The Wayro route from Veracruz to Oaxaca is 256 miles (412 km), about 4 h 28 min of driving without stops.
| Distance by road | 256 mi (412 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 4 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150D → MEX-150 → MEX-135D → MEX-190 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz, Puebla, Oaxaca |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-150D, MEX-135D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.2 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.
On the road from Veracruz to Oaxaca
MEX-135D (122 mi) and MEX-150D (84 mi) carry about 80% of the 256 miles. It runs through 3 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Oaxaca. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-150D and MEX-135D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Veracruz to Oaxaca: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Veracruz |
| MEX-150D | 4–88 | 84 | Veracruz |
| MEX-150 | 88–122 | 34 | Veracruz, Puebla |
| local roads | 122–127 | 5 | Puebla |
| MEX-135D | 127–249 | 122 | Puebla, Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 249–254 | 5 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 254–256 | 2 | Oaxaca |
- Mile 102 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 150 of this route: Puebla → Oaxaca (state line)
Places worth a stop between Veracruz and Oaxaca
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (mile 124), Suchilquitongo (mile 237)
- Nature and outdoors: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 91), Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 140), Benito Juárez National Park (mile 249)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz (mile 70), Orizaba Cathedral (mile 83), Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (mile 124), Suchilquitongo (mile 237)
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
Protected as a national park by Mexico's government, Cañón del Río Blanco is a natural area in Veracruz state.
Museo del Valle de Tehuacán
Tehuacán's 18th-century former Carmelite convent has housed the Valley of Tehuacán Museum since 2002. Exhibits trace the history of corn and its ties to the valley's early peoples.
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
In 2018 UNESCO inscribed the arid Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, which spans Puebla and Oaxaca, as a mixed World Heritage site. A major center of cactus diversity, it also keeps ancient canals, terraces and dams.
Suchilquitongo
Tomb 5 at Cerro de la Campana, excavated in 1985, holds murals and stucco carvings ranked among the finest funerary art of ancient Mexico. The Zapotec site crowns a hill in the northern Etla Valley.
Benito Juárez National Park
Pine and oak forest covers about 2,737 hectares in Benito Juárez National Park, a short way north of Oaxaca City. Among its trails is La Coronilla, a loop of around 5 km at moderate difficulty.
When you get to Oaxaca
Oaxaca Ethnobotanical Garden
Next to the Church of Santo Domingo in Oaxaca City, the Oaxaca Ethnobotanical Garden (Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca) is a botanical garden covering about 2.3 acres.
Historic centre of Oaxaca
The historic center of Oaxaca de Juárez has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, listed together with the archaeological site of Monte Albán as an example of Spanish colonial town planning.
Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán
An example of New Spanish Baroque architecture, the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán in Oaxaca de Juárez traces back to 1551, when the city council granted 24 lots to the Dominican Order for a convent.
More drives to Oaxaca
- Tehuacán to Oaxaca
- Puebla to Oaxaca
- Mexico City to Oaxaca
- Cuernavaca to Oaxaca
- Toluca to Oaxaca
- Tuxtla to Oaxaca
From Veracruz to other places in Mexico
- Veracruz to Tecolutla
- Veracruz to Poza Rica
- Veracruz to Zacatelco
- Veracruz to Huejotzingo
- Veracruz to Cuautla
- Veracruz to Oaxtepec
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Veracruz to Oaxaca?
About 4 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 256 miles.
What is the driving distance from Veracruz to Oaxaca?
About 256 miles (412 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 Veracruz to Oaxaca?
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 Veracruz to Oaxaca?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Veracruz to Oaxaca?
In order: MEX-150D, MEX-150, MEX-135D and MEX-190. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Veracruz to Oaxaca?
Closest to the road: Orizaba Cathedral (cathedral, mile 83, 1 mi from the route); Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (museum, mile 124, 0.1 mi from the route); Suchilquitongo (archaeological site, mile 237, 0.3 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.