Plan on about 8 h 55 min of driving for the 505-mile (813 km) trip from Tlaxcala to Boca del Cielo, before any stops.
| Distance | 505 mi (813 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-119 → MEX-150D → MEX-135D → MEX-190 → MEX-190D → MEX-185D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tlaxcala, Puebla, Oaxaca, Chiapas |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-150D, MEX-135D, MEX-190D, MEX-185D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.2 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.
The Tlaxcala–Boca del Cielo drive in a few lines
MEX-135D (151 mi) and MEX-190D (105 mi) carry about 51% of the 505 miles. It runs through 4 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Oaxaca, Chiapas. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-150D, MEX-135D and MEX-190D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Tlaxcala and Boca del Cielo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-119 | 2–17 | 15 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 17–19 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 19–68 | 49 | Puebla |
| MEX-135D | 68–219 | 151 | Puebla, Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 219–251 | 32 | Oaxaca |
| connecting roads | 251–254 | 3 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-190D | 254–359 | 105 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-185D | 359–388 | 29 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 388–437 | 49 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-200 | 437–484 | 47 | Oaxaca, Chiapas |
| local roads | 484–505 | 21 | Chiapas |
- Mile 16 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 121 of this route: Puebla → Oaxaca (state line)
- Mile 456 of this route: Oaxaca → Chiapas (state line)
What to see on the way from Tlaxcala to Boca del Cielo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Yagul (mile 246)
- Nature and outdoors: Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 111), Benito Juárez National Park (mile 219), Hierve el Agua (mile 263)
- Museums and history: Archaeological Zone of Atzompa (mile 224), Monte Albán (mile 226), Yagul (mile 246), Gheo-shih (mile 249), Los Horcones (mile 480)
Teatro de la Ciudad de Puebla
The Teatro de la Ciudad is a performance venue on the Portal Hidalgo, in the historic center of the city of Puebla.
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
In 2018 UNESCO inscribed the arid Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, which spans Puebla and Oaxaca, as a mixed World Heritage site. A major center of cactus diversity, it also keeps ancient canals, terraces and dams.
Benito Juárez National Park
Pine and oak forest covers about 2,737 hectares in Benito Juárez National Park, a short way north of Oaxaca City. Among its trails is La Coronilla, a loop of around 5 km at moderate difficulty.
Archaeological Zone of Atzompa
About 8 km west of Oaxaca City on Cerro del Bonete, in Santa María Atzompa, this archaeological site was a monumental complex that belonged to nearby Monte Albán.
Monte Albán
Carved into a mountaintop above the Valley of Oaxaca, Monte Albán was a Zapotec capital for some 1,300 years; visitors walk a 300-meter ceremonial plaza lined with temples, a ball court, tombs and carved reliefs. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Yagul
On a rocky hill in Oaxaca's Tlacolula Valley, Yagul is a Zapotec site whose builders linked platforms by paths. Explore the Palace of the Six Patios, a ball court, tombs and a fortress wall with lookouts.
Gheo-shih
In the Oaxaca Valley, Gheo-shih ("River of the Gourd Trees" in Zapotec) is an open-air site with a boulder-lined cleared area thought to have served for rituals, dances or games.
Hierve el Agua
About 70 km east of Oaxaca City, Hierve el Agua's two cliffs rise 50 to 90 meters above the valley, draped in near-white travertine formations that look like waterfalls.
Los Horcones
On the north side of Cerro de Bernal, atop a small ridge on the south side of a coastal plain, Los Horcones is an archaeological zone in the municipality of Tonalá, Chiapas.
More drives to Boca del Cielo
- Copainalá to Boca del Cielo
- San Cristóbal de las Casas to Boca del Cielo
- San Juan Chamula to Boca del Cielo
- Comitán to Boca del Cielo
- Tapijulapa to Boca del Cielo
- Palizada to Boca del Cielo
From Tlaxcala to other places in Mexico
- Tlaxcala to Omitlán
- Tlaxcala to Atlatlahucan
- Tlaxcala to Huasca de Ocampo
- Tlaxcala to Actopan
- Tlaxcala to Metepec
- Tlaxcala to Malinalco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tlaxcala to Boca del Cielo?
About 8 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 505 miles.
How far is Boca del Cielo from Tlaxcala by car?
About 505 miles (813 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 Tlaxcala to Boca del Cielo?
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 Tlaxcala to Boca del Cielo?
The U.S. State Department rates Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Oaxaca 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 Tlaxcala to Boca del Cielo use?
In order: MEX-119, MEX-150D, MEX-135D, MEX-190, MEX-190D, MEX-185D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tlaxcala and Boca del Cielo?
Closest to the road: Archaeological Zone of Atzompa (archaeological site, mile 224, 2 mi from the route); Yagul (archaeological site, mile 246, 1 mi from the route); Gheo-shih (archaeological site, mile 249, 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.