Plan on about 9 h 1 min of driving for the 558-mile (898 km) trip from Tuxtla to Toluca, before any stops.
| Distance by road | 558 mi (898 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 22.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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.
On the road from Tuxtla to Toluca
MEX-150D (205 mi) and MEX-145D (142 mi) carry about 62% of the 558 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 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tuxtla to Toluca, road by road
| 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 | 547–558 | 11 | 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 Toluca
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Nacional de la Cartografía (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: Orizaba Cathedral (mile 352), Puebla Cathedral (mile 442), Museum of Mexico City (mile 519), Museo Nacional de Historia (mile 523), Museo Nacional de la Cartografía (mile 524)
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.
Puebla Cathedral
Consecrated in 1649, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is the seat of the Archdiocese of Puebla and one of the key buildings in the city's UNESCO-listed historic center.
Museum of Mexico City
The Museum of Mexico City occupies the former palace of the Counts of Santiago de Calimaya at Pino Suárez 30, a few blocks south of the Zócalo.
Equestrian statue of Charles IV of Spain
Cast by Manuel Tolsá between 1796 and 1803, this bronze equestrian statue in Mexico City honors King Charles IV of Spain.
Museo Nacional de Historia
Inside Chapultepec Castle in Chapultepec Park, the National Museum of History (Museo Nacional de Historia) covers Mexico's past as one of the country's national museums.
Museo Nacional de la Cartografía
The Museo Nacional de Cartografía occupies the former church of San José of the old San Diego convent in Tacubaya, built in 1686 by the Dieguino friars.
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.
Arriving in Toluca
Toluca Cathedral
Begun in 1867 and finished only in 1978, Toluca's Cathedral of Saint Joseph has a neoclassical facade and a bronze statue of the saint on its dome. It also preserves the 18th-century baroque front of the former San Elzeario church.
Cosmovitral
Toluca's Cosmovitral wraps a botanical garden of more than 500 plant species in a huge stained-glass work designed by artist Leopoldo Flores. Light filtering through the colored glass sets the mood as you walk the garden paths.
Fine Arts Museum of Toluca
Toluca's Museo de Bellas Artes has filled a former Carmelite convent since 1945. Its galleries hold colonial-era paintings and sculpture, including an 18th-century funeral catafalque.
More drives to Toluca
- Morelia to Toluca
- Irapuato to Toluca
- Durango to Toluca
- Mexico City to Toluca
- Puebla to Toluca
- Veracruz to Toluca
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 is the drive from Tuxtla to Toluca?
About 9 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 558 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tuxtla to Toluca?
About 558 miles (898 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 Toluca?
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 Toluca?
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 Toluca 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 Toluca?
Closest to the road: Museo Nacional de Historia (national museum, mile 523, 1 mi from the route); Museo Nacional de la Cartografía (museum, mile 524, 0.2 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.