By road, Orizaba and Balancán are about 419 miles (675 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 59 min of driving.
| Total distance | 419 mi (675 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 59 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150D → MEX-145D → MEX-180D → MEX-180 → MEX-186 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-150D, MEX-145D, MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.8 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.
What the drive from Orizaba to Balancán is like
MEX-186 (96 mi) and MEX-180 (59 mi) carry about 37% of the 419 miles. It runs through 3 states: Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-150D, MEX-145D and MEX-180D. Of the 5 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Orizaba to Balancán
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Veracruz |
| MEX-150D | 2–46 | 44 | Veracruz |
| local roads | 46–157 | 111 | Veracruz |
| MEX-145D | 157–188 | 31 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 188–209 | 21 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 209–228 | 19 | Veracruz, Tabasco |
| MEX-180D | 228–261 | 33 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 261–301 | 40 | Tabasco |
| local roads | 301–304 | 3 | Tabasco |
| MEX-186 | 304–400 | 96 | Tabasco, Chiapas |
| local roads | 400–419 | 19 | Tabasco |
- Mile 226 of this route: Veracruz → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 350 of this route: Tabasco → Chiapas (state line)
- Mile 393 of this route: Chiapas → Tabasco (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Orizaba and Balancán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Musevi (mile 302), Casa Museo Carlos Pellicer Cámara (mile 303)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz (mile 13), Huatusco (mile 39), La Venta (mile 229), Musevi (mile 302), Casa Museo Carlos Pellicer Cámara (mile 303)
Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz
Built in the first half of the 17th century, Córdoba's Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the city's main church; look up to see its octagonal dome covered in tiles, finished in a neoclassical style.
Huatusco
Above the Atoyac River in Carrillo Puerto, Cuauhtochco has a Mexica-era temple that still keeps original surface finishes. Expect no visitor facilities, and consider hiring a local guide.
La Venta
More than 200 artifacts fill the site museum at La Venta, among them massive sandstone sculptures discovered at the base of the main pyramid. The once-important Olmec city lies in Tabasco, near Huimanguillo.
Musevi
Built for Mexico's independence bicentennial, Musevi is a bridge by Las Ilusiones lagoon and Tomás Garrido Park in Villahermosa, with a museum of regional artists and a coffee shop on top.
Casa Museo Carlos Pellicer Cámara
Poet Carlos Pellicer Cámara, a major voice of 20th-century Mexican poetry, was born in this house in Villahermosa's historic center, now a museum since 1985.
In Balancán itself
Museo de Balancán Dr. José Gómez Panaco
Museo de Balancán Dr. José Gómez Panaco is an archaeology museum in the town of Balancán de Domínguez, in the Mexican state of Tabasco.
More drives to Balancán
- Tuxtla to Balancán
- Córdoba, Mexico to Balancán
- Xico to Balancán
- Puebla to Balancán
- Cholula to Balancán
- Zacatelco to Balancán
From Orizaba to other places in Mexico
- Orizaba to Zacatelco
- Orizaba to Apizaco
- Orizaba to Chiautempan
- Orizaba to Huejotzingo
- Orizaba to Tlaxcala
- Orizaba to Calpulalpan
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Orizaba to Balancán?
About 7 h 59 min of driving without stops, over 419 miles.
How far is Balancán from Orizaba by car?
About 419 miles (675 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 Orizaba to Balancán?
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 Orizaba to Balancán?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chiapas Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Orizaba to Balancán?
In order: MEX-150D, MEX-145D, MEX-180D, MEX-180 and MEX-186. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Orizaba to Balancán?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz (cathedral, mile 13, 2 mi from the route); Musevi (museum, mile 302, 0.2 mi from the route); Casa Museo Carlos Pellicer Cámara (museum, mile 303, 0.7 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.