Plan on about 6 h 37 min of driving for the 328-mile (528 km) trip from Santa Catarina Juquila to Ixtenco, before any stops.
| Distance | 328 mi (528 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 37 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-131 → MEX-190 → MEX-135D → MEX-140D |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca, Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-135D, MEX-150D, MEX-140D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.1 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.
Driving Santa Catarina Juquila to Ixtenco: the shape of the trip
MEX-135D (151 mi) and MEX-131 (81 mi) carry about 71% of the 328 miles. It runs through 3 states: Oaxaca, Puebla, Tlaxcala. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-135D, MEX-150D and MEX-140D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Santa Catarina Juquila and Ixtenco
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–19 | 19 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-131 | 19–78 | 59 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 78–82 | 4 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-131 | 82–104 | 22 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 104–120 | 16 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 120–126 | 6 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-135D | 126–277 | 151 | Oaxaca, Puebla |
| local roads | 277–321 | 44 | Puebla |
| MEX-140D | 321–326 | 5 | Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| local roads | 326–328 | 2 | Tlaxcala |
- Mile 225 of this route: Oaxaca → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 324 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
Places worth a stop between Santa Catarina Juquila and Ixtenco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Zaachila (mile 111), Museo de los Pintores Oaxaqueños (mile 118), Suchilquitongo (mile 137)
- Nature and outdoors: Benito Juárez National Park (mile 126), Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 234)
- Museums and history: Zaachila (mile 111), Museo de los Pintores Oaxaqueños (mile 118), Monte Albán (mile 119), Archaeological Zone of Atzompa (mile 122), Suchilquitongo (mile 137), Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (mile 248)
Zaachila
Zaachila was a Zapotec city, later shared with Mixtecs, that was still inhabited when the Spanish arrived; its occupation reaches back to about 1500 BC. Visitors come for its excavated tombs, including Tomb 1 with stucco figures of those buried there.
Monastery of Santiago Apóstol, Cuilapan de Guerrero
In the town of Cuilapan de Guerrero, the fortress-like former monastery of Santiago Apóstol is easy to spot from the highway south of Oaxaca City toward Villa de Zaachila and draws Mexican and international visitors.
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.
Monte Albán
Carved into a mountaintop above the Valley of Oaxaca, Monte Albán was a Zapotec capital for some 1,300 years; visitors walk a 300-meter ceremonial plaza lined with temples, a ball court, tombs and carved reliefs. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Archaeological Zone of Atzompa
About 8 km west of Oaxaca City on Cerro del Bonete, in Santa María Atzompa, this archaeological site was a monumental complex that belonged to nearby Monte Albán.
Benito Juárez National Park
Hikers heading just north of Oaxaca City reach Benito Juárez National Park, where trails cross roughly 2,737 hectares of pine and oak. La Coronilla, a moderate loop, runs about 5 km.
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
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
Inside an 18th-century former Carmelite convent in Tehuacán, the Valley of Tehuacán Museum opened in 2002 and focuses on the history of corn and its ties to the valley's early peoples.
Once you reach Ixtenco
Museo Taurino de Huamantla
Next to Huamantla's La Taurina bullring, the Museo Taurino occupies an 18th-century building and since 1982 has displayed bullfighters' costumes, vintage posters, scale models of Mexican bullrings and murals about the Huamantlada.
Museo Nacional del Títere
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.
More drives to Ixtenco
- Huejotzingo to Ixtenco
- Otumba to Ixtenco
- Pachuca to Ixtenco
- Mexico City to Ixtenco
- Tepotzotlán to Ixtenco
- Actopan to Ixtenco
From Santa Catarina Juquila to other places in Mexico
- Santa Catarina Juquila to Huatulco
- Santa Catarina Juquila to Capulalpam de Méndez
- Santa Catarina Juquila to Tlacotalpan
- Santa Catarina Juquila to Chipilo
- Santa Catarina Juquila to San Miguel, Morelos
- Santa Catarina Juquila to Boca del Cielo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa Catarina Juquila to Ixtenco?
About 6 h 37 min of driving without stops, over 328 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santa Catarina Juquila to Ixtenco?
About 328 miles (528 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 Santa Catarina Juquila to Ixtenco?
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 Santa Catarina Juquila to Ixtenco?
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 Santa Catarina Juquila to Ixtenco?
In order: MEX-131, MEX-190, MEX-135D and MEX-140D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Santa Catarina Juquila and Ixtenco?
Closest to the road: Zaachila (archaeological site, mile 111, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo de los Pintores Oaxaqueños (art museum, mile 118, 0.7 mi from the route); Suchilquitongo (archaeological site, mile 137, 0.4 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.