Plan on about 8 h 33 min of driving for the 426-mile (685 km) trip from Salina Cruz to Tetela del Volcán, before any stops.
| Distance by road | 426 mi (685 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-185 → MEX-190 → MEX-135D → MEX-150D → PUE 438D |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca, Puebla, Morelos |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-135D, MEX-150D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.0 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.
On the road from Salina Cruz to Tetela del Volcán
MEX-190 (176 mi) and MEX-135D (151 mi) carry about 77% of the 426 miles. It runs through 3 states: Oaxaca, Puebla, Morelos. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-135D and MEX-150D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Salina Cruz to Tetela del Volcán
| 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 | 323–367 | 44 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 367–382 | 15 | Puebla |
| local roads | 382–393 | 11 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 393–414 | 21 | Puebla |
| local roads | 414–426 | 12 | Puebla, Morelos |
- Mile 272 of this route: Oaxaca → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 420 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Salina Cruz and Tetela del Volcán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Mitla (mile 140), Yagul (mile 145), El Palmillo (mile 146), Museo de los Pintores Oaxaqueños (mile 166)
- Nature and outdoors: Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 280), Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (mile 378)
- Museums and history: Guiengola (mile 18), Mitla (mile 140), Yagul (mile 145), El Palmillo (mile 146), Museo de los Pintores Oaxaqueños (mile 166), Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (mile 295), Historic centre of Puebla (mile 382)
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.
Mitla
Mitla, the key site of Zapotec culture and Oaxaca's second major archaeological site after Monte Albán, lies 44 km from Oaxaca City at the upper end of the Tlacolula Valley.
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.
El Palmillo
On a hilltop in the eastern Tlacolula arm of the Valley of Oaxaca, El Palmillo is a Classic Period Zapotec archaeological site just south of Mitla and east of Monte Albán.
Museo de los Pintores Oaxaqueños
Created in 2004 to showcase Oaxacan artists, this museum occupies a 17th-century colonial building at Independencia and García Vigil in the historic center of Oaxaca de Juárez.
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
Cactus diversity reaches one of its peaks in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, a dry landscape shared by Puebla and Oaxaca. Ancient canals, wells, terraces and dams show how people managed its scarce water.
Museo del Valle de Tehuacán
Tehuacán's 18th-century former Carmelite convent has housed the Valley of Tehuacán Museum since 2002. Exhibits trace the history of corn and its ties to the valley's early peoples.
Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla
On the Ciudad Universitaria campus of BUAP in Puebla, the university botanical garden covers about 10.7 hectares and was formerly named after Ignacio Rodríguez Alconedo.
Historic centre of Puebla
Laid out from scratch in 1531, Puebla's UNESCO-listed core is a grid of tile-covered houses, colonial churches and the 16th–17th-century cathedral, with the old archbishop's palace that houses the Palafox Library, established in 1646.
Once you reach Tetela del Volcán
Convento de Santiago Apóstol
In the town of Ocuituco, the Temple and Ex-convent of Santiago Apóstol (Templo y Exconvento de Santiago Apóstol) belongs to the UNESCO-listed group of 16th-century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, inscribed in 1994.
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In the town of Hueyapan, the 16th-century church and former convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán keeps original frescoes and moldings inside, around a modest cloister typical of its era.
Convento de San Juan Bautista
This convent in Tetela del Volcán, known for its carved wooden sacristy and light-filled cloister walks, was cleaned of soot left from its use as a barracks during the Mexican Revolution in a conservation project completed in 2009.
More drives to Tetela del Volcán
- Cuernavaca to Tetela del Volcán
- Mexico City to Tetela del Volcán
- Zacatelco to Tetela del Volcán
- Tlaxcala to Tetela del Volcán
- Apizaco to Tetela del Volcán
- Metepec to Tetela del Volcán
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 Tetela del Volcán?
About 8 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 426 miles.
How far is Tetela del Volcán from Salina Cruz by car?
About 426 miles (685 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 Tetela del Volcán?
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 Tetela del Volcán?
The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca 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.
Which highways go from Salina Cruz to Tetela del Volcán?
In order: MEX-185, MEX-190, MEX-135D, MEX-150D and PUE 438D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Salina Cruz and Tetela del Volcán?
Closest to the road: Mitla (archaeological site, mile 140, 0.2 mi from the route); El Palmillo (archaeological site, mile 146, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo de los Pintores Oaxaqueños (art museum, mile 166, 0.5 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.