Teapa to Malinalco is about 557 road miles (896 km): roughly 10 h 8 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance by road | 557 mi (896 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-195 → MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-145D → MEX-150D → MEX-190 → PUE 438D → MEX-94D → MOR 21 → MEX-185 → MEX-181 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tabasco, Veracruz, Puebla, Morelos, State of Mexico |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D, MEX-145D, MEX-150D, MEX-94D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.3 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 Teapa–Malinalco drive in a few lines
MEX-145D (142 mi) and MEX-150D (131 mi) carry about 49% of the 557 miles. It runs through 5 states: Tabasco, Veracruz, Puebla, Morelos, State of Mexico. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D, MEX-145D and MEX-150D. None of the 8 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Teapa to Malinalco, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Tabasco |
| MEX-195 | 1–35 | 34 | Tabasco |
| connecting roads | 35–36 | 1 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 36–75 | 39 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180D | 75–108 | 33 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 108–127 | 19 | Tabasco, Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 127–149 | 22 | Veracruz |
| MEX-145D | 149–291 | 142 | Veracruz |
| MEX-150D | 291–422 | 131 | Veracruz, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 422–423 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 423–437 | 14 | Puebla |
| local roads | 437–449 | 12 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 449–482 | 33 | Puebla, Morelos |
| MEX-94D | 482–514 | 32 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 514–518 | 4 | Morelos |
| MOR 21 | 518–527 | 9 | Morelos |
| local roads | 527–547 | 20 | Morelos, State of Mexico |
| MEX-185 | 547–552 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-181 | 552–556 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 556–557 | 1 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 111 of this route: Tabasco → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 359 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 475 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 545 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Malinalco
- Nature and outdoors: Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (mile 431)
- Museums and history: Museo de Historia de Tabasco Casa de los Azulejos (mile 34), La Venta (mile 108), Huatusco (mile 298), Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla (mile 428), Museo de sitio de Xochicalco (mile 532)
Museo de Historia de Tabasco Casa de los Azulejos
The Museo de Historia de Tabasco, housed in the Casa de los Azulejos, is a history museum in the historic center of Villahermosa, Tabasco.
La Venta
More than 200 artifacts fill the site museum at La Venta, among them massive sandstone sculptures discovered at the base of the main pyramid. The once-important Olmec city lies in Tabasco, near Huimanguillo.
Huatusco
Getting to the ruins of Huatusco (Cuauhtochco) means crossing a suspension bridge and hiking a steep trail; a local guide is a good idea, and there are no visitor facilities. The Mexica-era temple keeps its original finishes.
Teatro Llave
In central Orizaba, the Gran Teatro Ignacio de la Llave hosts artistic and cultural performances, and its exhibition room shows temporary collections, mostly by artists from the surrounding valley.
Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla
Behind the facade of Puebla's Santo Domingo church hides the Capilla del Rosario, inaugurated in 1690. Gold covers its walls, pilasters and vaults, and contemporaries hailed it as the eighth wonder of the New World.
Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla
On the Ciudad Universitaria campus of BUAP in Puebla, the university botanical garden covers about 10.7 hectares and was formerly named after Ignacio Rodríguez Alconedo.
Tonantzintla Observatory
The Tonantzintla Observatory in Puebla was home to the National Astrophysical Observatory directed by Guillermo Haro. Its main instrument, a Schmidt camera, was a wide-field telescope built for photographing the sky.
Museo de sitio de Xochicalco
Next to the Xochicalco archaeological zone in Morelos, the site museum sits along the Xochicalco–Tetlama federal road.
Once you reach Malinalco
Malinalco
Carved straight into the hillside above Malinalco, the Cuauhcalli is a rock-cut temple at the heart of this archaeological zone. The Mexica took the Matlatzinca town around 1476 and used it to train and consecrate elite warriors.
Desierto del Carmen National Park
Declared a national park on October 10, 1942, Desierto del Carmen is a protected area in the municipality of Tenancingo, in the State of Mexico.
More drives to Malinalco
- Valle de Bravo to Malinalco
- Zitácuaro to Malinalco
- Tlalpujahua to Malinalco
- San Juan del Río to Malinalco
- Tequisquiapan to Malinalco
- Salvatierra to Malinalco
From Teapa to other places in Mexico
- Teapa to Tlacotalpan
- Teapa to Ixtenco
- Teapa to Chipilo
- Teapa to Tecolutla
- Teapa to Tlaxco
- Teapa to San Miguel, Morelos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Teapa to Malinalco?
About 10 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 557 miles.
What is the driving distance from Teapa to Malinalco?
About 557 miles (896 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 Teapa to Malinalco?
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 Teapa to Malinalco?
The U.S. State Department rates Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Teapa to Malinalco use?
In order: MEX-195, MEX-180, MEX-180D, MEX-145D, MEX-150D, MEX-190, PUE 438D, MEX-94D, MOR 21, MEX-185 and MEX-181. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Teapa and Malinalco?
Closest to the road: Museo de Historia de Tabasco Casa de los Azulejos (museum, mile 34, 1 mi from the route); Teatro Llave (theater, mile 337, 1 mi from the route); Museo de sitio de Xochicalco (museum, mile 532, 2 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.