Tuxpan, Veracruz to Chiautempan Road Trip: Stops & Drive Time

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Tuxpan, Veracruz to Chiautempan is 153 miles (246 km), about 2 h 37 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Veracruz — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Tlaxcala is the Mexican state that contains Chiautempan. See the full advisory for current details.
El TajínBasílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, ApizacoMuseo Casa de PiedraTuxpan, VeracruzChiautempan
Route from Tuxpan, Veracruz to Chiautempan with the 3 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance153 mi (246 km)
Driving time, no stops2 h 37 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-130D → MEX-132D → MEX-119D → MEX-119
Mexican states on the routeVeracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-130D, MEX-132D, MEX-119D, MEX-117D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 6.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below3

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 insuranceRequired 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 Chiautempan is like

MEX-132D (63 mi) and MEX-119D (40 mi) carry about 67% of the 153 miles. MEX-130D, MEX-132D, MEX-119D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-119 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 4 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala. Of the 3 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Tuxpan, Veracruz to Chiautempan, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Veracruz
MEX-130D1–2423Veracruz
MEX-132D24–8763Veracruz, Puebla
connecting roads87–892Hidalgo
MEX-119D89–12940Hidalgo, Puebla, Tlaxcala
connecting roads129–1301Tlaxcala
MEX-119130–14313Tlaxcala
local roads143–15310Tlaxcala
  • Mile 33 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
  • Mile 87 of this route: Puebla → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 93 of this route: Hidalgo → Puebla (state line)
  • Mile 124 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)

Stops between Tuxpan, Veracruz and Chiautempan

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (mile 143), Museo Casa de Piedra (mile 143)
  • Museums and history: El Tajín (mile 23), Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (mile 143), Museo Casa de Piedra (mile 143)

El Tajín

Mile 23 · Archaeological site · 17 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco

Mile 143 · Basilica · 0.4 mi from the route

In the city of Apizaco, this Catholic basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia) was begun in the third decade of the 20th century and completed in 1961.

Museo Casa de Piedra

Mile 143 · Railway museum · 0.9 mi from the route

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.

When you get to Chiautempan

Basílica de Ocotlán

Basilica · in Chiautempan

On Cerro de San Lorenzo near the city of Tlaxcala, the Basílica de Ocotlán is a standout of Mexican Churrigueresque Baroque, begun in 1670 and home to an ocote-wood image of the Virgin tied to a 1541 legend.

Tlaxcala Cathedral

Catholic cathedral · in Chiautempan

Part of a 16th-century Franciscan complex among the earliest in the Americas, Tlaxcala's cathedral is famous for its carved Mudéjar-style wooden ceiling. Look for the freestanding bell tower and the stone font where Tlaxcalan lords were baptized.

Teatro Xicohténcatl

Theatre building · in Chiautempan

Tlaxcala's Teatro Xicohténcatl opened in 1873 and was reopened in 1888 after remodeling. Look up to see John Fulton's ceiling mural of the nine muses, painted in Art Nouveau style against a Tlaxcalan landscape.

More drives to Chiautempan

From Tuxpan, Veracruz to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Tuxpan, Veracruz to Chiautempan?

About 2 h 37 min of driving without stops, over 153 miles.

How far is Chiautempan from Tuxpan, Veracruz by car?

About 153 miles (246 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 Chiautempan?

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 Chiautempan?

The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala 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 Chiautempan use?

In order: MEX-130D, MEX-132D, MEX-119D and MEX-119. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Tuxpan, Veracruz and Chiautempan?

Closest to the road: El Tajín (archaeological site, mile 23, 17 mi from the route); Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (basilica, mile 143, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo Casa de Piedra (railway museum, mile 143, 0.9 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.