Tampico to Oaxtepec is about 326 road miles (524 km): roughly 6 h 14 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance | 326 mi (524 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 6 h 14 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-130D → MEX-132D → MEX-132 → MEX-142 → MEX-5D → MEX-115 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Morelos |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D, MEX-130D, MEX-132D, MEX-5D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.0 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.
The Tampico–Oaxtepec drive in a few lines
MEX-132D (88 mi) and MEX-180 (44 mi) carry about 40% of the 326 miles. It runs through 6 states: Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Morelos. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D, MEX-130D and MEX-132D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Tampico to Oaxtepec
| 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 | 123–211 | 88 | Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo |
| MEX-132 | 211–252 | 41 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 252–258 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-142 | 258–268 | 10 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 268–271 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-5D | 271–283 | 12 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 283–284 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-115 | 284–300 | 16 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 300–314 | 14 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| MEX-115 | 314–318 | 4 | Morelos |
| local roads | 318–326 | 8 | Morelos |
- 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 233 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 307 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Tampico and Oaxtepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Paleontological Museum in Tocuila (mile 265)
- Nature and outdoors: Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park (mile 265), Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park (mile 298)
- Museums and history: El Tajín (mile 123), Tulancingo Cathedral (mile 205), Catedral de Teotihuacán (mile 251), Paleontological Museum in Tocuila (mile 265)
El Tajín
From the early 9th century to the early 13th, El Tajín was at its height. Today this Veracruz site is on UNESCO's World Heritage List, and visitors come for the Pyramid of the Niches and its ballcourts.
Tulancingo Cathedral
Tulancingo Cathedral grew from a 16th-century Franciscan mission. The present church, designed by architect José Damián Ortiz de Castro and consecrated in 1806, has an unusual Neoclassical portico with Ionic columns and a triangular pediment.
Pyramid of the Moon
In the western part of ancient Teotihuacan, in present-day San Martín de las Pirámides, the Pyramid of the Moon mimics the contours of Cerro Gordo, the mountain just north of the site.
Catedral de Teotihuacán
In Teotihuacán de Arista, the town at the heart of the municipality, the Cathedral Sanctuary of the Divine Redeemer serves as the seat of the Diocese of Teotihuacán.
Paleontological Museum in Tocuila
The Paleontological Museum in Tocuila, in Texcoco, State of Mexico, is a fossil museum displaying part of a rich deposit of Late Pleistocene animals from the Americas.
Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park
Named for Antonio Flores de Valdés, who inherited the estate in 1642, this former hacienda and mill near Texcoco became a national park in 1937. Visitors walk among its ruins, the San Joaquín church remains and a chapel built on rock.
Historic center of Mexico City
Built by the Spanish in the 16th century on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, Mexico City's Centro Histórico holds the Metropolitan Cathedral, the excavated Aztec Templo Mayor and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1987.
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park, also called Izta-Popo Zoquiapan, protects the land around Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, Mexico's second- and third-highest peaks, where the states of México, Puebla and Morelos meet.
Arriving in Oaxtepec
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
More drives to Oaxtepec
- Malinalco to Oaxtepec
- Mexico City to Oaxtepec
- Metepec to Oaxtepec
- Toluca to Oaxtepec
- Otumba to Oaxtepec
- Taxco to Oaxtepec
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 does it take to drive from Tampico to Oaxtepec?
About 6 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 326 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tampico to Oaxtepec?
About 326 miles (524 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 Oaxtepec?
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 Oaxtepec?
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; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tampico to Oaxtepec use?
In order: MEX-180, MEX-180D, MEX-130D, MEX-132D, MEX-132, MEX-142, MEX-5D and MEX-115. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tampico and Oaxtepec?
Closest to the road: Pyramid of the Moon (step pyramid, mile 247, 2 mi from the route); Catedral de Teotihuacán (cathedral, mile 251, 2 mi from the route); Paleontological Museum in Tocuila (paleontological museum, mile 265, 0.7 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.