Plan on about 8 h 36 min of driving for the 490-mile (788 km) trip from Otumba to Copainalá, before any stops.
| Total distance | 490 mi (788 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 36 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-M40D → MEX-150D → MEX-145D → MEX-180D → MEX-180 → MEX-187D |
| Mexican states on the route | State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-M40D, MEX-150D, MEX-145D, MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.6 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.
Driving Otumba to Copainalá: the shape of the trip
MEX-150D (152 mi) and MEX-187D (83 mi) carry about 48% of the 490 miles. It runs through 7 states: State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-M40D, MEX-150D and MEX-145D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Otumba to Copainalá
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–10 | 10 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 10–48 | 38 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 48–200 | 152 | Puebla, Veracruz |
| local roads | 200–311 | 111 | Veracruz |
| MEX-145D | 311–342 | 31 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 342–363 | 21 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 363–367 | 4 | Veracruz |
| MEX-187D | 367–450 | 83 | Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas |
| local roads | 450–490 | 40 | Chiapas |
- Mile 14 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 21 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 44 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 132 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 429 of this route: Veracruz → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 436 of this route: Tabasco → Chiapas (state line)
Places worth a stop between Otumba and Copainalá
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Constancia Mexicana (mile 66), Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 145)
- Nature and outdoors: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 145)
- Museums and history: Cacaxtla (mile 53), Xochitecatl (mile 53), La Constancia Mexicana (mile 66), Museo Bello (mile 68), Fort Guadalupe (mile 70), Orizaba Cathedral (mile 153), Veracruz State Art Museum (mile 155), Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz (mile 167)
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.
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.
Museo Bello
Puebla's Museo José Luis Bello y González shows the collection of industrialist José Luis Bello y González and his son: paintings, Talavera, featherwork, furniture, porcelain, ivory, glass and metalwork from America, Europe and Asia.
Fort Guadalupe
Fort Guadalupe is a fort you'll find in the city of Puebla, within the Mexican state of the same name.
Cañón del Río Blanco National Park
Protected as a national park by Mexico's government, Cañón del Río Blanco is a natural area in Veracruz state.
Orizaba Cathedral
The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel is the main Catholic church of Orizaba, in the state of Veracruz, and the seat of the Diocese of Orizaba.
Veracruz State Art Museum
Housed in Orizaba's 18th-century former Oratorio of San Felipe Neri, later a hospital and then a jail, the Veracruz State Art Museum (Museo de Arte del Estado) holds more than 700 works, including 36 by Diego Rivera.
Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz
Córdoba's main church, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, was built in the first half of the 17th century. Look up to see its tiled octagonal dome.
More drives to Copainalá
- Zacatelco to Copainalá
- Tlaxcala to Copainalá
- Huejotzingo to Copainalá
- Calpulalpan to Copainalá
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Copainalá
- Zacatlán to Copainalá
From Otumba to other places in Mexico
- Otumba to Atlatlahucan
- Otumba to Malinalco
- Otumba to Tonatico
- Otumba to Amealco
- Otumba to Mineral de Pozos
- Otumba to Santa Fe de la Laguna
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Otumba to Copainalá?
About 8 h 36 min of driving without stops, over 490 miles.
How far is Copainalá from Otumba by car?
About 490 miles (788 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 Otumba to Copainalá?
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 Otumba to Copainalá?
The U.S. State Department rates State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; 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.
What roads does the drive from Otumba to Copainalá use?
In order: MEX-M40D, MEX-150D, MEX-145D, MEX-180D, MEX-180 and MEX-187D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Otumba to Copainalá?
Closest to the road: La Constancia Mexicana (museum, mile 66, 0.4 mi from the route); Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (national park, mile 145, 0.5 mi from the route); Veracruz State Art Museum (art museum, mile 155, 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 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.