The Wayro route from Tuxtepec to Metztitlán is 335 miles (539 km), about 6 h 37 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 335 mi (539 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 37 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-175 → MEX-145 → MEX-150D → MEX-M40D → MEX-132 → MEX-88 → MEX-105 → HGO 37 |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca (Level 2), Veracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-145D, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.4 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 Tuxtepec to Metztitlán is like
MEX-150D (156 mi) and MEX-145 (49 mi) carry about 61% of the 335 miles. MEX-150D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-175, MEX-145, MEX-132, MEX-88, MEX-105 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 6 states: Oaxaca, Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tuxtepec to Metztitlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175 | 1–7 | 6 | Oaxaca, Veracruz |
| MEX-145 | 7–56 | 49 | Veracruz |
| connecting roads | 56–60 | 4 | Veracruz |
| MEX-150D | 60–216 | 156 | Veracruz, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 216–217 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-M40D | 217–262 | 45 | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-132 | 262–266 | 4 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 266–267 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-88 | 267–282 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 282–285 | 3 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 285–301 | 16 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 301–305 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 305–320 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 320–321 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| HGO 37 | 321–335 | 14 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 4 of this route: Oaxaca → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 128 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 221 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 244 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 251 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 263 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Tuxtepec and Metztitlán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 115), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 320), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 327)
- Nature and outdoors: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 115), El Chico National Park (mile 290), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 320), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 327)
- Museums and history: Huatusco (mile 66), Museo Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Mexicanos (mile 197), Cacaxtla (mile 212)
Huatusco
Above the Atoyac River in Carrillo Puerto, the ruins of Huatusco (Cuauhtochco) include a Mexica-era temple that still keeps original surface finishes. There are no visitor facilities; reaching it means crossing a suspension bridge and climbing a steep trail, ideally with a local guide.
Teatro Llave
In central Orizaba, the Gran Teatro Ignacio de la Llave hosts artistic and cultural performances, and its exhibition room shows temporary collections, mostly by artists from the surrounding valley.
Cañón del Río Blanco National Park
Cañón del Río Blanco National Park is a protected natural area in the Mexican state of Veracruz, set aside by the government as a national park.
Museo Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Mexicanos
In Puebla's historic center, this national railway museum studies, preserves and shares Mexico's railroad heritage through exhibits on the history of the trains.
Cacaxtla
Built on a hill rising above the Tlaxcala-Puebla valley, Cacaxtla is known for its pre-Hispanic murals on the Gran Basamento, a large platform now sheltered under a roof. INAH manages it together with nearby Xochitécatl.
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.
Barranca de Metztitlán
Barranca de Metztitlán is a biosphere reserve in Hidalgo, protected for its steep cliffs, deep winding canyons and distinctive plants and wildlife.
Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán
The Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve protects about 96,000 hectares of eastern-central Hidalgo, where the Amajac, Metztitlán, Almolón and Metzquititlán rivers have cut four canyons, the Metztitlán gorge being the main one.
When you get to Metztitlán
Los Reyes Magos monastery, Metztitlán
Augustinian friars built the fortress-like Santos Reyes convent in Metztitlán in the 16th century, enclosing its atrium with a wall, open chapels and an atrial cross; it stands inside the Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve with wide canyon views.
More drives to Metztitlán
- Pachuca to Metztitlán
- Actopan to Metztitlán
- Tulancingo to Metztitlán
- Zimapán to Metztitlán
- Otumba to Metztitlán
- Calpulalpan to Metztitlán
From Tuxtepec to other places in Mexico
- Tuxtepec to Zacatelco
- Tuxtepec to Huejotzingo
- Tuxtepec to Calpulalpan
- Tuxtepec to Otumba
- Tuxtepec to Tlaltizapán
- Tuxtepec to Tepoztlán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tuxtepec to Metztitlán?
About 6 h 37 min of driving without stops, over 335 miles.
How far is Metztitlán from Tuxtepec by car?
About 335 miles (539 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 Tuxtepec to Metztitlán?
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 Tuxtepec to Metztitlán?
The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tuxtepec to Metztitlán use?
In order: MEX-175, MEX-145, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-132, MEX-88, MEX-105 and HGO 37. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tuxtepec and Metztitlán?
Closest to the road: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 115, 0.6 mi from the route); Barranca de Metztitlán (canyon, mile 320, 0.1 mi from the route); Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (biosphere reserve, mile 327, 0.6 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.