Ixtepec to Ixcateopan is about 531 road miles (854 km): roughly 9 h 51 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance by road | 531 mi (854 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 51 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-185D → MEX-185 → MEX-145D → MEX-150D → MEX-190 → PUE 438D → MEX-94D → MEX-95 → MEX-92D |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca, Veracruz, Puebla, Morelos, Guerrero |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-185D, MEX-145D, MEX-150D, MEX-94D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.2 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.
How the Ixtepec to Ixcateopan drive plays out
MEX-150D (131 mi) and MEX-145D (118 mi) carry about 47% of the 531 miles. It runs through 5 states: Oaxaca, Veracruz, Puebla, Morelos, Guerrero. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-185D, MEX-145D and MEX-150D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Ixtepec and Ixcateopan
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-185D | 2–16 | 14 | Oaxaca |
| connecting roads | 16–17 | 1 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-185 | 17–39 | 22 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 39–44 | 5 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-185 | 44–61 | 17 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 61–64 | 3 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-185 | 64–122 | 58 | Oaxaca, Veracruz |
| connecting roads | 122–123 | 1 | Veracruz |
| MEX-145D | 123–241 | 118 | Veracruz |
| MEX-150D | 241–372 | 131 | Veracruz, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 372–373 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 373–388 | 15 | Puebla |
| local roads | 388–398 | 10 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 398–432 | 34 | Puebla, Morelos |
| MEX-94D | 432–470 | 38 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 470–475 | 5 | Morelos |
| local roads | 475–482 | 7 | Morelos |
| MEX-95 | 482–501 | 19 | Morelos, Guerrero |
| connecting roads | 501–503 | 2 | Guerrero |
| MEX-92D | 503–508 | 5 | Guerrero |
| connecting roads | 508–509 | 1 | Guerrero |
| local roads | 509–531 | 22 | Guerrero |
- Mile 81 of this route: Oaxaca → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 309 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 424 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 495 of this route: Morelos → Guerrero (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Ixcateopan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 296), Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (mile 510), William Spratling Museum (mile 510)
- Nature and outdoors: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 296), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 497)
- Museums and history: Orizaba Cathedral (mile 288), International Museum of the Baroque (mile 387), Chalcatzingo (mile 432), Xochicalco (mile 482), Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (mile 510), William Spratling Museum (mile 510)
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.
Cañón del Río Blanco National Park
Protected as a national park by Mexico's government, Cañón del Río Blanco is a natural area in Veracruz state.
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.
Xochicalco
A fortified hilltop city that thrived between about 650 and 900, Xochicalco is a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can see the Pyramid of the Plumed Serpent with its carved reliefs, ball courts, an underground observatory and a site museum.
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.
Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco
Silver baron José de la Borda paid for Santa Prisca with the bonanza from his San Ignacio mine in Taxco, and the church was dedicated in 1759, the same year his nearby house on the plaza was finished.
William Spratling Museum
Taxco's archaeological museum grew from the collection of William Spratling, the American who revived the town's silver craft in the 1930s. It shows pre-Hispanic pieces, including Olmec and Mezcala-style works, plus a gallery on silversmithing.
Once you reach Ixcateopan
Ixcateopan
Some 36 kilometers from Taxco in the rugged mountains of northern Guerrero, the ruins at Ixcateopan de Cuauhtémoc belong to a city that served as an important regional ceremonial center.
More drives to Ixcateopan
- Tlaltizapán to Ixcateopan
- Tepoztlán to Ixcateopan
- Metepec to Ixcateopan
- Oaxtepec to Ixcateopan
- Tlayacapan to Ixcateopan
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Ixcateopan
From Ixtepec to other places in Mexico
- Ixtepec to Capulalpam de Méndez
- Ixtepec to San Miguel, Morelos
- Ixtepec to Tetela del Volcán
- Ixtepec to Otumba
- Ixtepec to Atlatlahucan
- Ixtepec to Tepoztlán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Ixtepec to Ixcateopan?
About 9 h 51 min of driving without stops, over 531 miles.
What is the driving distance from Ixtepec to Ixcateopan?
About 531 miles (854 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 Ixtepec to Ixcateopan?
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 Ixtepec to Ixcateopan?
The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Ixtepec to Ixcateopan?
In order: MEX-185D, MEX-185, MEX-145D, MEX-150D, MEX-190, PUE 438D, MEX-94D, MEX-95 and MEX-92D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Ixtepec to Ixcateopan?
Closest to the road: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (national park, mile 296, 0.5 mi from the route); Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (church, mile 510, 0.3 mi from the route); William Spratling Museum (museum, mile 510, 0.4 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.