The Wayro route from Otumba to Oaxtepec is 77 miles (124 km), about 2 h 2 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 77 mi (124 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 2 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-136 → MEX-5D → MEX-115 |
| Mexican states on the route | State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-5D, MEX-115D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 3.1 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 Otumba to Oaxtepec is like
MEX-115 (19 mi) and MEX-136 (16 mi) carry about 45% of the 77 miles. MEX-5D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-136, MEX-115 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 2 states: State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Otumba to Oaxtepec, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–5 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 5–6 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-136 | 6–22 | 16 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 22–23 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-5D | 23–35 | 12 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 35–36 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-115 | 36–52 | 16 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 52–66 | 14 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| MEX-115 | 66–69 | 3 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 69–70 | 1 | Morelos |
| local roads | 70–77 | 7 | Morelos |
- Mile 59 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Otumba and Oaxtepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Texcoco Cathedral (mile 17), Sacromonte National Park (mile 51), Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl (mile 70), Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol (mile 70)
- Nature and outdoors: Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad (mile 47), Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park (mile 50), Sacromonte National Park (mile 51)
- Museums and history: Tepetlaoztoc (mile 11), Texcoco Cathedral (mile 17)
Tepetlaoztoc
Tepetlaoztoc, also spelled Tepetlaoxtoc, was an Aztec-Nahua settlement of the Late Postclassic period in central Mexico, and it stayed occupied into the colonial era.
Texcoco Cathedral
Texcoco's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception occupies a former convent built by the Franciscans in the 16th century, one of the order's early convent complexes in the Americas.
Historic center of Mexico City
Built by the Spanish in the 16th century on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, Mexico City's Centro Histórico holds the Metropolitan Cathedral, the excavated Aztec Templo Mayor and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1987.
Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad
Bosque de los Árboles de Navidad in Amecameca, State of Mexico, is a tourist park with a greenhouse, covering about 400 hectares.
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park, also called Izta-Popo Zoquiapan, protects the land around Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, Mexico's second- and third-highest peaks, where the states of México, Puebla and Morelos meet.
Sacromonte National Park
Sacromonte National Park is a national park and protected area in the State of Mexico, established in 1952 and covering roughly 0.44 square kilometers.
Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
Inscribed by UNESCO in 1994, this World Heritage site groups early 16th-century monasteries that Franciscan, Dominican and Augustinian friars built on the slopes of Popocatépetl, with large open spaces used to evangelize the Indigenous population.
Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol
Built by Augustinian friars, the Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol in Atlatlahucan is well preserved, with murals and decorated vaults, and is associated with the origins of the Chinelo dancers.
When you get to Oaxtepec
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
More drives to Oaxtepec
- Malinalco to Oaxtepec
- Mexico City to Oaxtepec
- Metepec to Oaxtepec
- Toluca to Oaxtepec
- Taxco to Oaxtepec
- Tepotzotlán to Oaxtepec
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 Oaxtepec?
About 2 h 2 min of driving without stops, over 77 miles.
How far is Oaxtepec from Otumba by car?
About 77 miles (124 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 Oaxtepec?
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 Oaxtepec?
The U.S. State Department rates State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Otumba to Oaxtepec use?
In order: MEX-136, MEX-5D and MEX-115. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Otumba and Oaxtepec?
Closest to the road: Texcoco Cathedral (cathedral, mile 17, 0.1 mi from the route); Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl (world Heritage Site, mile 70, 0.2 mi from the route); Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol (convent, mile 70, 0.2 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 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.