Plan on about 5 h 58 min of driving for the 313-mile (503 km) trip from Huejotzingo to San José del Pacífico, before any stops.
| Distance | 313 mi (503 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 5 h 58 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150 → MEX-190 → MEX-150D → MEX-135D → MEX-175 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla, Oaxaca |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-150D, MEX-135D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.5 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 Huejotzingo to San José del Pacífico is like
MEX-135D (151 mi) and MEX-175 (64 mi) carry about 69% of the 313 miles. It runs through 2 states: Puebla, Oaxaca. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-150D and MEX-135D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Huejotzingo to San José del Pacífico: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-150 | 1–10 | 9 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 10–15 | 5 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 15–16 | 1 | Puebla |
| local roads | 16–20 | 4 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 20–22 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 22–69 | 47 | Puebla |
| MEX-135D | 69–220 | 151 | Puebla, Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 220–225 | 5 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 225–231 | 6 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175 | 231–242 | 11 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 242–252 | 10 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175 | 252–264 | 12 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 264–271 | 7 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175 | 271–312 | 41 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 312–313 | 1 | Oaxaca |
- Mile 126 of this route: Puebla → Oaxaca (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Huejotzingo and San José del Pacífico
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Great Pyramid of Cholula (mile 11), Museo Regional de Cholula (mile 11), Planetario Nundehui (mile 226), Teatro Macedonio Alcalá (mile 227), Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (mile 235)
- Nature and outdoors: Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 112), Benito Juárez National Park (mile 219)
- Museums and history: Museo Regional de Cholula (mile 11), Planetario Nundehui (mile 226), Teatro Macedonio Alcalá (mile 227), Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (mile 235), Zaachila (mile 235)
Great Pyramid of Cholula
Under a hilltop church dedicated to the Virgin of los Remedios lies Tlachihualtepetl, a pyramid built in superimposed stages with a base about 400 meters per side. Excavations have opened roughly 8 km of tunnels inside the mound.
Museo Regional de Cholula
Right beside the Great Pyramid and archaeological zone of Cholula, this public museum displays collections ranging from pre-Hispanic and colonial art to contemporary and folk art.
Convent Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Puebla
An early 17th-century example of Puebla Baroque, the Church of the Virgin of Carmen has two richly decorated chapels and a neoclassical altarpiece holding an image of the Virgin by sculptor José Antonio Villegas Cora.
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
In 2018 UNESCO inscribed the arid Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, which spans Puebla and Oaxaca, as a mixed World Heritage site. A major center of cactus diversity, it also keeps ancient canals, terraces and dams.
Benito Juárez National Park
Pine and oak forest covers about 2,737 hectares in Benito Juárez National Park, a short way north of Oaxaca City. Among its trails is La Coronilla, a loop of around 5 km at moderate difficulty.
Planetario Nundehui
Built through a sister-city agreement between Palo Alto, California, and Oaxaca de Juárez, the Nundehui Planetarium opened in 1976 high on Cerro del Fortín, north of the Guelaguetza Auditorium.
Teatro Macedonio Alcalá
In the center of Oaxaca de Juárez, Teatro Macedonio Alcalá is a performance venue built in 1909 in the Art Nouveau style.
Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca
In San Bartolo Coyotepec, the town known for its black clay pottery (barro negro), this state-run museum traces the history of that craft and shows works by Oaxaca's folk art masters alongside temporary exhibitions.
Zaachila
Occupied as far back as about 1500 BC, Zaachila was a Zapotec city, later shared with Mixtecs. People still lived there when the Spanish arrived.
More drives to San José del Pacífico
- Capulalpam de Méndez to San José del Pacífico
- Tehuacán to San José del Pacífico
- Tuxtepec to San José del Pacífico
- Orizaba to San José del Pacífico
- Córdoba, Mexico to San José del Pacífico
- Tlacotalpan to San José del Pacífico
From Huejotzingo to other places in Mexico
- Huejotzingo to Otumba
- Huejotzingo to Omitlán
- Huejotzingo to Huasca de Ocampo
- Huejotzingo to Jilotepec
- Huejotzingo to Malinalco
- Huejotzingo to Valle de Bravo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Huejotzingo to San José del Pacífico?
About 5 h 58 min of driving without stops, over 313 miles.
How far is San José del Pacífico from Huejotzingo by car?
About 313 miles (503 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 Huejotzingo to San José del Pacífico?
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 Huejotzingo to San José del Pacífico?
The U.S. State Department rates Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Huejotzingo to San José del Pacífico use?
In order: MEX-150, MEX-190, MEX-150D, MEX-135D and MEX-175. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Huejotzingo and San José del Pacífico?
Closest to the road: Museo Regional de Cholula (anthropology museum, mile 11, 0.4 mi from the route); Great Pyramid of Cholula (pyramid, mile 11, 0.5 mi from the route); Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (folk art museum, mile 235, 0.1 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.