By road, Tulancingo and Comalcalco are about 478 miles (769 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 21 min of driving.
| Distance by road | 478 mi (769 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 21 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-130 → MEX-132 → MEX-M40D → MEX-150D → MEX-145D → MEX-180D → MEX-180 → MEX-187 |
| Mexican states on the route | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz, Tabasco |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-M40D, MEX-150D, MEX-145D, MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.1 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.
On the road from Tulancingo to Comalcalco
MEX-150D (152 mi) and MEX-180D (54 mi) carry about 43% of the 478 miles. It runs through 6 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz, Tabasco. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-M40D, MEX-150D and MEX-145D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Tulancingo to Comalcalco: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-130 | 2–6 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-132 | 6–29 | 23 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-M40D | 29–75 | 46 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 75–227 | 152 | Puebla, Veracruz |
| local roads | 227–337 | 110 | Veracruz |
| MEX-145D | 337–369 | 32 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 369–390 | 21 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 390–409 | 19 | Veracruz, Tabasco |
| MEX-180D | 409–442 | 33 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 442–453 | 11 | Tabasco |
| connecting roads | 453–454 | 1 | Tabasco |
| MEX-187 | 454–475 | 21 | Tabasco |
| local roads | 475–478 | 3 | Tabasco |
- Mile 29 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 41 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 48 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 71 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 160 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 407 of this route: Veracruz → Tabasco (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Tulancingo and Comalcalco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 171)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 82), Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 171)
- Museums and history: Museo José Luis Bello y Zetina (mile 96), Veracruz State Art Museum (mile 182), Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz (mile 194), Huatusco (mile 220), La Venta (mile 409)
Church and former convent of Todos los Santos
Franciscan friars built this fortress-style convent in Zempoala, and the complex still keeps the classic layout of atrium, church, open chapel and cloister. It pairs well with a drive through the area's old pulque haciendas.
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.
Museo José Luis Bello y Zetina
Next to the Templo de Santo Domingo in downtown Puebla, the Museo José Luis Bello y Zetina shows a house and art collection donated by the Puebla philanthropist it's named for.
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.
Cañón del Río Blanco National Park
Veracruz is home to Cañón del Río Blanco National Park, a natural area that the Mexican government has set aside for protection.
Veracruz State Art Museum
Housed in Orizaba's 18th-century former Oratorio of San Felipe Neri, later a hospital and then a jail, the Veracruz State Art Museum (Museo de Arte del Estado) holds more than 700 works, including 36 by Diego Rivera.
Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz
Córdoba's main church, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, was built in the first half of the 17th century. Look up to see its tiled octagonal dome.
Huatusco
Above the Atoyac River in Carrillo Puerto, Cuauhtochco has a Mexica-era temple that still keeps original surface finishes. Expect no visitor facilities, and consider hiring a local guide.
La Venta
More than 200 artifacts fill the site museum at La Venta, among them massive sandstone sculptures discovered at the base of the main pyramid. The once-important Olmec city lies in Tabasco, near Huimanguillo.
When you get to Comalcalco
Comalcalco
Next to the modern city of the same name in Tabasco, Comalcalco is an ancient Maya site that stands out as a major Maya city built with bricks instead of limestone, and the westernmost of the civilization.
More drives to Comalcalco
- Chiautempan to Comalcalco
- Tlaxcala to Comalcalco
- Cuautla to Comalcalco
- Pachuca to Comalcalco
- Cuernavaca to Comalcalco
- Tepotzotlán to Comalcalco
From Tulancingo to other places in Mexico
- Tulancingo to Tepotzotlán
- Tulancingo to Zimapán
- Tulancingo to Metepec
- Tulancingo to Atlatlahucan
- Tulancingo to Malinalco
- Tulancingo to Tonatico
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tulancingo to Comalcalco?
About 8 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 478 miles.
How far is Comalcalco from Tulancingo by car?
About 478 miles (769 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 Tulancingo to Comalcalco?
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 Tulancingo to Comalcalco?
The U.S. State Department rates Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tulancingo to Comalcalco use?
In order: MEX-130, MEX-132, MEX-M40D, MEX-150D, MEX-145D, MEX-180D, MEX-180 and MEX-187. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tulancingo and Comalcalco?
Closest to the road: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (national park, mile 171, 0.6 mi from the route); Veracruz State Art Museum (art museum, mile 182, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz (cathedral, mile 194, 2 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.