By road, Oaxaca and Zitácuaro are about 383 miles (617 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 16 min of driving.
| Distance | 383 mi (617 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-190 → MEX-135D → MEX-150D → Viaducto → Periférico → MEX-134D → MEX-A6D → MEX-A7D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca, Puebla, State of Mexico, Mexico City, Michoacán |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-135D, MEX-150D, MEX-134D, MEX-A6D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.3 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.
What the drive from Oaxaca to Zitácuaro is like
MEX-135D (151 mi) and MEX-150D (117 mi) carry about 70% of the 383 miles. It runs through 5 states: Oaxaca, Puebla, State of Mexico, Mexico City, Michoacán. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-135D, MEX-150D and MEX-134D. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Oaxaca to Zitácuaro, road by road
| 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 | 158–275 | 117 | Puebla, State of Mexico |
| local roads | 275–280 | 5 | State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 280–281 | 1 | Mexico City |
| Viaducto | 281–288 | 7 | Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 288–289 | 1 | Mexico City |
| Periférico | 289–292 | 3 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 292–294 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 294–299 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 299–300 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-134D | 300–320 | 20 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-A6D | 320–336 | 16 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-A7D | 336–370 | 34 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 370–377 | 7 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 377–382 | 5 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 382–383 | 1 | Michoacán |
- Mile 107 of this route: Oaxaca → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 246 of this route: Puebla → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 278 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 291 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 368 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Oaxaca and Zitácuaro
- Nature and outdoors: Benito Juárez National Park (mile 7), Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 116), Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 309), Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (mile 375)
- Museums and history: Fort Loreto (mile 208), Xochitecatl (mile 224), Museo del Ejército y Fuerza Aérea Mexicanos (mile 285)
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.
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.
Fort Loreto
Fort Loreto is a fort that stands in the city of Puebla, in the Mexican state of the same name.
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.
Teatro de la Ciudad
Built in 1918 as the Teatro Esperanza Iris, the Teatro de la Ciudad on Donceles Street is one of the public stages of Mexico City's historic center.
Museo del Ejército y Fuerza Aérea Mexicanos
The Museum of the Mexican Army and Air Force stands on a downtown Mexico City property taken from the church during the Reform era, later home to the Diario del Hogar newspaper founded by Filomeno Mata.
Diana the Huntress Fountain
Unveiled in 1942, the Diana the Huntress Fountain by Enrique Alciati stands in a roundabout on Paseo de la Reforma between Colonia Cuauhtémoc and Colonia Juárez.
Desierto de los Leones National Park
Declared a national park in 1917, this fir, ash and oak forest in Mexico City's Cuajimalpa and Álvaro Obregón boroughs surrounds a former Carmelite monastery. Locals come to hike, run and cycle, and more than 100 bird species live here.
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
Every fall, millions of monarch butterflies from across North America return to the oyamel fir forests about 100 km northwest of Mexico City, clustering so densely they bend branches. The reserve became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
More drives to Zitácuaro
- San Juan del Río to Zitácuaro
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Zitácuaro
- Zacatecas to Zitácuaro
- Fresnillo to Zitácuaro
- Durango to Zitácuaro
- Mazatlán to Zitácuaro
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 Zitácuaro?
About 6 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 383 miles.
How far is Zitácuaro from Oaxaca by car?
About 383 miles (617 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 Zitácuaro?
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 Zitácuaro?
The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Oaxaca to Zitácuaro?
In order: MEX-190, MEX-135D, MEX-150D, Viaducto, Periférico, MEX-134D, MEX-A6D, MEX-A7D, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Oaxaca to Zitácuaro?
Closest to the road: Fort Loreto (fort, mile 208, 2 mi from the route); Xochitecatl (archaeological site, mile 224, 2 mi from the route); Diana the Huntress Fountain (sculpture, mile 290, 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.