By road, Pachuca and Cárdenas are about 448 miles (721 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 35 min of driving.
| Distance | 448 mi (721 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 7 h 35 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-88 → MEX-132 → MEX-M40D → MEX-150D → MEX-145D → MEX-180D → MEX-180 |
| Mexican states on the route | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz, Tabasco |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-M40D, MEX-150D, MEX-145D, MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.9 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.
How the Pachuca to Cárdenas drive plays out
MEX-150D (152 mi) and MEX-180D (55 mi) carry about 46% of the 448 miles. It runs through 6 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz, Tabasco. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-M40D, MEX-150D and MEX-145D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Pachuca to Cárdenas, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-88 | 2–18 | 16 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-132 | 18–22 | 4 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 22–68 | 46 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 68–220 | 152 | Puebla, Veracruz |
| local roads | 220–331 | 111 | Veracruz |
| MEX-145D | 331–362 | 31 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 362–383 | 21 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 383–401 | 18 | Veracruz, Tabasco |
| MEX-180D | 401–435 | 34 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 435–447 | 12 | Tabasco |
| local roads | 447–448 | 1 | Tabasco |
- Mile 21 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 34 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 41 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 64 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 152 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 400 of this route: Veracruz → Tabasco (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Pachuca and Cárdenas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Church and former convent of Todos los Santos (mile 16), Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 165)
- Nature and outdoors: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 165)
- Museums and history: Cacaxtla (mile 73), Museo Regional de la Revolución Mexicana (mile 88), Veracruz State Art Museum (mile 175), Huatusco (mile 213), La Venta (mile 403)
Church and former convent of Todos los Santos
Franciscan friars built this fortress-style convent in Zempoala, and the complex still keeps the classic layout of atrium, church, open chapel and cloister. It pairs well with a drive through the area's old pulque haciendas.
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.
Convento de Huejotzingo
Founded by Franciscans in the 16th century, the former convent of San Miguel Arcángel in Huejotzingo shows colonial Plateresque architecture on the western slopes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1994.
Museo Regional de la Revolución Mexicana
The Serdán family home in downtown Puebla, now the Museo Regional de la Revolución Mexicana, recalls Aquiles, Máximo and Carmen Serdán and the start of the 1910 Revolution. It opened in 1960.
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.
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.
Huatusco
Above the Atoyac River in Carrillo Puerto, the ruins of Huatusco (Cuauhtochco) include a Mexica-era temple that still keeps original surface finishes. There are no visitor facilities; reaching it means crossing a suspension bridge and climbing a steep trail, ideally with a local guide.
La Venta
La Venta was an important city of the Olmec civilization, in Tabasco near Huimanguillo. Its site museum displays more than 200 artifacts, including monumental sandstone sculptures found at the foot of the main pyramid.
More drives to Cárdenas
- Orizaba to Cárdenas
- Tehuacán to Cárdenas
- Cholula to Cárdenas
- Papantla to Cárdenas
- Cuautla to Cárdenas
- Mexico City to Cárdenas
From Pachuca to other places in Mexico
- Pachuca to Jilotepec
- Pachuca to Metepec
- Pachuca to Atlatlahucan
- Pachuca to Malinalco
- Pachuca to Amealco
- Pachuca to Cuautla
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Pachuca to Cárdenas?
About 7 h 35 min of driving without stops, over 448 miles.
How far is Cárdenas from Pachuca by car?
About 448 miles (721 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 Pachuca to Cárdenas?
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 Pachuca to Cárdenas?
The U.S. State Department rates Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico 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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Pachuca to Cárdenas?
In order: MEX-88, MEX-132, MEX-M40D, MEX-150D, MEX-145D, MEX-180D and MEX-180. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Pachuca to Cárdenas?
Closest to the road: Church and former convent of Todos los Santos (convent, mile 16, 0.6 mi from the route); Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (national park, mile 165, 0.4 mi from the route); Veracruz State Art Museum (art museum, mile 175, 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.