Oaxaca to San Cristóbal de las Casas is about 359 road miles (578 km): roughly 6 h 8 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance by road | 359 mi (578 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-190 → MEX-190D → MEX-185D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca, Chiapas |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-190D, MEX-185D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.4 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.
On the road from Oaxaca to San Cristóbal de las Casas
MEX-190D (190 mi) and MEX-190 (90 mi) carry about 78% of the 359 miles. It runs through 2 states: Oaxaca, Chiapas. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-190D and MEX-185D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Oaxaca and San Cristóbal de las Casas
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 4–25 | 21 | Oaxaca |
| connecting roads | 25–28 | 3 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-190D | 28–133 | 105 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-185D | 133–162 | 29 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 162–212 | 50 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-200 | 212–244 | 32 | Oaxaca, Chiapas |
| MEX-190D | 244–301 | 57 | Chiapas |
| MEX-190 | 301–315 | 14 | Chiapas |
| local roads | 315–324 | 9 | Chiapas |
| MEX-190 | 324–329 | 5 | Chiapas |
| MEX-190D | 329–357 | 28 | Chiapas |
| local roads | 357–359 | 2 | Chiapas |
- Mile 231 of this route: Oaxaca → Chiapas (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Oaxaca and San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Dainzú (mile 13), Lambityeco (mile 18), Yagul (mile 21), Mitla (mile 25), Museo de Paleontología de Tuxtla (mile 321)
- Nature and outdoors: Hierve el Agua (mile 38)
- Museums and history: Dainzú (mile 13), Lambityeco (mile 18), Yagul (mile 21), Gheo-shih (mile 23), Mitla (mile 25), Museo de Paleontología de Tuxtla (mile 321), Museo de la Laca and the Santo Domingo monastery (mile 330)
Dainzú
About 20 km southeast of Oaxaca city, Dainzú is a Zapotec archaeological site, an ancient village that developed earlier than nearby Monte Albán and Mitla and was later contemporary with them.
Lambityeco
Lambityeco is a small Zapotec archaeological site just off Highway 190, about 3 km west of Tlacolula de Matamoros and roughly 25 km east of Oaxaca on the way to Mitla.
Yagul
On a rocky hill in Oaxaca's Tlacolula Valley, Yagul is a Zapotec site whose builders linked platforms by paths. Explore the Palace of the Six Patios, a ball court, tombs and a fortress wall with lookouts.
Gheo-shih
In the Oaxaca Valley, Gheo-shih ("River of the Gourd Trees" in Zapotec) is an open-air site with a boulder-lined cleared area thought to have served for rituals, dances or games.
Mitla
Mitla, the key site of Zapotec culture and Oaxaca's second major archaeological site after Monte Albán, lies 44 km from Oaxaca City at the upper end of the Tlacolula Valley.
Hierve el Agua
About 70 km east of Oaxaca City, Hierve el Agua's two cliffs rise 50 to 90 meters above the valley, draped in near-white travertine formations that look like waterfalls.
Museo de Paleontología de Tuxtla
Also known as the Museo Eliseo Palacios Aguilera, this Tuxtla Gutiérrez museum opened in 2002 and displays more than 200 fossils found in Chiapas, ranging from 10,000 to 300 million years old.
Museo de la Laca and the Santo Domingo monastery
Dominican friars built this convent in Chiapa de Corzo in the second half of the 16th century; today it is a cultural center whose Museo de la Laca is devoted to Chiapas' traditional lacquerwork.
Arriving in San Cristóbal de las Casas
Casa Na Bolom
Once the home of archaeologist Frans Blom and photographer Gertrude Duby Blom, Casa Na Bolom in San Cristóbal de las Casas occupies an 1891 building and shows pre-Hispanic, textile, ethnographic and colonial collections.
San Cristobal Cathedral
Seat of the Diocese of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, the San Cristobal Cathedral (Catedral de San Cristóbal de Las Casas) stands on the north side of the city's central plaza in Chiapas.
Museo de los Altos de Chiapas Ex Convento Santo Domingo de Guzmán
Attached to the baroque church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, this museum occupies the former convent and is one of the city's most traditional landmarks.
More drives to San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Tuxtla to San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Villahermosa to San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Coatzacoalcos to San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Tehuacán to San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Puebla to San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Cholula to San Cristóbal de las Casas
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 San Cristóbal de las Casas?
About 6 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 359 miles.
What is the driving distance from Oaxaca to San Cristóbal de las Casas?
About 359 miles (578 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 San Cristóbal de las Casas?
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 San Cristóbal de las Casas?
The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chiapas Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Oaxaca to San Cristóbal de las Casas use?
In order: MEX-190, MEX-190D, MEX-185D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Oaxaca to San Cristóbal de las Casas?
Closest to the road: Dainzú (archaeological site, mile 13, 0.6 mi from the route); Lambityeco (archaeological site, mile 18, 0.1 mi from the route); Mitla (archaeological site, mile 25, 0.3 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.