The Wayro route from Tulancingo to Oaxtepec is 121 miles (194 km), about 2 h 46 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 121 mi (194 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 46 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-130 → MEX-132 → MEX-142 → MEX-5D → MEX-115 |
| Mexican states on the route | Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-132D, MEX-5D, MEX-115D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.8 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 Tulancingo to Oaxtepec is like
MEX-132 (41 mi) and MEX-115 (18 mi) carry about 49% of the 121 miles. MEX-5D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-130, MEX-132, MEX-142, MEX-115 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tulancingo to Oaxtepec, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-130 | 2–6 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-132 | 6–47 | 41 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 47–53 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-142 | 53–63 | 10 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 63–66 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-5D | 66–78 | 12 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 78–79 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-115 | 79–94 | 15 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 94–109 | 15 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| MEX-115 | 109–112 | 3 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 112–113 | 1 | Morelos |
| local roads | 113–121 | 8 | Morelos |
- Mile 29 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 103 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Tulancingo and Oaxtepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Paleontological Museum in Tocuila (mile 60), Texcoco Cathedral (mile 61), Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl (mile 114), Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol (mile 114)
- Museums and history: Museo del Ferrocarril en Otumba (mile 38), Catedral de Teotihuacán (mile 46), Paleontological Museum in Tocuila (mile 60), Texcoco Cathedral (mile 61)
Museo del Ferrocarril en Otumba
The Museo del Ferrocarril en Otumba is a museum in the town of Otumba de Gómez Farías devoted, as its name says, to the railroad.
Pyramid of the Moon
In the western part of ancient Teotihuacan, in present-day San Martín de las Pirámides, the Pyramid of the Moon mimics the contours of Cerro Gordo, the mountain just north of the site.
Temple of the Feathered Serpent, Teotihuacan
The Temple of the Feathered Serpent is a pyramid at Teotihuacan, a pre-Columbian city in central Mexico that rose around the 1st or 2nd century BC and was occupied into the 600s or 700s.
Catedral de Teotihuacán
In Teotihuacán de Arista, the town at the heart of the municipality, the Cathedral Sanctuary of the Divine Redeemer serves as the seat of the Diocese of Teotihuacán.
Paleontological Museum in Tocuila
The Paleontological Museum in Tocuila, in Texcoco, State of Mexico, is a fossil museum displaying part of a rich deposit of Late Pleistocene animals from the Americas.
Texcoco Cathedral
Texcoco's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception occupies a former convent built by the Franciscans in the 16th century, one of the order's early convent complexes in the Americas.
Historic center of Mexico City
Built by the Spanish in the 16th century on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, Mexico City's Centro Histórico holds the Metropolitan Cathedral, the excavated Aztec Templo Mayor and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1987.
Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
Inscribed by UNESCO in 1994, this World Heritage site groups early 16th-century monasteries that Franciscan, Dominican and Augustinian friars built on the slopes of Popocatépetl, with large open spaces used to evangelize the Indigenous population.
Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol
Built by Augustinian friars, the Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol in Atlatlahucan is well preserved, with murals and decorated vaults, and is associated with the origins of the Chinelo dancers.
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 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 is the drive from Tulancingo to Oaxtepec?
About 2 h 46 min of driving without stops, over 121 miles.
How far is Oaxtepec from Tulancingo by car?
About 121 miles (194 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 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 Tulancingo to Oaxtepec?
The U.S. State Department rates Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico 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 Tulancingo to Oaxtepec use?
In order: MEX-130, MEX-132, MEX-142, MEX-5D and MEX-115. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tulancingo and Oaxtepec?
Closest to the road: Texcoco Cathedral (cathedral, mile 61, 0.7 mi from the route); Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl (world Heritage Site, mile 114, 0.2 mi from the route); Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol (convent, mile 114, 0.2 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 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.