The Wayro route from Morelia to Tuxtepec is 448 miles (721 km), about 7 h 40 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 448 mi (721 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 40 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-126 → MEX-48D → MEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-150D → MEX-145 → MEX-175 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Veracruz (Level 2), Oaxaca (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-48D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-150D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.9 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 Morelia to Tuxtepec is like
MEX-150D (152 mi) and MEX-M40D (139 mi) carry about 65% of the 448 miles. MEX-48D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-150D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-126, MEX-145, MEX-175 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 7 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Morelia to Tuxtepec, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-126 | 0–4 | 4 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 4–6 | 2 | Michoacán |
| MEX-48D | 6–20 | 14 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 20–98 | 78 | Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 98–237 | 139 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 237–238 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 238–390 | 152 | Puebla, Veracruz |
| connecting roads | 390–392 | 2 | Veracruz |
| MEX-145 | 392–441 | 49 | Veracruz |
| MEX-175 | 441–448 | 7 | Veracruz, Oaxaca |
- Mile 80 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 130 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 160 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 174 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 191 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 203 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 211 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 234 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 322 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 445 of this route: Veracruz → Oaxaca (state line)
Stops between Morelia and Tuxtepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 334)
- Nature and outdoors: Insurgente José María Morelos y Pavón National Park (mile 7), Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 334)
- Museums and history: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 58), Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (mile 142), Teotihuacan (mile 191), Xochitecatl (mile 242), Museo Bello (mile 258)
Insurgente José María Morelos y Pavón National Park
Insurgente José María Morelos y Pavón National Park protects about 72 square kilometers of mountain terrain in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt in Michoacán.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl
The Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl is an archaeological museum located in Tula de Allende, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
Teotihuacan
Built between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, this UNESCO-listed ancient city lines the Avenue of the Dead, where you can walk between the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.
Xochitecatl
Xochitécatl is a pre-Hispanic archaeological site in the state of Tlaxcala. INAH runs it together with nearby Cacaxtla as a single zone, and the Xochitécatl site museum displays finds from the area.
Museo Bello
Puebla's Museo José Luis Bello y González shows the collection of industrialist José Luis Bello y González and his son: paintings, Talavera, featherwork, furniture, porcelain, ivory, glass and metalwork from America, Europe and Asia.
Cañón del Río Blanco National Park
Cañón del Río Blanco National Park is a protected natural area in the Mexican state of Veracruz, set aside by the government as a national park.
Teatro Pedro Díaz
In downtown Córdoba, the Teatro Pedro Díaz was built in the late 19th century by Pedro Díaz to a design by engineer A. Durán; its facade was remodeled in 1905.
More drives to Tuxtepec
- Cholula to Tuxtepec
- Mexico City to Tuxtepec
- Pachuca to Tuxtepec
- Toluca to Tuxtepec
- San Juan del Río to Tuxtepec
- Querétaro to Tuxtepec
From Morelia to other places in Mexico
- Morelia to Cotija
- Morelia to Amatitán
- Morelia to Tequila
- Morelia to Real de Asientos
- Morelia to Guadalupe, Zacatecas
- Morelia to Jerez, Zacatecas
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Morelia to Tuxtepec?
About 7 h 40 min of driving without stops, over 448 miles.
How far is Tuxtepec from Morelia by car?
About 448 miles (721 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 Morelia to Tuxtepec?
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 Morelia to Tuxtepec?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz 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 Morelia to Tuxtepec use?
In order: MEX-126, MEX-48D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-150D, MEX-145 and MEX-175. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Morelia and Tuxtepec?
Closest to the road: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 58, 1 mi from the route); Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (museum, mile 142, 1 mi from the route); Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 334, 0.5 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.