Tampico to Jalpa is about 430 road miles (692 km): roughly 9 h 19 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Total distance | 430 mi (692 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 19 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-70D → MEX-70 → SLP 75D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tamaulipas, Veracruz, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-70D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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.
What the drive from Tampico to Jalpa is like
MEX-70 (216 mi) and MEX-70D (78 mi) carry about 68% of the 430 miles. It runs through 6 states: Tamaulipas, Veracruz, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Jalisco, Aguascalientes. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-70D and MEX-57D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Tampico to Jalpa: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Tamaulipas |
| MEX-70D | 2–6 | 4 | Tamaulipas, Veracruz |
| MEX-70 | 6–68 | 62 | Veracruz, San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70D | 68–142 | 74 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70 | 142–164 | 22 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 75D | 164–229 | 65 | San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 229–231 | 2 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 231–252 | 21 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 252–267 | 15 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 267–277 | 10 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 277–286 | 9 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70 | 286–367 | 81 | San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 367–378 | 11 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-70 | 378–429 | 51 | Aguascalientes, Zacatecas |
| local roads | 429–430 | 1 | Zacatecas |
- Mile 4 of this route: Tamaulipas → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 39 of this route: Veracruz → San Luis Potosí (state line)
- Mile 313 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Zacatecas (state line)
- Mile 316 of this route: Zacatecas → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 355 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
- Mile 413 of this route: Aguascalientes → Zacatecas (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Tampico and Jalpa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Descubre (mile 371), Parque Rodolfo Landeros (mile 371), Museo Nacional de Pueblos Mágicos (mile 405), La Santa Cruz (mile 406)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Rodolfo Landeros (mile 371)
- Museums and history: Tamtoc (mile 76), Museo Laberinto de las Ciencias y las Artes (mile 272), Museo Descubre (mile 371), Museo Nacional de Pueblos Mágicos (mile 405), La Santa Cruz (mile 406)
Tamtoc
Tamtoc, also called Tamohí, is an archaeological site of the Huastec culture in Tamuín, San Luis Potosí, studied and restored since 2000 by a team led by archaeologist Estela Martínez Mora.
Teatro de la Paz
Built between 1889 and 1894 and opened on December 4, 1894, San Luis Potosí's Teatro de la Paz is a historic monument listed by INAH.
Museo Laberinto de las Ciencias y las Artes
Built in Parque Tangamanga I and opened on September 4, 2008, the Museo Laberinto de las Ciencias y las Artes is an interactive museum in San Luis Potosí.
Museo Descubre
Museo Descubre is a hands-on, interactive museum in the city of Aguascalientes whose spiral-shaped interior leads inward along various paths of knowledge.
Parque Rodolfo Landeros
Also called Parque Héroes, this environmental and recreation park on Avenida José María Chávez in Aguascalientes has an artificial lake, bike rentals and several other attractions.
Museo Nacional de Pueblos Mágicos
In Calvillo, Aguascalientes, the Museo Nacional de Pueblos Mágicos opened in 2019 to preserve folk art and cultural pieces from Mexico's 121 Pueblos Mágicos.
La Santa Cruz
In Calvillo's town center, La Santa Cruz is a cultural and monumental complex with Catholic and historical themes devoted to Calvillo's role in the Cristero War of 1926; it opened in 2021.
In Jalpa itself
Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes
The Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes is a community museum in the municipality of Jalpa, in the Mexican state of Zacatecas, named for teacher Arturo Reyes Viramontes.
More drives to Jalpa
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 Jalpa?
About 9 h 19 min of driving without stops, over 430 miles.
How far is Jalpa from Tampico by car?
About 430 miles (692 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 Jalpa?
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 Jalpa?
The U.S. State Department rates Tamaulipas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tampico to Jalpa use?
In order: MEX-70D, MEX-70, SLP 75D, MEX-57D and MEX-57. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tampico to Jalpa?
Closest to the road: Parque Rodolfo Landeros (park, mile 371, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo Nacional de Pueblos Mágicos (museum, mile 405, 0.5 mi from the route); La Santa Cruz (museum, mile 406, 0.1 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.