By road, Montemorelos and Huejotzingo are about 541 miles (871 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 46 min of driving.
What the State Department tells travelers on this route:
- Nuevo León: “Those traveling between the U.S. border and Monterrey on highways 85/85D, 54, and 40/40D should exercise caution and avoid travel after dark.”
- Nuevo León: “Armed robberies and carjackings have occurred along these highways even during daylight hours.”
| Total distance | 541 mi (871 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 46 min |
| Main roads, in order | NL 85 → MEX-85 → MEX-83 → MEX-81 → MEX-80 → TAM 143 → MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-130D → MEX-132D → MEX-119D → MEX-119 → MEX-117D → MEX-150 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D, MEX-130D, MEX-132D, MEX-119D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 Montemorelos to Huejotzingo is like
MEX-85 (106 mi) and MEX-132D (63 mi) carry about 31% of the 541 miles. It runs through 6 states: Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D, MEX-130D and MEX-132D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Montemorelos and Huejotzingo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Nuevo León |
| NL 85 | 1–5 | 4 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-85 | 5–111 | 106 | Nuevo León, Tamaulipas |
| MEX-83 | 111–169 | 58 | Tamaulipas |
| MEX-81 | 169–220 | 51 | Tamaulipas |
| MEX-80 | 220–253 | 33 | Tamaulipas |
| connecting roads | 253–254 | 1 | Tamaulipas |
| TAM 143 | 254–266 | 12 | Tamaulipas |
| local roads | 266–272 | 6 | Tamaulipas |
| MEX-180 | 272–311 | 39 | Veracruz |
| local roads | 311–340 | 29 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 340–374 | 34 | Veracruz |
| MEX-130D | 374–389 | 15 | Veracruz |
| MEX-132D | 389–452 | 63 | Veracruz, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 452–454 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-119D | 454–494 | 40 | Hidalgo, Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 494–495 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-119 | 495–508 | 13 | Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 508–511 | 3 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-117D | 511–531 | 20 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 531–533 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-150 | 533–541 | 8 | Puebla |
- Mile 47 of this route: Nuevo León → Tamaulipas (state line)
- Mile 272 of this route: Tamaulipas → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 398 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 452 of this route: Puebla → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 457 of this route: Hidalgo → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 488 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 529 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Huejotzingo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de San Felipe Apóstol (mile 32), Museo Casa de Piedra (mile 508), Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia (mile 513), Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco (mile 518), Exconvento de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves (mile 519)
- Museums and history: Catedral de San Felipe Apóstol (mile 32), Tampico Cathedral (mile 272), Aduana de Tampico (mile 272), El Tajín (mile 388), Museo Casa de Piedra (mile 508), Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco (mile 518)
Catedral de San Felipe Apóstol
The seat of the Diocese of Linares, the Catedral de San Felipe Apóstol has a Latin-cross layout and a limestone-faced Baroque facade, with oil paintings of the four Evangelists inside.
Tampico Cathedral
Facing the Plaza de Armas in Tampico's historic center, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is the city's main church and a downtown landmark.
Aduana de Tampico
Tampico's old customs house is a Porfirian-era building on the north bank of the Pánuco River mouth that began operating in 1902. Its ground floor now holds a museum on the 1829 Battle of Tampico, with a period cannon, weapons and uniforms.
El Tajín
Look for elaborately carved reliefs on columns and friezes at El Tajín, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Veracruz, along with the Pyramid of the Niches and some of the site's 17 ballcourts.
Museo Casa de Piedra
Apizaco's old railroad station, dating from 1916, now houses the Museo Casa de Piedra. Inside, photographs and documents trace the town's history, especially its long ties to the railroads.
Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia
The ruined walls of this 16th-century Franciscan convent in Atlihuetzia rise as high as 21 meters beside the 17th-century Purísima Concepción church. The site also holds a sanctuary to Cristóbal, honored as the first Catholic child martyr in the Americas.
Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco
Ocotelulco was the principal Tlaxcalan lordship in 1519; its site museum displays about 750 excavated objects beside temple remains painted with Tezcatlipoca and the fire serpent, and an ethnobotanical garden surrounds the building.
Exconvento de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves
The remains of this 16th-century convent stand in San Juan Totolac, Tlaxcala, and are open to visitors. Parts of the nave, two side chapels and a freestanding bell tower survive; in 1591 Tlaxcalan families left here to settle northern New Spain.
In Huejotzingo itself
Convento de Huejotzingo
Founded by Franciscans in the 16th century, the former convent of San Miguel Arcángel in Huejotzingo shows colonial Plateresque architecture on the western slopes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1994.
More drives to Huejotzingo
- Cuautla to Huejotzingo
- Mexico City to Huejotzingo
- Pachuca to Huejotzingo
- Tepotzotlán to Huejotzingo
- Cuernavaca to Huejotzingo
- Actopan to Huejotzingo
From Montemorelos to other places in Mexico
- Montemorelos to Ciudad Tula
- Montemorelos to Jerez, Zacatecas
- Montemorelos to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Montemorelos to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Montemorelos to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Montemorelos to San Juan de los Lagos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Montemorelos to Huejotzingo?
About 10 h 46 min of driving without stops, over 541 miles.
What is the driving distance from Montemorelos to Huejotzingo?
About 541 miles (871 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 Montemorelos to Huejotzingo?
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 Montemorelos to Huejotzingo?
The U.S. State Department rates Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tamaulipas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Montemorelos to Huejotzingo use?
In order: NL 85, MEX-85, MEX-83, MEX-81, MEX-80, TAM 143, MEX-180, MEX-180D, MEX-130D, MEX-132D, MEX-119D, MEX-119, MEX-117D and MEX-150. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Montemorelos and Huejotzingo?
Closest to the road: Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia (convent, mile 513, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco (museum, mile 518, 0.3 mi from the route); Exconvento de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves (convent, mile 519, 0.2 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.