By road, Tehuacán and Ocosingo are about 488 miles (785 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 55 min of driving.
| Total distance | 488 mi (785 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150 → MEX-150D → MEX-145D → MEX-180D → MEX-180 → MEX-187D → MEX-190 → MEX-190D → MEX-199 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla, Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-150D, MEX-145D, MEX-180D, MEX-187D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.5 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.
How the Tehuacán to Ocosingo drive plays out
MEX-187D (122 mi) and MEX-150D (51 mi) carry about 35% of the 488 miles. It runs through 4 states: Puebla, Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-150D, MEX-145D and MEX-180D. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Roads you'll take from Tehuacán to Ocosingo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-150 | 2–37 | 35 | Puebla, Veracruz |
| MEX-150D | 37–88 | 51 | Veracruz |
| local roads | 88–198 | 110 | Veracruz |
| MEX-145D | 198–230 | 32 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 230–250 | 20 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 250–255 | 5 | Veracruz |
| MEX-187D | 255–377 | 122 | Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas |
| MEX-190 | 377–386 | 9 | Chiapas |
| local roads | 386–395 | 9 | Chiapas |
| MEX-190 | 395–400 | 5 | Chiapas |
| MEX-190D | 400–428 | 28 | Chiapas |
| MEX-190 | 428–436 | 8 | Chiapas |
| MEX-199 | 436–487 | 51 | Chiapas |
| local roads | 487–488 | 1 | Chiapas |
- Mile 23 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 317 of this route: Veracruz → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 324 of this route: Tabasco → Chiapas (state line)
Places worth a stop between Tehuacán and Ocosingo
- Nature and outdoors: Sumidero Canyon National Park (mile 392), Selva El Ocote (mile 408)
- Museums and history: Orizaba Cathedral (mile 42), Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz (mile 55), St. Mark's Cathedral, Tuxtla Gutiérrez (mile 391), Museo de la Laca and the Santo Domingo monastery (mile 400), Casa Na Bolom (mile 429), Museo de Medicina Maya (mile 429)
- With kids: Zoológico Miguél Álvarez del Toro (mile 395)
Orizaba Cathedral
The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel is the main Catholic church of Orizaba, in the state of Veracruz, and the seat of the Diocese of Orizaba.
Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz
An octagonal dome covered in tiles crowns Córdoba's Immaculate Conception Cathedral, the city's main church, finished in a neoclassical style.
St. Mark's Cathedral, Tuxtla Gutiérrez
Tuxtla Gutiérrez Cathedral, dedicated to St. Mark, is the Catholic church that serves as the seat of the Archdiocese of Tuxtla in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas.
Sumidero Canyon National Park
The Grijalva River runs through Sumidero Canyon, whose walls rise from about 200 to 1,000 meters. Boat trips leave from colonial Chiapa de Corzo, and lookouts line the rim. It became a national park in 1980.
Zoológico Miguél Álvarez del Toro
Tuxtla Gutiérrez's zoo, named for Miguel Álvarez del Toro, dates back to 1942, when it opened as the Zoológico de Tuxtla Gutiérrez.
Museo de la Laca and the Santo Domingo monastery
Dominican friars built this convent in Chiapa de Corzo in the second half of the 16th century; today it is a cultural center whose Museo de la Laca is devoted to Chiapas' traditional lacquerwork.
Selva El Ocote
Selva El Ocote Biosphere Reserve covers about 101,288 hectares of Chiapas, protecting tall evergreen rain forest on karst terrain, a landscape also known for its extensive caverns.
Casa Na Bolom
Once the home of archaeologist Frans Blom and photographer Gertrude Duby Blom, Casa Na Bolom in San Cristóbal de las Casas occupies an 1891 building and shows pre-Hispanic, textile, ethnographic and colonial collections.
Museo de Medicina Maya
Dedicated to the healing practices of the Tzotzil and Tzeltal peoples, the Museo de Medicina Maya is a museum in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas.
More drives to Ocosingo
- Tuxtla to Ocosingo
- San Andrés Tuxtla to Ocosingo
- Tuxtepec to Ocosingo
- Córdoba, Mexico to Ocosingo
- Veracruz to Ocosingo
- Orizaba to Ocosingo
From Tehuacán to other places in Mexico
- Tehuacán to Córdoba
- Tehuacán to Huejotzingo
- Tehuacán to Tlaxcala
- Tehuacán to Calpulalpan
- Tehuacán to Otumba
- Tehuacán to Tepoztlán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tehuacán to Ocosingo?
About 8 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 488 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tehuacán to Ocosingo?
About 488 miles (785 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 Tehuacán to Ocosingo?
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 Tehuacán to Ocosingo?
The U.S. State Department rates Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chiapas Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tehuacán to Ocosingo use?
In order: MEX-150, MEX-150D, MEX-145D, MEX-180D, MEX-180, MEX-187D, MEX-190, MEX-190D and MEX-199. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tehuacán and Ocosingo?
Closest to the road: Orizaba Cathedral (cathedral, mile 42, 1 mi from the route); St. Mark's Cathedral, Tuxtla Gutiérrez (cathedral, mile 391, 1 mi from the route); Casa Na Bolom (museum, mile 429, 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.