The Wayro route from Tlaxco to Oaxtepec is 117 miles (188 km), about 2 h 18 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 117 mi (188 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 18 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-119 → MEX-117D → MEX-119D → PUE 438D → MEX-160 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-117D, MEX-119D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.7 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 Tlaxco to Oaxtepec is like
PUE 438D (33 mi) and MEX-160 (16 mi) carry about 42% of the 117 miles. MEX-117D, MEX-119D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-119, MEX-160 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tlaxco to Oaxtepec, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-119 | 1–16 | 15 | Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 16–18 | 2 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-117D | 18–29 | 11 | Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 29–30 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-119D | 30–40 | 10 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| local roads | 40–62 | 22 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 62–95 | 33 | Puebla, Morelos |
| MEX-160 | 95–111 | 16 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 111–112 | 1 | Morelos |
| local roads | 112–117 | 5 | Morelos |
- Mile 39 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 88 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Tlaxco and Oaxtepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco (mile 25), Museo Miguel N. Lira (mile 26)
- Museums and history: Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco (mile 25), Museo Miguel N. Lira (mile 26), Museo de Historia y Antropología de Cholula (mile 46), International Museum of the Baroque (mile 50), Chalcatzingo (mile 96), Las Pilas archaeological site (mile 96)
Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco
Ocotelulco was the principal Tlaxcalan lordship in 1519; its site museum displays about 750 excavated objects beside temple remains painted with Tezcatlipoca and the fire serpent, and an ethnobotanical garden surrounds the building.
Museo Miguel N. Lira
Downtown Tlaxcala's Museo Miguel N. Lira fills the old State Printing Office, linked to the writer and poet. Visitors see his manuscripts, family photos and personal belongings, plus the original linotype machines and the press that printed his work.
San Gabriel Franciscan Convent, Cholula
The San Gabriel Franciscan Convent, also called San Gabriel Friary, is a church and friary in Cholula, part of the Puebla metropolitan area.
Museo de Historia y Antropología de Cholula
Run by INAH, the Museo de Historia y Antropología de Cholula is the site museum for Cholula's archaeological zone. Don't confuse it with the Museo Regional de Cholula, two blocks away.
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.
International Museum of the Baroque
Designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito and opened in 2016, Puebla's baroque museum wraps its galleries in curving white concrete walls beside a reflecting pond. Exhibits cover baroque painting, sculpture, architecture, music, theater and literature.
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.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Yecapixtla
The 16th-century church and former monastery of San Juan Bautista in Yecapixtla belongs to the Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl, inscribed by UNESCO in 1994 as early missionary architecture with large open courtyards.
When you get to Oaxtepec
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
More drives to Oaxtepec
- Malinalco to Oaxtepec
- Mexico City to Oaxtepec
- Metepec to Oaxtepec
- Toluca to Oaxtepec
- Otumba to Oaxtepec
- Taxco to Oaxtepec
From Tlaxco to other places in Mexico
- Tlaxco to Chipilo
- Tlaxco to Otumba
- Tlaxco to Omitlán
- Tlaxco to Atlatlahucan
- Tlaxco to Jilotepec
- Tlaxco to Zimapán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tlaxco to Oaxtepec?
About 2 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 117 miles.
How far is Oaxtepec from Tlaxco by car?
About 117 miles (188 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 Tlaxco to Oaxtepec?
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 Tlaxco to Oaxtepec?
The U.S. State Department rates Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tlaxco to Oaxtepec use?
In order: MEX-119, MEX-117D, MEX-119D, PUE 438D and MEX-160. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tlaxco and Oaxtepec?
Closest to the road: Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco (museum, mile 25, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo Miguel N. Lira (museum, mile 26, 1 mi from the route); International Museum of the Baroque (art museum, mile 50, 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.