Plan on about 8 h 3 min of driving for the 503-mile (809 km) trip from Oaxaca to Pénjamo, before any stops.
| Distance | 503 mi (809 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 3 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-190 → MEX-135D → MEX-150D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-90 |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-135D, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.1 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.
The Oaxaca–Pénjamo drive in a few lines
MEX-135D (151 mi) and MEX-M40D (106 mi) carry about 51% of the 503 miles. It runs through 7 states: Oaxaca, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-135D, MEX-150D and MEX-M40D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Oaxaca to Pénjamo: the road sequence
| 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 |
| MEX-150D | 158–227 | 69 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 227–228 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-M40D | 228–334 | 106 | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-57D | 334–370 | 36 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| MEX-47D | 370–423 | 53 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 423–472 | 49 | Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 472–473 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90 | 473–501 | 28 | Guanajuato |
| local roads | 501–503 | 2 | Guanajuato |
- Mile 107 of this route: Oaxaca → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 233 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 255 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 263 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 276 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 293 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 306 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 335 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 368 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 410 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
Places worth a stop between Oaxaca and Pénjamo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Suchilquitongo (mile 19)
- Nature and outdoors: Benito Juárez National Park (mile 7), Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 116), El Cimatario National Park (mile 405)
- Museums and history: Suchilquitongo (mile 19), Casa del Deán (mile 208), Xochitecatl (mile 224), Tula (mile 322), Irapuato Cathedral (mile 470)
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
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.
Convent Church of San Francisco, Puebla
The Convent Church of San Francisco is a historic church that you'll find in the city of Puebla, in the Mexican state of Puebla.
Casa del Deán
Built in 1563 for Tomás de la Plaza y Goes, dean of Puebla Cathedral, the Casa del Deán is a historic house in Puebla that takes its name from his post.
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.
Tula
The Toltecs once ruled from Tula, now an archaeological zone. Its Coatepantli wall is carved with snakes devouring skeletons, and the famous Atlantes stand atop the main pyramid.
El Cimatario National Park
El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.
Irapuato Cathedral
Irapuato's cathedral, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, dates from the 18th century and has a Baroque facade. It served as the seat of the local parish until 2004, when the new Diocese of Irapuato made it a cathedral.
More drives to Pénjamo
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Pénjamo
- Zacatecas to Pénjamo
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Pénjamo
- Fresnillo to Pénjamo
- Durango to Pénjamo
- Mazatlán to Pénjamo
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 Pénjamo?
About 8 h 3 min of driving without stops, over 503 miles.
How far is Pénjamo from Oaxaca by car?
About 503 miles (809 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 Pénjamo?
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 Pénjamo?
The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Oaxaca to Pénjamo?
In order: MEX-190, MEX-135D, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D and MEX-90. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Oaxaca to Pénjamo?
Closest to the road: Suchilquitongo (archaeological site, mile 19, 0.4 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 322, 1 mi from the route); Irapuato Cathedral (cathedral, mile 470, 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.