Plan on about 9 h 48 min of driving for the 444-mile (715 km) trip from Ocosingo to Izamal, before any stops.
| Total distance | 444 mi (715 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 48 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-199 → MEX-186 → MEX-261 → MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-202 → YUC 11 |
| Mexican states on the route | Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.8 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.
On the road from Ocosingo to Izamal
MEX-180 (130 mi) and MEX-186 (115 mi) carry about 55% of the 444 miles. It runs through 4 states: Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Ocosingo and Izamal
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Chiapas |
| MEX-199 | 1–89 | 88 | Chiapas |
| MEX-186 | 89–204 | 115 | Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche |
| MEX-261 | 204–254 | 50 | Campeche |
| connecting roads | 254–256 | 2 | Campeche |
| MEX-180 | 256–268 | 12 | Campeche |
| MEX-180D | 268–293 | 25 | Campeche |
| MEX-202 | 293–303 | 10 | Campeche |
| MEX-180 | 303–395 | 92 | Campeche, Yucatán |
| local roads | 395–404 | 9 | Yucatán |
| MEX-180 | 404–430 | 26 | Yucatán |
| YUC 11 | 430–444 | 14 | Yucatán |
- Mile 109 of this route: Chiapas → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 117 of this route: Tabasco → Campeche (state line)
- Mile 355 of this route: Campeche → Yucatán (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Izamal
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Xiol (mile 409)
- Nature and outdoors: Agua Azul (mile 36), Palenque National Park (mile 73)
- Museums and history: Museo de Barcos y Armas Fuerte de San José el Alto (mile 299), Uxmal (mile 354), Museo Conmemorativo de la Inmigración Coreana a Yucatán (mile 402), Xiol (mile 409), Cuca (mile 416)
Agua Azul
The Agua Azul cascades are a series of waterfalls on the Xanil River in Chiapas, in Tumbalá municipality about 69 km from Palenque, near Federal Highway 199.
Temple of the Inscriptions
At the Maya site of Palenque, the Temple of the Inscriptions is a stepped pyramid built as the funerary monument of Kʼinich Janaabʼ Pakal, who ruled the city in the 7th century.
Palenque National Park
Palenque National Park protects about 1,772 hectares around the Palenque archaeological zone in Chiapas. It was established by presidential decree in July 1981.
Historic Fortified Town of Campeche
Founded by the Spanish on the Gulf of Mexico, Campeche's walled center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sections of the hexagonal wall built from 1686 to 1704 against pirate raids survive with bastions and gates, framing a grid of colonial streets.
Museo de Barcos y Armas Fuerte de San José el Alto
Inside Fuerte de San José el Alto in Campeche city, the museum displays more than 900 objects recovered from underwater archaeological sites in the Gulf of Mexico, the Mexican Caribbean and the cenotes, lakes and rivers of the Yucatán Peninsula.
Uxmal
Founded around A.D. 700, the Maya city of Uxmal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Puuc-style buildings such as the Pyramid of the Soothsayer, the Governor's Palace and the Nunnery Quadrangle carry carvings of the rain god Chaac.
Museo Conmemorativo de la Inmigración Coreana a Yucatán
In Mérida's historic center, this memorial museum tells the story of the first Korean immigrants to Yucatán and their work in the henequen industry, with more than 200 photos, documents, newspapers and pieces of traditional clothing.
Xiol
Xiol is a Maya archaeological site in Kanasín, about 10 kilometers from Mérida, found by accident in 2018 during construction of an industrial complex. Its Maya name means "the spirit of man."
Cuca
Near the town of Tixpéhual in Yucatán, Cuca is a pre-Columbian Maya site of about 10 hectares, where dozens of structures and their remains lie scattered inside a low wall.
In Izamal itself
Convento de Izamal
Built between 1549 and 1561, the Convent of San Antonio de Padua in Izamal was the fifth convent erected in what is now the state of Yucatán.
Kinich Kakmó
Kinich Kakmó is an archaeological site in Izamal, Yucatán, about 66.5 km east of Mérida, dedicated to the Maya deity of the same name.
More drives to Izamal
- Maxcanú to Izamal
- Campeche to Izamal
- Champotón to Izamal
- Teapa to Izamal
- Coatzacoalcos to Izamal
- Progreso to Izamal
From Ocosingo to other places in Mexico
- Ocosingo to Ocozocoautla de Espinosa
- Ocosingo to Copainalá
- Ocosingo to Tlacotalpan
- Ocosingo to Xico
- Ocosingo to Naolinco
- Ocosingo to Ixtenco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Ocosingo to Izamal?
About 9 h 48 min of driving without stops, over 444 miles.
How far is Izamal from Ocosingo by car?
About 444 miles (715 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 Ocosingo to Izamal?
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 Ocosingo to Izamal?
The U.S. State Department rates Chiapas Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Campeche Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Yucatán Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Ocosingo to Izamal?
In order: MEX-199, MEX-186, MEX-261, MEX-180, MEX-180D, MEX-202 and YUC 11. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ocosingo and Izamal?
Closest to the road: Agua Azul (waterfall, mile 36, 1 mi from the route); Xiol (archaeological site, mile 409, 0.7 mi from the route); Cuca (archaeological site, mile 416, 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.