The Wayro route from Orizaba to Calpulalpan is 140 miles (225 km), about 2 h 16 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 140 mi (225 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150D → MEX-M40D → MEX-136 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-150D, MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 5.6 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.
What the drive from Orizaba to Calpulalpan is like
MEX-150D (108 mi) and MEX-M40D (18 mi) carry about 90% of the 140 miles. MEX-150D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-136 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 3 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Orizaba to Calpulalpan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Veracruz |
| MEX-150D | 3–111 | 108 | Veracruz, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 111–112 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-M40D | 112–130 | 18 | Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| MEX-136 | 130–140 | 10 | Tlaxcala |
- Mile 23 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 116 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
Stops between Orizaba and Calpulalpan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 9), La Constancia Mexicana (mile 94)
- Nature and outdoors: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 9), La Malinche National Park (mile 84)
- Museums and history: Fort Guadalupe (mile 91), Museo Poblano de Arte Virreinal (mile 91), La Constancia Mexicana (mile 94), Cacaxtla (mile 107), Xochitecatl (mile 107)
Cañón del Río Blanco National Park
Cañón del Río Blanco National Park is a protected natural area in the Mexican state of Veracruz, set aside by the government as a national park.
La Malinche National Park
Tlaxcala's La Malinche National Park surrounds the inactive Matlalcuéyetl volcano, with pine, oak and fir forests on its slopes, hiking trails, birdwatching, and stone cabins and campsites at the Malintzi Vacation Center.
Fort Guadalupe
Fort Guadalupe is a fort you'll find in the city of Puebla, within the Mexican state of the same name.
Museo Poblano de Arte Virreinal
Puebla's San Pedro Museo de Arte, formerly the Museo Poblano de Arte Virreinal, opened in 2000 and focuses on New Spanish painting, with galleries for permanent and temporary exhibitions.
La Constancia Mexicana
A textile factory founded in 1835 in Puebla now houses the La Constancia museum complex, with a children's museum, a puppet house, a Mexican music museum, an automobile museum and a park of miniature world monuments.
Cacaxtla
Built on a hill rising above the Tlaxcala-Puebla valley, Cacaxtla is known for its pre-Hispanic murals on the Gran Basamento, a large platform now sheltered under a roof. INAH manages it together with nearby Xochitécatl.
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.
Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena
The former convent of Santa María Magdalena (Exconvento de Santa María Magdalena) is a 17th-century Baroque church built by the Dieguino friars, still in use as a Catholic temple of the Archdiocese of Puebla.
When you get to Calpulalpan
Tecoaque
Near Calpulalpan in western Tlaxcala, Tecoaque is a Mesoamerican archaeological site once inhabited by the Acolhua, one of the three groups that made up the Aztec Empire.
More drives to Calpulalpan
- Mexico City to Calpulalpan
- Pachuca to Calpulalpan
- Tepotzotlán to Calpulalpan
- Toluca to Calpulalpan
- Cuautla to Calpulalpan
- Cuernavaca to Calpulalpan
From Orizaba to other places in Mexico
- Orizaba to Zacatelco
- Orizaba to Apizaco
- Orizaba to Chiautempan
- Orizaba to Huejotzingo
- Orizaba to Tlaxcala
- Orizaba to Ocuituco
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Orizaba to Calpulalpan?
About 2 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 140 miles.
How far is Calpulalpan from Orizaba by car?
About 140 miles (225 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 Calpulalpan?
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 Calpulalpan?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Orizaba to Calpulalpan use?
In order: MEX-150D, MEX-M40D and MEX-136. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Orizaba and Calpulalpan?
Closest to the road: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 9, 0.6 mi from the route); La Constancia Mexicana (museum, mile 94, 0.4 mi from the route); Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena (convent, mile 112, 1 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 mile 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 (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city 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.