla to other places in Mexico
- Cuautla to Malinalco
- Cuautla to Metepec
- Cuautla to Zitácuaro
- Cuautla to Tlalpujahua
- Cuautla to Amealco
- Cuautla to Tequisquiapan
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cuautla to Coatepec?
About 3 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 181 miles.
How far is Coatepec from Cuautla by car?
About 181 miles (292 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 Cuautla to Coatepec?
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 Cuautla to Coatepec?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Cuautla to Coatepec use?
In order: MEX-160, PUE 438D, MEX-190D, MEX-190, MEX-140D and VER 7. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Cuautla and Coatepec?
Closest to the road: Chalcatzingo (archaeological site, mile 16, 2 mi from the route); Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (archaeological museum, mile 173, 0.3 mi from the route); Xalapa Cathedral (cathedral, mile 175, 0.7 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.