Paraiso to Oaxtepec is about 477 road miles (767 km): roughly 8 h 17 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance by road | 477 mi (767 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 17 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-187 → MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-145D → MEX-150D → MEX-190 → PUE 438D → MEX-160 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tabasco, Veracruz, Puebla, Morelos |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D, MEX-145D, MEX-150D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.1 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 Paraiso to Oaxtepec: the shape of the trip
MEX-145D (142 mi) and MEX-150D (132 mi) carry about 57% of the 477 miles. It runs through 4 states: Tabasco, Veracruz, Puebla, Morelos. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D, MEX-145D and MEX-150D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Paraiso to Oaxtepec, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Tabasco |
| MEX-187 | 1–37 | 36 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 37–48 | 11 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180D | 48–81 | 33 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 81–100 | 19 | Tabasco, Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 100–121 | 21 | Veracruz |
| MEX-145D | 121–263 | 142 | Veracruz |
| MEX-150D | 263–395 | 132 | Veracruz, Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 395–410 | 15 | Puebla |
| local roads | 410–421 | 11 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 421–455 | 34 | Puebla, Morelos |
| MEX-160 | 455–471 | 16 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 471–472 | 1 | Morelos |
| local roads | 472–477 | 5 | Morelos |
- Mile 84 of this route: Tabasco → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 332 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 447 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Paraiso and Oaxtepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Comalcalco (mile 11), Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 319)
- Nature and outdoors: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 319)
- Museums and history: Comalcalco (mile 11), La Venta (mile 81), Orizaba Cathedral (mile 310), Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla (mile 400), International Museum of the Baroque (mile 410), Museo Histórico del Oriente de Morelos "Casa de Morelos" (mile 469)
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.
La Venta
More than 200 artifacts fill the site museum at La Venta, among them massive sandstone sculptures discovered at the base of the main pyramid. The once-important Olmec city lies in Tabasco, near Huimanguillo.
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.
Cañón del Río Blanco National Park
Cañón del Río Blanco National Park is a protected natural area in the Mexican state of Veracruz, set aside by the government as a national park.
Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla
Behind the facade of Puebla's Santo Domingo church hides the Capilla del Rosario, inaugurated in 1690. Gold covers its walls, pilasters and vaults, and contemporaries hailed it as the eighth wonder of the New World.
International Museum of the Baroque
Designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito and opened in 2016, Puebla's baroque museum wraps its galleries in curving white concrete walls beside a reflecting pond. Exhibits cover baroque painting, sculpture, architecture, music, theater and literature.
Tonantzintla Observatory
The Tonantzintla Observatory in Puebla was home to the National Astrophysical Observatory directed by Guillermo Haro. Its main instrument, a Schmidt camera, was a wide-field telescope built for photographing the sky.
Museo Histórico del Oriente de Morelos "Casa de Morelos"
In this 18th-century house in Cuautla, José María Morelos lived during the 1812 Siege of Cuautla. Its INAH galleries trace regional history through Morelos and Emiliano Zapata and display "El Niño," his first cannon, a gift from the Galeana family.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Yecapixtla
The 16th-century church and former monastery of San Juan Bautista in Yecapixtla belongs to the Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl, inscribed by UNESCO in 1994 as early missionary architecture with large open courtyards.
In Oaxtepec itself
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
- Otumba to Oaxtepec
- Taxco to Oaxtepec
From Paraiso to other places in Mexico
- Paraiso to Huamantla
- Paraiso to Zacatelco
- Paraiso to Chiautempan
- Paraiso to Huejotzingo
- Paraiso to Tlaxcala
- Paraiso to Tecolutla
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Paraiso to Oaxtepec?
About 8 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 477 miles.
How far is Oaxtepec from Paraiso by car?
About 477 miles (767 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 Paraiso 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 Paraiso to Oaxtepec?
The U.S. State Department rates Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla 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 Paraiso to Oaxtepec use?
In order: MEX-187, MEX-180, MEX-180D, MEX-145D, MEX-150D, MEX-190, PUE 438D and MEX-160. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Paraiso and Oaxtepec?
Closest to the road: Comalcalco (archaeological site, mile 11, 0.7 mi from the route); Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (national park, mile 319, 0.4 mi from the route); International Museum of the Baroque (art museum, mile 410, 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.