The Wayro route from Tampico to Chipilo is 276 miles (444 km), about 5 h 6 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 276 mi (444 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 5 h 6 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-130D → MEX-132D → MEX-119D → MEX-119 → MEX-117D → MEX-121 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D, MEX-130D, MEX-132D, MEX-119D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.0 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.
Driving Tampico to Chipilo: the shape of the trip
MEX-132D (63 mi) and MEX-180 (44 mi) carry about 39% of the 276 miles. It runs through 5 states: Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D, MEX-130D and MEX-132D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Tampico to Chipilo: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Tamaulipas |
| MEX-180 | 1–45 | 44 | Tamaulipas, Veracruz |
| local roads | 45–74 | 29 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 74–108 | 34 | Veracruz |
| MEX-130D | 108–123 | 15 | Veracruz |
| MEX-132D | 123–186 | 63 | Veracruz, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 186–188 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-119D | 188–228 | 40 | Hidalgo, Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 228–230 | 2 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-119 | 230–242 | 12 | Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 242–245 | 3 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-117D | 245–249 | 4 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-121 | 249–272 | 23 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| local roads | 272–276 | 4 | Puebla |
- Mile 7 of this route: Tamaulipas → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 132 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 186 of this route: Puebla → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 192 of this route: Hidalgo → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 222 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 267 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
What to see on the way from Tampico to Chipilo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (mile 242), Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia (mile 247)
- Nature and outdoors: La Malinche National Park (mile 263)
- Museums and history: El Tajín (mile 122), Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (mile 242), Museo Casa de Piedra (mile 243), Basílica de Ocotlán (mile 252), La Constancia Mexicana (mile 269)
El Tajín
A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Veracruz, El Tajín peaked from the early 9th to the early 13th century. Look for the Pyramid of the Niches, elaborately carved reliefs on columns and friezes, and some of the site's 17 ballcourts.
Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco
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.
Museo Casa de Piedra
Apizaco's old railroad station, dating from 1916, now houses the Museo Casa de Piedra. Inside, photographs and documents trace the town's history, especially its long ties to the railroads.
Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia
The ruined walls of this 16th-century Franciscan convent in Atlihuetzia rise as high as 21 meters beside the 17th-century Purísima Concepción church. The site also holds a sanctuary to Cristóbal, honored as the first Catholic child martyr in the Americas.
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.
Exconvento de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves
The remains of this 16th-century convent stand in San Juan Totolac, Tlaxcala, and are open to visitors. Parts of the nave, two side chapels and a freestanding bell tower survive; in 1591 Tlaxcalan families left here to settle northern New Spain.
La Malinche National Park
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.
La Constancia Mexicana
A textile factory founded in 1835 in Puebla now houses the La Constancia museum complex, with a children's museum, a puppet house, a Mexican music museum, an automobile museum and a park of miniature world monuments.
In Chipilo itself
Convent Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Puebla
An early 17th-century example of Puebla Baroque, the Church of the Virgin of Carmen has two richly decorated chapels and a neoclassical altarpiece holding an image of the Virgin by sculptor José Antonio Villegas Cora.
Puebla Cathedral
Consecrated in 1649, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is the seat of the Archdiocese of Puebla and one of the key buildings in the city's UNESCO-listed historic center.
Convent Church of San Francisco, Puebla
The Convent Church of San Francisco is a historic church that you'll find in the city of Puebla, in the Mexican state of Puebla.
More drives to Chipilo
- Apizaco to Chipilo
- Calpulalpan to Chipilo
- Pachuca to Chipilo
- Cuernavaca to Chipilo
- Tepotzotlán to Chipilo
- Actopan to Chipilo
From Tampico to other places in Mexico
- Tampico to Huasca de Ocampo
- Tampico to Pachuca
- Tampico to Omitlán
- Tampico to Actopan
- Tampico to Calpulalpan
- Tampico to Zacatelco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tampico to Chipilo?
About 5 h 6 min of driving without stops, over 276 miles.
How far is Chipilo from Tampico by car?
About 276 miles (444 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 Tampico to Chipilo?
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 Tampico to Chipilo?
The U.S. State Department rates Tamaulipas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo 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 Tampico to Chipilo?
In order: MEX-180, MEX-180D, MEX-130D, MEX-132D, MEX-119D, MEX-119, MEX-117D and MEX-121. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tampico and Chipilo?
Closest to the road: Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (basilica, mile 242, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo Casa de Piedra (railway museum, mile 243, 1 mi from the route); Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia (convent, mile 247, 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.