By road, Salina Cruz and Chiautempan are about 390 miles (627 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 41 min of driving.
| Distance | 390 mi (627 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-185 → MEX-190 → MEX-135D → MEX-150D → MEX-121 |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca, Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-135D, MEX-150D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.6 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.
How the Salina Cruz to Chiautempan drive plays out
MEX-190 (161 mi) and MEX-135D (151 mi) carry about 80% of the 390 miles. It runs through 3 states: Oaxaca, Puebla, Tlaxcala. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-135D and MEX-150D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Salina Cruz to Chiautempan
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-185 | 0–11 | 11 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 11–172 | 161 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-135D | 172–323 | 151 | Oaxaca, Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 323–372 | 49 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 372–373 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-121 | 373–388 | 15 | Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| local roads | 388–390 | 2 | Tlaxcala |
- Mile 272 of this route: Oaxaca → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 375 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
What to see on the way from Salina Cruz to Chiautempan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Yagul (mile 145), Lambityeco (mile 148), Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca (mile 165), Suchilquitongo (mile 183)
- Nature and outdoors: Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 280)
- Museums and history: Guiengola (mile 18), Gheo-shih (mile 143), Yagul (mile 145), Lambityeco (mile 148), Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca (mile 165), Suchilquitongo (mile 183)
Guiengola
Guiengola is a Late Postclassic Zapotec archaeological site near Santo Domingo Tehuantepec, on high ground above the Tehuantepec River and known as a fortified settlement.
Gheo-shih
In the Oaxaca Valley, Gheo-shih ("River of the Gourd Trees" in Zapotec) is an open-air site with a boulder-lined cleared area thought to have served for rituals, dances or games.
Yagul
On a rocky hill in Oaxaca's Tlacolula Valley, Yagul is a Zapotec site whose builders linked platforms by paths. Explore the Palace of the Six Patios, a ball court, tombs and a fortress wall with lookouts.
Lambityeco
Lambityeco is a small Zapotec archaeological site just off Highway 190, about 3 km west of Tlacolula de Matamoros and roughly 25 km east of Oaxaca on the way to Mitla.
Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca
Founded by artist Francisco Toledo, the Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca is an art school in Oaxaca de Juárez that holds a large collection of Latin American artwork.
Suchilquitongo
Locals call this Zapotec hilltop city Cerro de la Campana; it flourished between about 300 and 800 AD in the northern Etla Valley. Tomb 5, excavated in 1985, holds murals and stucco carvings counted among ancient Mexico's finest funerary art.
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
This arid valley straddling Puebla and Oaxaca joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2018 as a mixed site. It is a major center of cactus diversity and preserves ancient canals, wells, terraces and dams built to manage scarce water.
Teatro Principal
The Teatro Principal is a historic theater in the city of Puebla that is still active as a stage for performances.
In Chiautempan itself
Basílica de Ocotlán
On Cerro de San Lorenzo near the city of Tlaxcala, the Basílica de Ocotlán is a standout of Mexican Churrigueresque Baroque, begun in 1670 and home to an ocote-wood image of the Virgin tied to a 1541 legend.
Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco
Ocotelulco was the principal Tlaxcalan lordship in 1519; its site museum displays about 750 excavated objects beside temple remains painted with Tezcatlipoca and the fire serpent, and an ethnobotanical garden surrounds the building.
Tlaxcala Cathedral
Part of a 16th-century Franciscan complex among the earliest in the Americas, Tlaxcala's cathedral is famous for its carved Mudéjar-style wooden ceiling. Look for the freestanding bell tower and the stone font where Tlaxcalan lords were baptized.
More drives to Chiautempan
- Atlixco to Chiautempan
- Cuautla to Chiautempan
- Toluca to Chiautempan
- Cuernavaca to Chiautempan
- Zitácuaro to Chiautempan
- Celaya to Chiautempan
From Salina Cruz to other places in Mexico
- Salina Cruz to Capulalpam de Méndez
- Salina Cruz to San Juan Chamula
- Salina Cruz to Ocosingo
- Salina Cruz to Tapijulapa
- Salina Cruz to Huamantla
- Salina Cruz to Ixtenco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Salina Cruz to Chiautempan?
About 7 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 390 miles.
How far is Chiautempan from Salina Cruz by car?
About 390 miles (627 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 Salina Cruz to Chiautempan?
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 Salina Cruz to Chiautempan?
The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Salina Cruz to Chiautempan?
In order: MEX-185, MEX-190, MEX-135D, MEX-150D and MEX-121. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Salina Cruz to Chiautempan?
Closest to the road: Lambityeco (archaeological site, mile 148, 0.2 mi from the route); Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca (art museum, mile 165, 0.5 mi from the route); Suchilquitongo (archaeological site, mile 183, 0.3 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.