The Wayro route from Tuxtepec to San Juan de los Lagos is 545 miles (877 km), about 9 h 12 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 545 mi (877 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 12 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-175 → MEX-145 → MEX-150D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-80 |
| 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), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-145D, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 San Juan de los Lagos is like
MEX-150D (156 mi) and MEX-45D (113 mi) carry about 49% of the 545 miles. MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-175, MEX-145, MEX-80 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 9 states: Oaxaca, Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Jalisco. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tuxtepec to San Juan de los Lagos, 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 | 217–322 | 105 | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 322–323 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 323–359 | 36 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| MEX-47D | 359–412 | 53 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 412–525 | 113 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 525–526 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80 | 526–542 | 16 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 542–545 | 3 | Jalisco |
- 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 252 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 265 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 281 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 295 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 324 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 357 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 399 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 509 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
Stops between Tuxtepec and San Juan de los Lagos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 115)
- Nature and outdoors: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 115), El Cimatario National Park (mile 395)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz (mile 93), Orizaba Cathedral (mile 106), Museo del Ejercito, Puebla (mile 197), Tula (mile 312)
Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz
Built in the first half of the 17th century, Córdoba's Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the city's main church; look up to see its octagonal dome covered in tiles, finished in a neoclassical style.
Orizaba Cathedral
The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel is the main Catholic church of Orizaba, in the state of Veracruz, and the seat of the Diocese of Orizaba.
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 del Ejercito, Puebla
On 4 Poniente in Puebla's historic center, beside the old Belén hospital church, this museum and library honors General Ignacio Zaragoza, the Battle of Puebla and the history of the Mexican Army.
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.
Tula
Once the Toltec capital, the Tula archaeological zone is best known for its Atlantes, basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall crowning the main pyramid. Visitors also see a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall, carved with snakes devouring skeletons.
El Cimatario National Park
El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.
When you get to San Juan de los Lagos
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Pilgrims come from far and wide to San Juan de los Lagos to see the small image of the Virgin kept in this cathedral basilica, built between 1732 and 1769. Inside are Gothic-style ribbed vaults and a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
More drives to San Juan de los Lagos
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to San Juan de los Lagos
- Zacatecas to San Juan de los Lagos
- Fresnillo to San Juan de los Lagos
- Durango to San Juan de los Lagos
- Mazatlán to San Juan de los Lagos
- Culiacán to San Juan de los Lagos
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 San Juan de los Lagos?
About 9 h 12 min of driving without stops, over 545 miles.
How far is San Juan de los Lagos from Tuxtepec by car?
About 545 miles (877 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 San Juan de los Lagos?
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 San Juan de los Lagos?
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; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tuxtepec to San Juan de los Lagos use?
In order: MEX-175, MEX-145, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D and MEX-80. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tuxtepec and San Juan de los Lagos?
Closest to the road: Orizaba Cathedral (cathedral, mile 106, 1 mi from the route); Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 115, 0.6 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 312, 1 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.