The Wayro route from Tampico to Zitácuaro is 372 miles (599 km), about 6 h 35 min of driving without stops.
| Total distance | 372 mi (599 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 35 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-130D → MEX-132D → MEX-132 → MEX-85D → EM 10 → MEX-134D → MEX-A6D → MEX-A7D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Mexico City, Michoacán |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D, MEX-130D, MEX-132D, MEX-85D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.9 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.
On the road from Tampico to Zitácuaro
MEX-132D (99 mi) and MEX-180 (44 mi) carry about 38% of the 372 miles. It runs through 7 states: Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Mexico City, Michoacán. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D, MEX-130D and MEX-132D. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Which roads connect Tampico and Zitácuaro
| 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 |
| MEX-132D | 252–263 | 11 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-85D | 263–271 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| EM 10 | 271–275 | 4 | Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 275–276 | 1 | Mexico City |
| local roads | 276–288 | 12 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-134D | 288–309 | 21 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-A6D | 309–325 | 16 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-A7D | 325–359 | 34 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 359–366 | 7 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 366–370 | 4 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 370–372 | 2 | Michoacán |
- Mile 7 of this route: Tamaulipas → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 132 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 187 of this route: Puebla → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 233 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 271 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 276 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 357 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
Places worth a stop between Tampico and Zitácuaro
- Nature and outdoors: Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 298), Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (mile 364)
- Museums and history: El Tajín (mile 123), Tulancingo Cathedral (mile 205), Planetario Luis Enrique Erro (mile 273), Tenayuca (mile 276), Tlalnepantla Cathedral (mile 278), Colección Jumex (mile 283)
- With kids: Planetario Luis Enrique Erro (mile 273)
El Tajín
Look for elaborately carved reliefs on columns and friezes at El Tajín, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Veracruz, along with the Pyramid of the Niches and some of the site's 17 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.
Planetario Luis Enrique Erro
Run by the National Polytechnic Institute, the Planetario Luis Enrique Erro in Mexico City is a planetarium open to the public and one of the longest-running in Latin America.
Tenayuca
Tenayuca is a pre-Hispanic archaeological site in the Valley of Mexico. In the Postclassic period it was a settlement on the old western shore of Lake Texcoco.
Tlalnepantla Cathedral
Consecrated on August 23, 1964, Tlalnepantla's Corpus Christi Cathedral stands where Franciscans founded the Convent of San Francisco in 1525.
Colección Jumex
Colección Jumex, a private contemporary art collection owned by Eugenio López Alonso, is shown at Museo Jumex in Mexico City's Polanco neighborhood.
Desierto de los Leones National Park
Declared a national park in 1917, this fir, ash and oak forest in Mexico City's Cuajimalpa and Álvaro Obregón boroughs surrounds a former Carmelite monastery. Locals come to hike, run and cycle, and more than 100 bird species live here.
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
Every fall, millions of monarch butterflies from across North America return to the oyamel fir forests about 100 km northwest of Mexico City, clustering so densely they bend branches. The reserve became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
More drives to Zitácuaro
- San Juan del Río to Zitácuaro
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Zitácuaro
- Zacatecas to Zitácuaro
- Fresnillo to Zitácuaro
- Durango to Zitácuaro
- Mazatlán to Zitácuaro
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 Zitácuaro?
About 6 h 35 min of driving without stops, over 372 miles.
How far is Zitácuaro from Tampico by car?
About 372 miles (599 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 Zitácuaro?
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 Zitácuaro?
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; Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Tampico to Zitácuaro?
In order: MEX-180, MEX-180D, MEX-130D, MEX-132D, MEX-132, MEX-85D, EM 10, MEX-134D, MEX-A6D, MEX-A7D, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tampico to Zitácuaro?
Closest to the road: Planetario Luis Enrique Erro (science museum, mile 273, 1 mi from the route); Tenayuca (archaeological site, mile 276, 1 mi from the route); Tlalnepantla Cathedral (cathedral, mile 278, 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.