By road, Tuxtla and Metepec are about 556 miles (895 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 1 min of driving.
| Total distance | 556 mi (895 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 1 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-190 → MEX-187D → MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-145D → MEX-150D → Viaducto → MEX-15D → MEX-15 |
| Mexican states on the route | Chiapas, Tabasco, Veracruz, Puebla, State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-187D, MEX-180D, MEX-145D, MEX-150D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.2 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.
Driving Tuxtla to Metepec: the shape of the trip
MEX-150D (205 mi) and MEX-145D (142 mi) carry about 62% of the 556 miles. It runs through 6 states: Chiapas, Tabasco, Veracruz, Puebla, State of Mexico, Mexico City. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-187D, MEX-180D and MEX-145D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Tuxtla to Metepec
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Chiapas |
| MEX-190 | 7–16 | 9 | Chiapas |
| MEX-187D | 16–137 | 121 | Chiapas, Tabasco, Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 137–142 | 5 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 142–163 | 21 | Veracruz |
| MEX-145D | 163–305 | 142 | Veracruz |
| MEX-150D | 305–510 | 205 | Veracruz, Puebla, State of Mexico |
| local roads | 510–515 | 5 | State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 515–516 | 1 | Mexico City |
| Viaducto | 516–523 | 7 | Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 523–528 | 5 | Mexico City |
| MEX-15D | 528–547 | 19 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| MEX-15 | 547–552 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 552–556 | 4 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 71 of this route: Chiapas → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 76 of this route: Tabasco → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 373 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 481 of this route: Puebla → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 514 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 536 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
What to see on the way from Tuxtla to Metepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Los Pinos (mile 524), Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 534)
- Nature and outdoors: Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan National Park (mile 530), Lomas de Padierna National Park (mile 530), Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 534)
- Museums and history: Museo Amparo (mile 442), Valvanera Cathedral, Mexico City (mile 519), Porta Coeli Cathedral (mile 520), Los Pinos (mile 524)
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.
Museo Amparo
Opened in 1991 in Puebla's historic center, Museo Amparo was sponsored by the Amparo Foundation, created in 1979 by Manuel Espinosa Yglesias in honor of his wife.
Valvanera Cathedral, Mexico City
Southeast of the Zócalo at Correo Mayor and República de Uruguay, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Valvanera once belonged to the Convent of Santo Niño Perdido, founded in 1573.
Porta Coeli Cathedral
Porta Coeli Cathedral, also called the Church of the Gate of Heaven, is the Mexico City cathedral of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, in communion with Rome.
Los Pinos
In Chapultepec Forest, Los Pinos served as the official residence and office of Mexico's presidents from 1934 to 2018.
Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan National Park
In southern Mexico City's Tlalpan borough, Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan was declared a national park on September 28, 1936, on land once called the Barranca de los Manantiales.
Lomas de Padierna National Park
Lomas de Padierna National Park lies in the Cerro del Judío ecological reserve in La Magdalena Contreras, on the southwest side of Mexico City.
Desierto de los Leones National Park
Declared a national park in 1917, this fir, ash and oak forest in Mexico City's Cuajimalpa and Álvaro Obregón boroughs surrounds a former Carmelite monastery. Locals come to hike, run and cycle, and more than 100 bird species live here.
When you get to Metepec
Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario
Set in Toluca's Torres Bicentenario complex, built to celebrate Mexican independence, this gallery shows paintings, prints and sculpture by artists from the State of Mexico, and many works are for sale.
Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez
In Toluca's historic center, a building from the late 18th and early 19th centuries holds about 225 watercolors, oils and drawings tracing the work of painter Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez. It opened in December 1992.
José María Morelos y Pavón University History Museum
The Museo de Historia Universitaria José María Morelos y Pavón is a history museum located in the city of Toluca de Lerdo.
More drives to Metepec
- Zitácuaro to Metepec
- Salvatierra to Metepec
- Celaya to Metepec
- San Miguel de Allende to Metepec
- Uruapan to Metepec
- Pénjamo to Metepec
From Tuxtla to other places in Mexico
- Tuxtla to Tapijulapa
- Tuxtla to Teapa
- Tuxtla to Cholula
- Tuxtla to Chiautempan
- Tuxtla to Huejotzingo
- Tuxtla to Tlaxcala
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tuxtla to Metepec?
About 9 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 556 miles.
How far is Metepec from Tuxtla by car?
About 556 miles (895 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 Tuxtla to Metepec?
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 Tuxtla to Metepec?
The U.S. State Department rates Chiapas Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tuxtla to Metepec use?
In order: MEX-190, MEX-187D, MEX-180, MEX-180D, MEX-145D, MEX-150D, Viaducto, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tuxtla and Metepec?
Closest to the road: Teatro Llave (theater, mile 352, 1 mi from the route); Los Pinos (museum, mile 524, 0.9 mi from the route); Desierto de los Leones National Park (national park, mile 534, 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.