The Wayro route from Tuxpan, Veracruz to Actopan is 156 miles (251 km), about 2 h 53 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 156 mi (251 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 53 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-130D → MEX-132D → MEX-130 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-130D, MEX-132D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 6.2 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.
What the drive from Tuxpan, Veracruz to Actopan is like
MEX-132D (88 mi) and MEX-130D (23 mi) carry about 71% of the 156 miles. MEX-130D, MEX-132D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-130 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 3 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Tuxpan, Veracruz to Actopan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Veracruz |
| MEX-130D | 1–24 | 23 | Veracruz |
| MEX-132D | 24–112 | 88 | Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo |
| MEX-130 | 112–131 | 19 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 131–156 | 25 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 33 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 87 of this route: Puebla → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Tuxpan, Veracruz and Actopan
- Nature and outdoors: El Hiloche (mile 131), El Chico National Park (mile 137)
- Museums and history: El Tajín (mile 23), Tulancingo Cathedral (mile 106), El Santo Museum (mile 106), Templo y exconvento de San Andrés Apóstol (mile 123), Museo Nacional de la Fotografía (mile 134), Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (mile 135)
El Tajín
A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Veracruz, El Tajín peaked from the early 9th to the early 13th century. Look for the Pyramid of the Niches, elaborately carved reliefs on columns and friezes, and some of the site's 17 ballcourts.
Tulancingo Cathedral
Tulancingo Cathedral grew from a 16th-century Franciscan mission. The present church, designed by architect José Damián Ortiz de Castro and consecrated in 1806, has an unusual Neoclassical portico with Ionic columns and a triangular pediment.
El Santo Museum
Wrestling fans can stop in Tulancingo, birthplace of the masked luchador El Santo, where this museum opened in 1985. Displays include original masks and ring outfits, movie promotional material and photos from his career and private life.
Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque
Built by Franciscan friar Francisco de Tembleque between 1554 and 1572, this 16th-century water system runs more than 48 km between Zempoala and Otumba. Its tallest arcade at Tepeyahualco reaches almost 40 meters, and UNESCO listed it in 2015.
Templo y exconvento de San Andrés Apóstol
Augustinian friars raised this 16th-century church and convent in Epazoyucan, Hidalgo; the complex keeps its posa chapels, open chapel and atrium, and its stonework mixes Plateresque carving with Indigenous tequitqui craftsmanship.
El Hiloche
Bosque El Hiloche is a state park of about 100 hectares of forest in Mineral del Monte, Hidalgo, and one of the geosites of the Comarca Minera Geopark.
Museo Nacional de la Fotografía
Pachuca de Soto, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo, is home to the Museo Nacional de la Fotografía, a museum devoted to photography.
Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
Known locally as La Villita, the Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is a Catholic basilica dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe in Pachuca.
El Chico National Park
In Hidalgo, El Chico National Park is known for towering cliffs such as Las Ventanas and Peña del Cuervo, popular with climbers, and forest wildlife including gray foxes, ringtails, armadillos, hawks, falcons and woodpeckers.
More drives to Actopan
- Tulancingo to Actopan
- Tepotzotlán to Actopan
- Mexico City to Actopan
- Tequisquiapan to Actopan
- Toluca to Actopan
- Cuernavaca to Actopan
From Tuxpan, Veracruz to other places in Mexico
- Tuxpan, Veracruz to Omitlán
- Tuxpan, Veracruz to Otumba
- Tuxpan, Veracruz to Chiautempan
- Tuxpan, Veracruz to Tlaxcala
- Tuxpan, Veracruz to Metztitlán
- Tuxpan, Veracruz to Chipilo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tuxpan, Veracruz to Actopan?
About 2 h 53 min of driving without stops, over 156 miles.
How far is Actopan from Tuxpan, Veracruz by car?
About 156 miles (251 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 Tuxpan, Veracruz to Actopan?
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 Tuxpan, Veracruz to Actopan?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tuxpan, Veracruz to Actopan use?
In order: MEX-130D, MEX-132D and MEX-130. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tuxpan, Veracruz and Actopan?
Closest to the road: El Santo Museum (museum, mile 106, 2 mi from the route); Museo Nacional de la Fotografía (museum, mile 134, 2 mi from the route); Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (basilica, mile 135, 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.