The Wayro route from Teziutlán to Malinalco is 216 miles (348 km), about 4 h 21 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 216 mi (348 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 21 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-129D → MEX-140D → MEX-190 → PUE 438D → MEX-94D → MOR 21 → MEX-185 → MEX-181 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3), State of Mexico (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-129D, MEX-140D, MEX-150D, MEX-94D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.7 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.
What the drive from Teziutlán to Malinalco is like
MEX-129D (39 mi) and MEX-140D (39 mi) carry about 36% of the 216 miles. MEX-129D, MEX-140D, MEX-94D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-190, MEX-185, MEX-181 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos, State of Mexico. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Teziutlán to Malinalco, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-129D | 2–41 | 39 | Puebla |
| MEX-140D | 41–80 | 39 | Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 80–82 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 82–97 | 15 | Puebla |
| local roads | 97–108 | 11 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 108–142 | 34 | Puebla, Morelos |
| MEX-94D | 142–174 | 32 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 174–178 | 4 | Morelos |
| MOR 21 | 178–187 | 9 | Morelos |
| local roads | 187–207 | 20 | Morelos, State of Mexico |
| MEX-185 | 207–212 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-181 | 212–216 | 4 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 47 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 56 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 62 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 70 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 134 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 205 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Teziutlán and Malinalco
- Nature and outdoors: La Malinche National Park (mile 71), Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (mile 93), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 197)
- Museums and history: Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla (mile 87), Chalcatzingo (mile 143), Las Pilas archaeological site (mile 144), Xochicalco (mile 191), Museo de sitio de Xochicalco (mile 191)
La Malinche National Park
Tlaxcala's La Malinche National Park surrounds the inactive Matlalcuéyetl volcano, with pine, oak and fir forests on its slopes, hiking trails, birdwatching, and stone cabins and campsites at the Malintzi Vacation Center.
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.
Historic centre of Puebla
Laid out from scratch in 1531, Puebla's UNESCO-listed core is a grid of tile-covered houses, colonial churches and the 16th–17th-century cathedral, with the old archbishop's palace that houses the Palafox Library, established in 1646.
Chalcatzingo
At the foot of Cerro Chalcatzingo in eastern Morelos, this early site is known for stone reliefs carved mainly between 700 and 500 BC, some among the region's earliest stone sculpture and several in Olmec style, spread across the hillside.
Las Pilas archaeological site
Set inside a bathing park in Jonacatepec, Las Pilas was a ceremonial center devoted to water, where inhabitants built channels to collect and store underground water for irrigation; burials were found within the channel system.
Xochicalco
A fortified hilltop city that thrived between about 650 and 900, Xochicalco is a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can see the Pyramid of the Plumed Serpent with its carved reliefs, ball courts, an underground observatory and a site museum.
Museo de sitio de Xochicalco
Next to the Xochicalco archaeological zone in Morelos, the site museum sits along the Xochicalco–Tetlama federal road.
Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park
Protected as a national park since 1936, this area near Taxco centers on the Cacahuamilpa caverns, where a guided route of about 4 km passes chambers up to 80 meters high, decorated with flowstone and floor-to-ceiling columns.
When you get to 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 Teziutlán to other places in Mexico
- Teziutlán to Huejotzingo
- Teziutlán to Omitlán
- Teziutlán to Tepotzotlán
- Teziutlán to Huasca de Ocampo
- Teziutlán to Actopan
- Teziutlán to Metepec
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Teziutlán to Malinalco?
About 4 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 216 miles.
How far is Malinalco from Teziutlán by car?
About 216 miles (348 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 Teziutlán 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 Teziutlán to Malinalco?
The U.S. State Department rates Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala 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 Teziutlán to Malinalco use?
In order: MEX-129D, MEX-140D, MEX-190, PUE 438D, MEX-94D, MOR 21, MEX-185 and MEX-181. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Teziutlán and Malinalco?
Closest to the road: Chalcatzingo (archaeological site, mile 143, 2 mi from the route); Las Pilas archaeological site (archaeological site, mile 144, 1 mi from the route); Museo de sitio de Xochicalco (museum, mile 191, 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 mile 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 (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city 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.