The Wayro route from Tuxtepec to Tepoztlán is 283 miles (455 km), about 5 h 24 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 283 mi (455 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 24 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-175 → MEX-145 → MEX-150D → MEX-190 → PUE 438D → MEX-160 → MEX-160D |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca (Level 2), Veracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-145D, MEX-150D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.3 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 Tepoztlán is like
MEX-150D (131 mi) and MEX-145 (49 mi) carry about 64% of the 283 miles. MEX-150D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-175, MEX-145, MEX-190, MEX-160 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Oaxaca, Veracruz, Puebla, Morelos. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tuxtepec to Tepoztlán, 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 | 60–191 | 131 | Veracruz, Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 191–206 | 15 | Puebla |
| local roads | 206–217 | 11 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 217–251 | 34 | Puebla, Morelos |
| MEX-160 | 251–267 | 16 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 267–280 | 13 | Morelos |
| local roads | 280–283 | 3 | Morelos |
- Mile 4 of this route: Oaxaca → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 128 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 244 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Tuxtepec and Tepoztlán
- 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)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz (mile 93), Veracruz State Art Museum (mile 104), Orizaba Cathedral (mile 106), International Museum of the Baroque (mile 206)
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.
Veracruz State Art Museum
Housed in Orizaba's 18th-century former Oratorio of San Felipe Neri, later a hospital and then a jail, the Veracruz State Art Museum (Museo de Arte del Estado) holds more than 700 works, including 36 by Diego Rivera.
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.
Historic centre of Puebla
Laid out from scratch in 1531, Puebla's UNESCO-listed core is a grid of tile-covered houses, colonial churches and the 16th–17th-century cathedral, with the old archbishop's palace that houses the Palafox Library, established in 1646.
International Museum of the Baroque
Designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito and opened in 2016, Puebla's baroque museum wraps its galleries in curving white concrete walls beside a reflecting pond. Exhibits cover baroque painting, sculpture, architecture, music, theater and literature.
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 Tepoztlán
Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum
Tepoztlán's Dominican monastery, built between 1555 and 1580, keeps original 16th-century murals in its cloister. Upstairs, the museum covers local daily life, faith, festivals and dances, and the complex is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing.
Museo Carlos Pellicer
Tepoztlán's Museo de Arte Prehispánico Carlos Pellicer, opened in 1965 and named for the poet and museographer, displays a collection of pre-Hispanic objects in the former granary of the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Natividad.
El Tepozteco National Park
Eroded volcanic hills of the Sierra de Tepoztlán fill this national park, about half of which lies in Mexico City's Milpa Alta borough. A short, steep climb leads to the Tepozteco archaeological zone; wear good shoes, since the rocks get slippery.
More drives to Tepoztlán
- Mexico City to Tepoztlán
- Metepec to Tepoztlán
- Toluca to Tepoztlán
- Atlixco to Tepoztlán
- Taxco to Tepoztlán
- Tepotzotlán to Tepoztlán
From Tuxtepec to other places in Mexico
- Tuxtepec to Zacatelco
- Tuxtepec to Huejotzingo
- Tuxtepec to Calpulalpan
- Tuxtepec to Otumba
- Tuxtepec to Tlaltizapán
- Tuxtepec to Tulancingo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tuxtepec to Tepoztlán?
About 5 h 24 min of driving without stops, over 283 miles.
How far is Tepoztlán from Tuxtepec by car?
About 283 miles (455 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 Tepoztlán?
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 Tepoztlán?
The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla 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 Tuxtepec to Tepoztlán use?
In order: MEX-175, MEX-145, MEX-150D, MEX-190, PUE 438D, MEX-160 and MEX-160D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tuxtepec and Tepoztlán?
Closest to the road: Veracruz State Art Museum (art museum, mile 104, 1 mi from the route); Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 115, 0.6 mi from the route); International Museum of the Baroque (art museum, mile 206, 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.