Pachuca to Comalcalco is about 471 road miles (758 km): roughly 8 h 16 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Total distance | 471 mi (758 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-88 → MEX-132 → MEX-M40D → MEX-150D → MEX-145D → MEX-180D → MEX-180 → MEX-187 |
| 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 18.8 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.
On the road from Pachuca to Comalcalco
MEX-150D (152 mi) and MEX-180D (55 mi) carry about 44% of the 471 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.
Road-by-road breakdown: Pachuca to Comalcalco
| 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 | 435–446 | 11 | Tabasco |
| MEX-187 | 446–467 | 21 | Tabasco |
| local roads | 467–471 | 4 | 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)
Places worth a stop between Pachuca and Comalcalco
- 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), Capilla del Arte (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.
Capilla del Arte
Capilla del Arte is a cultural space of the Universidad de las Américas Puebla in the old Las Fábricas de Francia building, with a contemporary art gallery and a reading nook.
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.
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
Getting to the ruins of Huatusco (Cuauhtochco) means crossing a suspension bridge and hiking a steep trail; a local guide is a good idea, and there are no visitor facilities. The Mexica-era temple keeps its original finishes.
La Venta
Once an important Olmec city, La Venta sits in Tabasco close to Huimanguillo. Monumental sandstone sculptures found at the foot of its main pyramid are among the 200-plus pieces in the site museum.
Arriving in Comalcalco
Comalcalco
Next to the modern city of the same name in Tabasco, Comalcalco is an ancient Maya site that stands out as a major Maya city built with bricks instead of limestone, and the westernmost of the civilization.
More drives to Comalcalco
- Chiautempan to Comalcalco
- Tlaxcala to Comalcalco
- Cuautla to Comalcalco
- Tulancingo to Comalcalco
- Cuernavaca to Comalcalco
- Tepotzotlán to Comalcalco
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
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Pachuca to Comalcalco?
About 8 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 471 miles.
How far is Comalcalco from Pachuca by car?
About 471 miles (758 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 Comalcalco?
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 Comalcalco?
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.
What roads does the drive from Pachuca to Comalcalco use?
In order: MEX-88, MEX-132, MEX-M40D, MEX-150D, MEX-145D, MEX-180D, MEX-180 and MEX-187. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Pachuca and Comalcalco?
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.