Puebla to Jilotepec Road Trip: Distance, Time & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Puebla to Jilotepec is 135 miles (217 km), about 2 h 12 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Puebla — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. State of Mexico is the Mexican state that contains Jilotepec. See the full advisory for current details.
CacaxtlaXochitecatlExconvent of Santa María MagdalenaTeotihuacanMuseo Arqueológico de ApaxcoTulaSala Histórica QuetzalcóatlPueblaJilotepec
Route from Puebla to Jilotepec with the 7 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance135 mi (217 km)
Driving time, no stops2 h 12 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-150D → MEX-M40D
Mexican states on the routePuebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-150D, MEX-M40D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 5.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below7

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 insuranceRequired 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 Puebla to Jilotepec is like

MEX-M40D (110 mi) and MEX-150D (18 mi) carry about 95% of the 135 miles. MEX-150D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota). It runs through 4 states: Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico. None of the 7 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.

The route from Puebla to Jilotepec, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–44Puebla
MEX-150D4–2218Puebla
MEX-M40D22–132110Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico
local roads132–1353State of Mexico
  • Mile 27 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
  • Mile 50 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 58 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 70 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 87 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 101 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 131 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)

Stops between Puebla and Jilotepec

Cacaxtla

Mile 17 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Xochitecatl

Mile 18 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route

Xochitécatl is a pre-Hispanic archaeological site in the state of Tlaxcala. INAH runs it together with nearby Cacaxtla as a single zone, and the Xochitécatl site museum displays finds from the area.

Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena

Mile 23 · Convent · 2 mi from the route

The former convent of Santa María Magdalena (Exconvento de Santa María Magdalena) is a 17th-century Baroque church built by the Dieguino friars, still in use as a Catholic temple of the Archdiocese of Puebla.

Teotihuacan

Mile 69 · Historic site · 13 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Built between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, this UNESCO-listed ancient city lines the Avenue of the Dead, where you can walk between the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.

Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco

Mile 101 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Founded in 1985, the Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco sits across from the parish church of San Francisco de Asís and beside the town hall in Apaxco, State of Mexico.

Tula

Mile 117 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

Once the Toltec capital, the Tula archaeological zone is best known for its Atlantes, basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall crowning the main pyramid. Visitors also see a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall, carved with snakes devouring skeletons.

Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl

Mile 118 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

The Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl is an archaeological museum located in Tula de Allende, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

More drives to Jilotepec

From Puebla to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Puebla to Jilotepec?

About 2 h 12 min of driving without stops, over 135 miles.

How far is Jilotepec from Puebla by car?

About 135 miles (217 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 Puebla to Jilotepec?

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 Puebla to Jilotepec?

The U.S. State Department rates Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Puebla to Jilotepec use?

In order: MEX-150D and MEX-M40D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Puebla and Jilotepec?

Closest to the road: Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena (convent, mile 23, 2 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 117, 1 mi from the route); Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (museum, mile 118, 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 mile 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 (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city 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.