The Wayro route from Tlaxco to Tlayacapan is 122 miles (196 km), about 2 h 25 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 122 mi (196 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 25 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-119 → MEX-117D → MEX-119D → PUE 438D → MEX-160 → MEX-160D |
| 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 4.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 Tlayacapan is like
PUE 438D (33 mi) and MEX-160 (16 mi) carry about 40% of the 122 miles. MEX-117D, MEX-119D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-119, MEX-160 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Morelos. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tlaxco to Tlayacapan, 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 |
| MEX-160D | 111–116 | 5 | Morelos |
| local roads | 116–122 | 6 | Morelos |
- Mile 39 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 88 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Tlaxco and Tlayacapan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Casa de Piedra (mile 16), Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco (mile 25)
- Museums and history: Museo Casa de Piedra (mile 16), Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco (mile 25), Museo Nacional de Antropología e Historia de Tlaxcala (mile 26), Chalcatzingo (mile 96), Museo Histórico del Oriente de Morelos "Casa de Morelos" (mile 109)
Museo Casa de Piedra
Apizaco's old railroad station, dating from 1916, now houses the Museo Casa de Piedra. Inside, photographs and documents trace the town's history, especially its long ties to the railroads.
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 Nacional de Antropología e Historia de Tlaxcala
Set in the cloisters of Tlaxcala's former Franciscan convent, founded in 1528, the regional museum (Museo Regional de Tlaxcala) traces the state from paleontology and pre-Hispanic cultures through the colonial era to the Revolution, with pottery, sculpture and paintings.
Great Pyramid of Cholula
Under a hilltop church dedicated to the Virgin of los Remedios lies Tlachihualtepetl, a pyramid built in superimposed stages with a base about 400 meters per side. Excavations have opened roughly 8 km of tunnels inside the mound.
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.
Museo Histórico del Oriente de Morelos "Casa de Morelos"
In this 18th-century house in Cuautla, José María Morelos lived during the 1812 Siege of Cuautla. Its INAH galleries trace regional history through Morelos and Emiliano Zapata and display "El Niño," his first cannon, a gift from the Galeana family.
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 Tlayacapan
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.
Templo y exconvento de San Guillermo
Augustinian friars began the Templo y Exconvento de San Guillermo in Totolapan in the mid-16th century; part of the UNESCO-listed Popocatépetl monasteries, it was badly damaged in the 2017 earthquake, and INAH has supervised its restoration.
More drives to Tlayacapan
- Atlixco to Tlayacapan
- Otumba to Tlayacapan
- Calpulalpan to Tlayacapan
- Metepec to Tlayacapan
- Toluca to Tlayacapan
- Puebla to Tlayacapan
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 Tlayacapan?
About 2 h 25 min of driving without stops, over 122 miles.
How far is Tlayacapan from Tlaxco by car?
About 122 miles (196 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 Tlayacapan?
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 Tlayacapan?
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 Tlayacapan use?
In order: MEX-119, MEX-117D, MEX-119D, PUE 438D, MEX-160 and MEX-160D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tlaxco and Tlayacapan?
Closest to the road: Museo Casa de Piedra (railway museum, mile 16, 0.9 mi from the route); Museo de Sitio de Ocotelulco (museum, mile 25, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo Nacional de Antropología e Historia de Tlaxcala (museum, mile 26, 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.