The Wayro route from Tlacotalpan to Metztitlán is 346 miles (557 km), about 7 h 0 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 346 mi (557 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 0 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-175 → MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-140 → MEX-140D → MEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-132 → MEX-88 → MEX-105 → HGO 37 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-180D, MEX-140D, MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.8 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 Tlacotalpan to Metztitlán is like
MEX-140D (92 mi) and MEX-180 (68 mi) carry about 46% of the 346 miles. MEX-180D, MEX-140D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-175, MEX-180, MEX-140, MEX-136, MEX-132, MEX-88, MEX-105 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tlacotalpan to Metztitlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-175 | 0–9 | 9 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 9–68 | 59 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 68–80 | 12 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 80–89 | 9 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140 | 89–98 | 9 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140D | 98–106 | 8 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140 | 106–109 | 3 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140D | 109–193 | 84 | Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 193–194 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-136 | 194–245 | 51 | Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 245–246 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-M40D | 246–273 | 27 | Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-132 | 273–277 | 4 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| MEX-88 | 277–293 | 16 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 293–296 | 3 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 296–312 | 16 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 312–316 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 316–331 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 331–332 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| HGO 37 | 332–345 | 13 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 345–346 | 1 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 160 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 186 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 255 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 262 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 275 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Tlacotalpan and Metztitlán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Dificultad Mine Museum (mile 302), Templo y exconvento de San Agustín (mile 314), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 331), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 338)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 150), La Malinche National Park (mile 206), Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 221), El Chico National Park (mile 301), Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla (mile 309), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 331), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 338)
- Museums and history: La Dificultad Mine Museum (mile 302)
Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote
Cofre de Perote National Park protects the forested slopes of the mountain, and its role is practical as well as scenic: a little over 40 percent of the water used in Xalapa comes from here.
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.
Parque nacional Xicoténcatl
Covering roughly 600 hectares in central Tlaxcala, Xicohténcatl National Park takes in the historic center of Tlaxcala city plus Quiahuixtlán, Ocotelulco and Tepeticpac, which correspond to three of the old Tlaxcalan lordships.
El Chico National Park
In Hidalgo, El Chico National Park is known for towering cliffs such as Las Ventanas and Peña del Cuervo, popular with climbers, and forest wildlife including gray foxes, ringtails, armadillos, hawks, falcons and woodpeckers.
La Dificultad Mine Museum
At the La Dificultad mine in Mineral del Monte, a site museum and interpretation center tells the area's mining and hospital history, showing how the mines moved from steam power to electricity.
Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla
Basalt columns more than 40 meters tall line a ravine near Huasca de Ocampo, formed when lava cooled quickly on contact with water. Alexander von Humboldt described the Basaltic Prisms (Prismas Basálticos) after his visit in 1803.
Templo y exconvento de San Agustín
Founded in 1536 and built between 1542 and 1562, the Augustinian church and former convent of San Agustín in Atotonilco el Grande has a Plateresque design and frescoes.
Barranca de Metztitlán
Barranca de Metztitlán is a biosphere reserve in Hidalgo, protected for its steep cliffs, deep winding canyons and distinctive plants and wildlife.
Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán
The Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve protects about 96,000 hectares of eastern-central Hidalgo, where the Amajac, Metztitlán, Almolón and Metzquititlán rivers have cut four canyons, the Metztitlán gorge being the main one.
When you get to Metztitlán
Los Reyes Magos monastery, Metztitlán
Augustinian friars built the fortress-like Santos Reyes convent in Metztitlán in the 16th century, enclosing its atrium with a wall, open chapels and an atrial cross; it stands inside the Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve with wide canyon views.
More drives to Metztitlán
- Pachuca to Metztitlán
- Actopan to Metztitlán
- Tulancingo to Metztitlán
- Zimapán to Metztitlán
- Otumba to Metztitlán
- Calpulalpan to Metztitlán
From Tlacotalpan to other places in Mexico
- Tlacotalpan to Chipilo
- Tlacotalpan to Oaxtepec
- Tlacotalpan to Huasca de Ocampo
- Tlacotalpan to Tonatico
- Tlacotalpan to Ixcateopan
- Tlacotalpan to El Oro
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tlacotalpan to Metztitlán?
About 7 h 0 min of driving without stops, over 346 miles.
How far is Metztitlán from Tlacotalpan by car?
About 346 miles (557 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 Tlacotalpan to Metztitlán?
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 Tlacotalpan to Metztitlán?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; 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 Tlacotalpan to Metztitlán use?
In order: MEX-175, MEX-180, MEX-180D, MEX-140, MEX-140D, MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-132, MEX-88, MEX-105 and HGO 37. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tlacotalpan and Metztitlán?
Closest to the road: La Dificultad Mine Museum (museum, mile 302, 0.5 mi from the route); Barranca de Metztitlán (canyon, mile 331, 0.1 mi from the route); Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (biosphere reserve, mile 338, 0.6 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.