Oaxaca to Xico is about 240 road miles (386 km): roughly 5 h 7 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance | 240 mi (386 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 5 h 7 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-190 → MEX-135D → PUE 394 → PUE 307 |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-135D, MEX-150D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.6 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.
The Oaxaca–Xico drive in a few lines
MEX-135D (151 mi) and PUE 394 (17 mi) carry about 70% of the 240 miles. It runs through 3 states: Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-135D and MEX-150D. Of the 5 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Oaxaca to Xico
| 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 | 159–167 | 8 | Puebla |
| PUE 394 | 167–184 | 17 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 184–186 | 2 | Puebla |
| PUE 307 | 186–200 | 14 | Puebla |
| local roads | 200–240 | 40 | Puebla, Veracruz |
- Mile 107 of this route: Oaxaca → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 211 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Xico
- 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), Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 226)
- Museums and history: Suchilquitongo (mile 19), Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (mile 129)
Benito Juárez National Park
Hikers heading just north of Oaxaca City reach Benito Juárez National Park, where trails cross roughly 2,737 hectares of pine and oak. La Coronilla, a moderate loop, runs about 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
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
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.
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.
When you get to Xico
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 Xico
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 Xico?
About 5 h 7 min of driving without stops, over 240 miles.
What is the driving distance from Oaxaca to Xico?
About 240 miles (386 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 Xico?
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 Xico?
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.
What roads does the drive from Oaxaca to Xico use?
In order: MEX-190, MEX-135D, PUE 394 and PUE 307. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Oaxaca and Xico?
Closest to the road: Benito Juárez National Park (national park, mile 7, 3 mi from the route); Suchilquitongo (archaeological site, mile 19, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (museum, mile 129, 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.