Playa del Carmen to Teapa is about 557 road miles (897 km): roughly 10 h 13 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance | 557 mi (897 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 13 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-305D → MEX-180D → MEX-180 → MEX-202 → MEX-195 |
| 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 22.3 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.
What the drive from Playa del Carmen to Teapa is like
MEX-180D (251 mi) and MEX-180 (210 mi) carry about 83% of the 557 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, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Playa del Carmen to Teapa: the road sequence
| 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 | 416–518 | 102 | Campeche, Tabasco |
| connecting roads | 518–524 | 6 | Tabasco |
| MEX-195 | 524–556 | 32 | Tabasco |
| local roads | 556–557 | 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)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Playa del Carmen and Teapa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Villahermosa Cathedral (mile 523), Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer (mile 523)
- Museums and history: Museo Conmemorativo de la Inmigración Coreana a Yucatán (mile 179), Cathedral of Mérida, Yucatán (mile 180), Uxmal (mile 227), Villahermosa Cathedral (mile 523), Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer (mile 523)
Cenote Zací
Cenote Zací sits inside the city of Valladolid, Yucatán. Its name comes from the Maya settlement that once stood on the site.
Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988, is a former Maya city between Mérida and Valladolid where you can walk past El Castillo (Temple of Kukulkan), the Temple of the Warriors, the Great Ball Court and the round El Caracol observatory.
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.
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
Uxmal
Founded around A.D. 700, the Maya city of Uxmal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Puuc-style buildings such as the Pyramid of the Soothsayer, the Governor's Palace and the Nunnery Quadrangle carry carvings of the rain god Chaac.
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.
Villahermosa Cathedral
Rising on Paseo Tabasco in Villahermosa, the Cathedral of the Lord of Tabasco has tall towers above a monumental facade. The current building dates from 1960–1963; an earlier cathedral was destroyed in the anticlerical campaigns of 1928–1934.
Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer
Villahermosa's regional anthropology museum, named for poet Carlos Pellicer Cámara, displays Olmec and Maya pieces found across Tabasco, along with loans from other parts of Mexico such as Teotihuacan. It opened in 1980.
More drives to Teapa
- Paraiso to Teapa
- Coatzacoalcos to Teapa
- San Andrés Tuxtla to Teapa
- Tuxtepec to Teapa
- Córdoba, Mexico to Teapa
- Veracruz to Teapa
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
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Playa del Carmen to Teapa?
About 10 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 557 miles.
What is the driving distance from Playa del Carmen to Teapa?
About 557 miles (897 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 Teapa?
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 Teapa?
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.
What roads does the drive from Playa del Carmen to Teapa use?
In order: MEX-305D, MEX-180D, MEX-180, MEX-202 and MEX-195. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Playa del Carmen to Teapa?
Closest to the road: Sacred Cenote (cenote, mile 107, 3 mi from the route); Villahermosa Cathedral (cathedral, mile 523, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer (museum, mile 523, 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 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.