Plan on about 6 h 22 min of driving for the 333-mile (536 km) trip from Oaxaca to Poza Rica, before any stops.
| Distance | 333 mi (536 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 22 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-190 → MEX-135D → MEX-140D → MEX-129D → MEX-129 → PUE 895 → VER 127 → MEX-127 |
| 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 13.3 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.
Driving Oaxaca to Poza Rica: the shape of the trip
MEX-135D (151 mi) and MEX-129D (38 mi) carry about 57% of the 333 miles. It runs through 4 states: Oaxaca, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Veracruz. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-135D, MEX-150D and MEX-140D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Oaxaca and Poza Rica
| 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 | 254–266 | 12 | Puebla, Veracruz |
| PUE 895 | 266–288 | 22 | Veracruz, Puebla |
| local roads | 288–304 | 16 | Puebla |
| VER 127 | 304–318 | 14 | Puebla, Veracruz |
| MEX-127 | 318–333 | 15 | 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)
- Mile 270 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 305 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Poza Rica
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Suchilquitongo (mile 19), Teziutlán Cathedral (mile 254), Pirámide de los Nichos (mile 322), Museo de Sitio de El Tajín (mile 322)
- 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), Pirámide de los Nichos (mile 322), Museo de Sitio de El Tajín (mile 322)
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
Tomb 5 at Cerro de la Campana, excavated in 1985, holds murals and stucco carvings ranked among the finest funerary art of ancient Mexico. The Zapotec site crowns a hill in the northern Etla Valley.
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
This arid valley straddling Puebla and Oaxaca joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2018 as a mixed site. It is a major center of cactus diversity and preserves ancient canals, wells, terraces and dams built to manage scarce water.
Museo del Valle de Tehuacán
Tehuacán's 18th-century former Carmelite convent has housed the Valley of Tehuacán Museum since 2002. Exhibits trace 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.
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.
More drives to Poza Rica
- Cholula to Poza Rica
- Toluca to Poza Rica
- Cuernavaca to Poza Rica
- Salamanca to Poza Rica
- Morelia to Poza Rica
- Uruapan to Poza Rica
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 Poza Rica?
About 6 h 22 min of driving without stops, over 333 miles.
How far is Poza Rica from Oaxaca by car?
About 333 miles (536 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 Poza Rica?
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 Poza Rica?
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 Poza Rica?
In order: MEX-190, MEX-135D, MEX-140D, MEX-129D, MEX-129, PUE 895, VER 127 and MEX-127. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Oaxaca to Poza Rica?
Closest to the road: Suchilquitongo (archaeological site, mile 19, 0.4 mi from the route); Teziutlán Cathedral (cathedral, mile 254, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo de Sitio de El Tajín (museum, mile 322, 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 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.