By road, Playa del Carmen and Comalcalco are about 533 miles (857 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 52 min of driving.
| Total distance | 533 mi (857 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 52 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-305D → MEX-180D → MEX-180 → MEX-202 → MEX-187 |
| Mexican states on the route | Quintana Roo, Yucatán, Campeche, Tabasco |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-305D, MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.3 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.
The Playa del Carmen–Comalcalco drive in a few lines
MEX-180D (223 mi) and MEX-180 (210 mi) carry about 81% of the 533 miles. It runs through 4 states: Quintana Roo, Yucatán, Campeche, Tabasco. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-305D and MEX-180D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Playa del Carmen to Comalcalco
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Quintana Roo |
| MEX-305D | 2–32 | 30 | Quintana Roo |
| connecting roads | 32–33 | 1 | Quintana Roo |
| MEX-180D | 33–139 | 106 | Quintana Roo, Yucatán |
| MEX-180 | 139–177 | 38 | Yucatán |
| local roads | 177–186 | 9 | Yucatán |
| MEX-180 | 186–278 | 92 | Yucatán, Campeche |
| MEX-202 | 278–289 | 11 | Campeche |
| MEX-180D | 289–313 | 24 | Campeche |
| MEX-180 | 313–390 | 77 | Campeche |
| MEX-180D | 390–409 | 19 | Campeche |
| connecting roads | 409–413 | 4 | Campeche |
| MEX-180 | 413–416 | 3 | Campeche |
| MEX-180D | 416–490 | 74 | Campeche, Tabasco |
| local roads | 490–515 | 25 | Tabasco |
| MEX-187 | 515–532 | 17 | Tabasco |
| local roads | 532–533 | 1 | Tabasco |
- Mile 42 of this route: Quintana Roo → Yucatán (state line)
- Mile 226 of this route: Yucatán → Campeche (state line)
- Mile 460 of this route: Campeche → Tabasco (state line)
What to see on the way from Playa del Carmen to Comalcalco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Xiol (mile 171)
- Museums and history: Gran Museo de Chichén Itzá (mile 107), Cuca (mile 165), Xiol (mile 171), Museo Conmemorativo de la Inmigración Coreana a Yucatán (mile 179), Cathedral of Mérida, Yucatán (mile 180), Oxkintok (mile 218)
Cenote Zací
Cenote Zací sits inside the city of Valladolid, Yucatán. Its name comes from the Maya settlement that once stood on the site.
Sacred Cenote
At the Maya site of Chichen Itza, the Sacred Cenote is a water-filled limestone sinkhole where, by Maya and Spanish accounts, offerings and human sacrifices were made to the rain god Chaac.
Gran Museo de Chichén Itzá
Opened on February 28, 2024, near Pisté, the Gran Museo de Chichén Itzá holds more than 1,000 pieces, including finds recovered during salvage work for the Maya Train.
Cuca
Near the town of Tixpéhual in Yucatán, Cuca is a pre-Columbian Maya site of about 10 hectares, where dozens of structures and their remains lie scattered inside a low wall.
Xiol
Xiol is a Maya archaeological site in Kanasín, about 10 kilometers from Mérida, found by accident in 2018 during construction of an industrial complex. Its Maya name means "the spirit of man."
Museo Conmemorativo de la Inmigración Coreana a Yucatán
In Mérida's historic center, this memorial museum tells the story of the first Korean immigrants to Yucatán and their work in the henequen industry, with more than 200 photos, documents, newspapers and pieces of traditional clothing.
Cathedral of Mérida, Yucatán
Oxkintok
Oxkintok is a pre-Columbian Maya archaeological site in the Puuc region of Yucatán state, in southeastern Mexico.
Historic Fortified Town of Campeche
Founded by the Spanish on the Gulf of Mexico, Campeche's walled center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sections of the hexagonal wall built from 1686 to 1704 against pirate raids survive with bastions and gates, framing a grid of colonial streets.
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
- Pachuca to Comalcalco
- Tulancingo to Comalcalco
- Cuernavaca to Comalcalco
From Playa del Carmen to other places in Mexico
- Playa del Carmen to Progreso
- Playa del Carmen to Kabah
- Playa del Carmen to Sisal
- Playa del Carmen to Calkiní
- Playa del Carmen to Hecelchakán
- Playa del Carmen to Hopelchén
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Playa del Carmen to Comalcalco?
About 9 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 533 miles.
What is the driving distance from Playa del Carmen to Comalcalco?
About 533 miles (857 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 Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen to Comalcalco?
The U.S. State Department rates Quintana Roo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Yucatán Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Campeche Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Playa del Carmen to Comalcalco?
In order: MEX-305D, MEX-180D, MEX-180, MEX-202 and MEX-187. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Playa del Carmen and Comalcalco?
Closest to the road: Cuca (archaeological site, mile 165, 2 mi from the route); Xiol (archaeological site, mile 171, 0.8 mi from the route); Oxkintok (archaeological site, mile 218, 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 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.