San Andrés Tuxtla to Tlaxco Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from San Andrés Tuxtla to Tlaxco is 277 miles (446 km), about 5 h 10 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Veracruz — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Tlaxcala is the Mexican state that contains Tlaxco. See the full advisory for current details.
HuatuscoCathedral of Córdoba, VeracruzVeracruz State Art MuseumOrizaba CathedralCañón del Río Blanco National ParkMuseo Nacional del TítereLa Malinche National ParkBasílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, ApizacoSan Andrés TuxtlaTlaxco
Route from San Andrés Tuxtla to Tlaxco with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance277 mi (446 km)
Driving time, no stops5 h 10 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-179 → MEX-145D → MEX-150D → MEX-136 → MEX-119
Mexican states on the routeVeracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-145D, MEX-150D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 11.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below8

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 San Andrés Tuxtla to Tlaxco is like

MEX-150D (88 mi) and MEX-145D (74 mi) carry about 58% of the 277 miles. MEX-145D, MEX-150D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-179, MEX-136, MEX-119 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from San Andrés Tuxtla to Tlaxco, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–1515Veracruz
MEX-17915–3520Veracruz
connecting roads35–361Veracruz
MEX-145D36–11074Veracruz
MEX-150D110–19888Veracruz, Puebla
local roads198–23739Puebla
MEX-136237–26124Tlaxcala
connecting roads261–2643Tlaxcala
MEX-119264–27713Tlaxcala
  • Mile 179 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
  • Mile 237 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)

Stops between San Andrés Tuxtla and Tlaxco

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 165), Museo Nacional del Títere (mile 246)
  • Nature and outdoors: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 165), La Malinche National Park (mile 250)
  • Museums and history: Huatusco (mile 117), Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz (mile 144), Veracruz State Art Museum (mile 155), Orizaba Cathedral (mile 157), Museo Nacional del Títere (mile 246), Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (mile 263)

Huatusco

Mile 117 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Above the Atoyac River in Carrillo Puerto, the ruins of Huatusco (Cuauhtochco) include a Mexica-era temple that still keeps original surface finishes. There are no visitor facilities; reaching it means crossing a suspension bridge and climbing a steep trail, ideally with a local guide.

Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz

Mile 144 · Cathedral · 2 mi from the route

Built in the first half of the 17th century, Córdoba's Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the city's main church; look up to see its octagonal dome covered in tiles, finished in a neoclassical style.

Veracruz State Art Museum

Mile 155 · Art museum · 1 mi from the route

Housed in Orizaba's 18th-century former Oratorio of San Felipe Neri, later a hospital and then a jail, the Veracruz State Art Museum (Museo de Arte del Estado) holds more than 700 works, including 36 by Diego Rivera.

Orizaba Cathedral

Mile 157 · Cathedral · 1 mi from the route

The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel is the main Catholic church of Orizaba, in the state of Veracruz, and the seat of the Diocese of Orizaba.

Cañón del Río Blanco National Park

Mile 165 · National Park of Mexico · 0.5 mi from the route

Cañón del Río Blanco National Park is a protected natural area in the Mexican state of Veracruz, set aside by the government as a national park.

Museo Nacional del Títere

Mile 246 · Museum · 0.9 mi from the route

On the main square of Huamantla, the National Puppet Museum (Museo Nacional del Títere) fills eight galleries with puppets from Mexico and abroad, including pieces tied to the Rosete Aranda family, whose company toured Mexico for generations.

La Malinche National Park

Mile 250 · National Park of Mexico · 10 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Tlaxcala's La Malinche National Park surrounds the inactive Matlalcuéyetl volcano, with pine, oak and fir forests on its slopes, hiking trails, birdwatching, and stone cabins and campsites at the Malintzi Vacation Center.

Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco

Mile 263 · Basilica · 2 mi from the route

In the city of Apizaco, this Catholic basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia) was begun in the third decade of the 20th century and completed in 1961.

More drives to Tlaxco

From San Andrés Tuxtla to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from San Andrés Tuxtla to Tlaxco?

About 5 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 277 miles.

How far is Tlaxco from San Andrés Tuxtla by car?

About 277 miles (446 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 San Andrés Tuxtla to Tlaxco?

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 San Andrés Tuxtla to Tlaxco?

The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz 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.

What roads does the drive from San Andrés Tuxtla to Tlaxco use?

In order: MEX-179, MEX-145D, MEX-150D, MEX-136 and MEX-119. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between San Andrés Tuxtla and Tlaxco?

Closest to the road: Veracruz State Art Museum (art museum, mile 155, 1 mi from the route); Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 165, 0.5 mi from the route); Museo Nacional del Títere (museum, mile 246, 0.9 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.