Plan on about 4 h 49 min of driving for the 264-mile (425 km) trip from Oaxaca to Coatepec, before any stops.
| Distance | 264 mi (425 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 49 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-190 → MEX-135D → MEX-140 → MEX-140D → VER 7 |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-135D, MEX-150D, MEX-140D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 Oaxaca to Coatepec is like
MEX-135D (151 mi) and MEX-140 (39 mi) carry about 72% of the 264 miles. It runs through 3 states: Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-135D, MEX-150D and MEX-140D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Oaxaca to Coatepec, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 2–7 | 5 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-135D | 7–158 | 151 | Oaxaca, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 158–159 | 1 | Puebla |
| local roads | 159–183 | 24 | Puebla |
| MEX-140 | 183–222 | 39 | Puebla, Veracruz |
| MEX-140D | 222–251 | 29 | Veracruz |
| connecting roads | 251–255 | 4 | Veracruz |
| local roads | 255–259 | 4 | Veracruz |
| VER 7 | 259–263 | 4 | Veracruz |
| local roads | 263–264 | 1 | Veracruz |
- Mile 107 of this route: Oaxaca → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 219 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Oaxaca and Coatepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Suchilquitongo (mile 19), Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (mile 255), Museo Casa Xalapa (mile 257)
- Nature and outdoors: Benito Juárez National Park (mile 7), Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 116), Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 229)
- Museums and history: Suchilquitongo (mile 19), Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (mile 130), Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (mile 255), Museo Casa Xalapa (mile 257)
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.
Suchilquitongo
From around 300 to 800 AD, a Zapotec city thrived on a hilltop in the northern Etla Valley. Locals know the site as Cerro de la Campana.
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.
Museo del Valle de Tehuacán
The history of corn and how it connects to the valley's early peoples is the focus of the Valley of Tehuacán Museum, which opened in 2002 in a former Carmelite convent.
Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote
Cofre de Perote National Park protects the forested slopes of the mountain, and its role is practical as well as scenic: a little over 40 percent of the water used in Xalapa comes from here.
Xalapa Museum of Anthropology
Run by the Universidad Veracruzana in a building designed by Edward Durell Stone, the Xalapa Museum of Anthropology displays more than 1,500 pieces from Olmec, central Veracruz and Huastec cultures, including several Olmec colossal heads, amid subtropical gardens.
Museo Casa Xalapa
Also called the Museo de la Ciudad, or MUXA, Museo Casa Xalapa traces the history of the Veracruz capital and state from pre-Hispanic times to today. It opened in 2007 and was renovated in 2016.
In Coatepec itself
Jardín Botánico Francisco J. Clavijero
Opened in 1977 by the Instituto de Ecología near Xalapa, this botanical garden sits in native cloud forest beside a 30-hectare forest sanctuary and keeps notable collections of Mexican cycads, bamboo and carnivorous butterworts.
Cascada de Texolo
Two waterfalls on the Matlacobatl River, Texolo with a 20-meter drop and La Monja with about 8 meters, sit roughly 3 kilometers from Xico amid cloud forest included in a Ramsar wetland site.
More drives to Coatepec
- Teziutlán to Coatepec
- Puebla to Coatepec
- Cholula to Coatepec
- Tulancingo to Coatepec
- Pachuca to Coatepec
- Mexico City to Coatepec
From Oaxaca to other places in Mexico
- Oaxaca to Orizaba
- Oaxaca to Córdoba, Mexico
- Oaxaca to Cholula
- Oaxaca to Zacatelco
- Oaxaca to Chiautempan
- Oaxaca to Apizaco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Oaxaca to Coatepec?
About 4 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 264 miles.
How far is Coatepec from Oaxaca by car?
About 264 miles (425 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 Oaxaca to Coatepec?
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 Oaxaca to Coatepec?
The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Oaxaca to Coatepec?
In order: MEX-190, MEX-135D, MEX-140, MEX-140D and VER 7. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Oaxaca and Coatepec?
Closest to the road: Suchilquitongo (archaeological site, mile 19, 0.4 mi from the route); Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (archaeological museum, mile 255, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Casa Xalapa (museum, mile 257, 0.7 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.