Mexico City to Oaxaca is about 285 road miles (458 km): roughly 4 h 37 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Total distance | 285 mi (458 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 4 h 37 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150D → MEX-135D → MEX-190 |
| Mexican states on the route | Mexico City, State of Mexico, Puebla, Oaxaca |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-150D, MEX-135D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.4 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 Mexico City to Oaxaca is like
MEX-135D (151 mi) and MEX-150D (115 mi) carry about 93% of the 285 miles. It runs through 4 states: Mexico City, State of Mexico, Puebla, Oaxaca. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-150D and MEX-135D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Mexico City and Oaxaca
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–10 | 10 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 10–11 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-150D | 11–126 | 115 | State of Mexico, Puebla |
| MEX-135D | 126–277 | 151 | Puebla, Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 277–282 | 5 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 282–285 | 3 | Oaxaca |
- Mile 6 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 39 of this route: State of Mexico → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 178 of this route: Puebla → Oaxaca (state line)
Places worth a stop between Mexico City and Oaxaca
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Jardín Botánico Medicinal De la Cruz-Badiano (mile 7), Museo Comunitario de San Miguel Teotongo (mile 11)
- Nature and outdoors: Jardín Botánico Medicinal De la Cruz-Badiano (mile 7), La Malinche National Park (mile 85), Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 169), Benito Juárez National Park (mile 277)
- Museums and history: Museo Comunitario de San Miguel Teotongo (mile 11), Acozac (mile 19), Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (mile 155)
- With kids: Iztapasauria (mile 8)
Jardín Botánico Medicinal De la Cruz-Badiano
UNAM's De la Cruz-Badiano medicinal botanical garden in Iztapalapa is one of Mexico's early gardens devoted to medicinal plants.
Iztapasauria
Opened on December 4, 2021, Iztapasauria is a dinosaur theme park inside the Deportivo Utopía Santa Cruz Meyehualco sports complex in Iztapalapa.
Museo Comunitario de San Miguel Teotongo
San Miguel Teotongo's community museum sits in the San Miguel Teotongo neighborhood of the Iztapalapa borough in Mexico City.
Acozac
Acozac is an archaeological site in the municipality of Ixtapaluca, State of Mexico, located at kilometer 30 of the federal Mexico City–Puebla road, heading toward Ixtapaluca.
Teatro de la Ciudad de Puebla
The Teatro de la Ciudad is a performance venue on the Portal Hidalgo, in the historic center of the city of Puebla.
La Malinche National Park
Pine, oak and fir forests cover the slopes of the inactive Matlalcuéyetl volcano, the centerpiece of La Malinche National Park in Tlaxcala.
Museo del Valle de Tehuacán
Tehuacán's 18th-century former Carmelite convent has housed the Valley of Tehuacán Museum since 2002. Exhibits trace the history of corn and its ties to the valley's early peoples.
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
This arid valley straddling Puebla and Oaxaca joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2018 as a mixed site. It is a major center of cactus diversity and preserves ancient canals, wells, terraces and dams built to manage scarce water.
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.
In Oaxaca itself
Monte Albán
Carved into a mountaintop above the Valley of Oaxaca, Monte Albán was a Zapotec capital for some 1,300 years; visitors walk a 300-meter ceremonial plaza lined with temples, a ball court, tombs and carved reliefs. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Soledad
Built between 1682 and 1690, the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Soledad in Oaxaca de Juárez is a sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of Solitude, patron saint of Oaxaca.
Historic centre of Oaxaca
The historic center of Oaxaca de Juárez has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, listed together with the archaeological site of Monte Albán as an example of Spanish colonial town planning.
More drives to Oaxaca
- Tehuacán to Oaxaca
- Puebla to Oaxaca
- Veracruz to Oaxaca
- Cuernavaca to Oaxaca
- Toluca to Oaxaca
- Tuxtla to Oaxaca
From Mexico City to other places in Mexico
- Mexico City to Metepec
- Mexico City to Toluca
- Mexico City to Cuernavaca
- Mexico City to Atlatlahucan
- Mexico City to Malinalco
- Mexico City to Cuautla
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Mexico City to Oaxaca?
About 4 h 37 min of driving without stops, over 285 miles.
How far is Oaxaca from Mexico City by car?
About 285 miles (458 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 Mexico City to Oaxaca?
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 Mexico City to Oaxaca?
The U.S. State Department rates Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Mexico City to Oaxaca?
In order: MEX-150D, MEX-135D and MEX-190. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Mexico City and Oaxaca?
Closest to the road: Jardín Botánico Medicinal De la Cruz-Badiano (botanical garden, mile 7, 0.7 mi from the route); Museo Comunitario de San Miguel Teotongo (museum, mile 11, 0.4 mi from the route); Acozac (archaeological site, mile 19, 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.