By road, Oaxaca and Papantla are about 334 miles (538 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 0 min of driving.
| Total distance | 334 mi (538 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 6 h 0 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-190 → MEX-135D → MEX-140D → MEX-129D → MEX-129 → MEX-180D → MEX-180 |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Veracruz |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-135D, MEX-150D, MEX-140D, MEX-129D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
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 Oaxaca to Papantla drive plays out
MEX-135D (151 mi) and MEX-129 (44 mi) carry about 58% of the 334 miles. It runs through 4 states: Oaxaca, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Veracruz. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-135D, MEX-150D and MEX-140D. Of the 5 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Oaxaca to Papantla
| 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 | 159–199 | 40 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 199–200 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-140D | 200–214 | 14 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| MEX-129D | 214–252 | 38 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 252–254 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-129 | 254–298 | 44 | Puebla, Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 298–327 | 29 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 327–334 | 7 | Veracruz |
- Mile 107 of this route: Oaxaca → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 199 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 209 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 261 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
Stops between Oaxaca and Papantla
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Suchilquitongo (mile 19), Teziutlán Cathedral (mile 254)
- Nature and outdoors: Benito Juárez National Park (mile 7), Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 116)
- Museums and history: Suchilquitongo (mile 19), Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (mile 130), Teziutlán Cathedral (mile 254)
Benito Juárez National Park
Just north of Oaxaca City, Benito Juárez National Park covers about 2,737 hectares of pine and oak forest. Trails wind through the woods, including La Coronilla, a moderate loop of roughly 5 km.
Suchilquitongo
Locals call this Zapotec hilltop city Cerro de la Campana; it flourished between about 300 and 800 AD in the northern Etla Valley. Tomb 5, excavated in 1985, holds murals and stucco carvings counted among ancient Mexico's finest funerary art.
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
Cactus diversity reaches one of its peaks in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, a dry landscape shared by Puebla and Oaxaca. Ancient canals, wells, terraces and dams show how people managed its scarce water.
Museo del Valle de Tehuacán
Inside an 18th-century former Carmelite convent in Tehuacán, the Valley of Tehuacán Museum opened in 2002 and focuses on the history of corn and its ties to the valley's early peoples.
Teziutlán Cathedral
The Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral (Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción) is a Catholic church located in the city of Teziutlán, Mexico.
Once you reach Papantla
Pirámide de los Nichos
The Pyramid of the Niches (Pirámide de los Nichos) stands in the El Tajín archaeological zone in northern Veracruz. Its seven stepped platforms rise to a summit reached by a north-side stairway edged with stepped-fret decoration.
Museo de Sitio de El Tajín
The Museo de Sitio de El Tajín is the museum complex inside the El Tajín archaeological zone in Veracruz, which UNESCO has recognized as cultural heritage since 1992.
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.
More drives to Papantla
- Cholula to Papantla
- Mexico City to Papantla
- Toluca to Papantla
- Cuernavaca to Papantla
- Cuautla to Papantla
- San Juan del Río to Papantla
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 is the drive from Oaxaca to Papantla?
About 6 h 0 min of driving without stops, over 334 miles.
How far is Papantla from Oaxaca by car?
About 334 miles (538 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 Papantla?
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 Papantla?
The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala 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 Papantla?
In order: MEX-190, MEX-135D, MEX-140D, MEX-129D, MEX-129, MEX-180D and MEX-180. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Oaxaca and Papantla?
Closest to the road: Suchilquitongo (archaeological site, mile 19, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (museum, mile 130, 3 mi from the route); Teziutlán Cathedral (cathedral, mile 254, 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.