The Wayro route from Orizaba to Santa Catarina Juquila is 291 miles (469 km), about 6 h 14 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 291 mi (469 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 14 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150 → MEX-135D → MEX-190 → MEX-131 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz, Puebla, Oaxaca |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-150D, MEX-135D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.7 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.
How the Orizaba to Santa Catarina Juquila drive plays out
MEX-135D (122 mi) and MEX-131 (81 mi) carry about 70% of the 291 miles. It runs through 3 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Oaxaca. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-150D and MEX-135D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Orizaba to Santa Catarina Juquila: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Veracruz |
| MEX-150 | 6–40 | 34 | Veracruz, Puebla |
| local roads | 40–45 | 5 | Puebla |
| MEX-135D | 45–167 | 122 | Puebla, Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 167–171 | 4 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 171–188 | 17 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-131 | 188–210 | 22 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 210–214 | 4 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-131 | 214–273 | 59 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 273–291 | 18 | Oaxaca |
- Mile 20 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 72 of this route: Puebla → Oaxaca (state line)
Places worth a stop between Orizaba and Santa Catarina Juquila
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (mile 42), Suchilquitongo (mile 155), Planetario Nundehui (mile 172), Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Soledad (mile 173), Zaachila (mile 181)
- Nature and outdoors: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 9), Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 58), Benito Juárez National Park (mile 166)
- Museums and history: Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (mile 42), Suchilquitongo (mile 155), Planetario Nundehui (mile 172), Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Soledad (mile 173), Zaachila (mile 181)
Cañón del Río Blanco National Park
Veracruz is home to Cañón del Río Blanco National Park, a natural area that the Mexican government has set aside for protection.
Museo del Valle de Tehuacán
Tehuacán's 18th-century former Carmelite convent has housed the Valley of Tehuacán Museum since 2002. Exhibits trace the history of corn and its ties to the valley's early peoples.
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
This arid valley straddling Puebla and Oaxaca joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2018 as a mixed site. It is a major center of cactus diversity and preserves ancient canals, wells, terraces and dams built to manage scarce water.
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.
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.
Planetario Nundehui
Built through a sister-city agreement between Palo Alto, California, and Oaxaca de Juárez, the Nundehui Planetarium opened in 1976 high on Cerro del Fortín, north of the Guelaguetza Auditorium.
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Soledad
Built between 1682 and 1690, the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Soledad in Oaxaca de Juárez is a sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of Solitude, patron saint of Oaxaca.
Monastery of Santiago Apóstol, Cuilapan de Guerrero
In the town of Cuilapan de Guerrero, the fortress-like former monastery of Santiago Apóstol is easy to spot from the highway south of Oaxaca City toward Villa de Zaachila and draws Mexican and international visitors.
Zaachila
Zaachila was a Zapotec city, later shared with Mixtecs, that was still inhabited when the Spanish arrived; its occupation reaches back to about 1500 BC. Visitors come for its excavated tombs, including Tomb 1 with stucco figures of those buried there.
More drives to Santa Catarina Juquila
- Tehuacán to Santa Catarina Juquila
- Tuxtepec to Santa Catarina Juquila
- Córdoba, Mexico to Santa Catarina Juquila
- Huamantla to Santa Catarina Juquila
- Puebla to Santa Catarina Juquila
- Cholula to Santa Catarina Juquila
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 Santa Catarina Juquila?
About 6 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 291 miles.
What is the driving distance from Orizaba to Santa Catarina Juquila?
About 291 miles (469 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 Santa Catarina Juquila?
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 Santa Catarina Juquila?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Oaxaca 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 Santa Catarina Juquila use?
In order: MEX-150, MEX-135D, MEX-190 and MEX-131. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Orizaba and Santa Catarina Juquila?
Closest to the road: Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (museum, mile 42, 0.3 mi from the route); Suchilquitongo (archaeological site, mile 155, 0.4 mi from the route); Zaachila (archaeological site, mile 181, 0.4 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.