Plan on about 8 h 29 min of driving for the 489-mile (787 km) trip from Xalapa to Comitán, before any stops.
| Distance by road | 489 mi (787 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 29 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-140 → MEX-140D → MEX-180 → MEX-150D → MEX-145D → MEX-180D → MEX-187D → MEX-190 → MEX-190D |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-140D, MEX-150D, MEX-145D, MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.6 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 Xalapa to Comitán is like
MEX-145D (141 mi) and MEX-187D (122 mi) carry about 54% of the 489 miles. It runs through 3 states: Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-140D, MEX-150D and MEX-145D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Xalapa and Comitán
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140 | 2–16 | 14 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140D | 16–24 | 8 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140 | 24–32 | 8 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 32–66 | 34 | Veracruz |
| MEX-150D | 66–93 | 27 | Veracruz |
| connecting roads | 93–94 | 1 | Veracruz |
| MEX-145D | 94–235 | 141 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 235–256 | 21 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 256–261 | 5 | Veracruz |
| MEX-187D | 261–383 | 122 | Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas |
| MEX-190 | 383–391 | 8 | Chiapas |
| local roads | 391–401 | 10 | Chiapas |
| MEX-190 | 401–405 | 4 | Chiapas |
| MEX-190D | 405–434 | 29 | Chiapas |
| MEX-190 | 434–489 | 55 | Chiapas |
- Mile 322 of this route: Veracruz → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 329 of this route: Tabasco → Chiapas (state line)
Stops between Xalapa and Comitán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Planetario Tuxtla - Jaime Sabines Gutiérrez (mile 398)
- Nature and outdoors: Sumidero Canyon National Park (mile 398), Selva El Ocote (mile 413)
- Museums and history: Museo de la Ciudad (mile 394), Planetario Tuxtla - Jaime Sabines Gutiérrez (mile 398), Museo de la Laca and the Santo Domingo monastery (mile 406), La Pila fountain (mile 406), San Cristobal Cathedral (mile 434), Casa Na Bolom (mile 435)
Museo de la Ciudad
Tuxtla Gutiérrez's city museum covers the history and growth of the city with three permanent exhibits and a temporary gallery, in a building whose site once briefly served as a bullring.
Sumidero Canyon National Park
The Grijalva River runs through Sumidero Canyon, whose walls rise from about 200 to 1,000 meters. Boat trips leave from colonial Chiapa de Corzo, and lookouts line the rim. It became a national park in 1980.
Planetario Tuxtla - Jaime Sabines Gutiérrez
Planetario Tuxtla - Jaime Sabines Gutiérrez is a planetarium in Tuxtla equipped with 2D and 3D image projection technology.
Museo de la Laca and the Santo Domingo monastery
Dominican friars built this convent in Chiapa de Corzo in the second half of the 16th century; today it is a cultural center whose Museo de la Laca is devoted to Chiapas' traditional lacquerwork.
La Pila fountain
Built of brick in a diamond shape in 1562, La Pila fountain in the square of Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, is an example of Mudéjar-Renaissance style.
Selva El Ocote
Selva El Ocote Biosphere Reserve covers about 101,288 hectares of Chiapas, protecting tall evergreen rain forest on karst terrain, a landscape also known for its extensive caverns.
San Cristobal Cathedral
Seat of the Diocese of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, the San Cristobal Cathedral (Catedral de San Cristóbal de Las Casas) stands on the north side of the city's central plaza in Chiapas.
Casa Na Bolom
Once the home of archaeologist Frans Blom and photographer Gertrude Duby Blom, Casa Na Bolom in San Cristóbal de las Casas occupies an 1891 building and shows pre-Hispanic, textile, ethnographic and colonial collections.
Once you reach Comitán
Casa Museo Belisario Domínguez
The Casa Museo Belisario Domínguez occupies the house where Dr. Belisario Domínguez Palencia was born and spent much of his life.
Museo Rosario Castellanos
Comitán de Domínguez's Museo Rosario Castellanos (MUROC), opened in November 2017, is devoted to the life and work of writer Rosario Castellanos.
Museo Arqueológico de Comitán
Opened in 1993 in Comitán de Domínguez, Chiapas, this archaeological museum covers pre-Hispanic cultures of the Chiapas Highlands, the Maya, trade routes and hunter-gatherer groups.
More drives to Comitán
- Tuxtla to Comitán
- Villahermosa to Comitán
- Coatzacoalcos to Comitán
- Córdoba, Mexico to Comitán
- Veracruz to Comitán
- Tehuacán to Comitán
From Xalapa to other places in Mexico
- Xalapa to Huamantla
- Xalapa to Apizaco
- Xalapa to Chiautempan
- Xalapa to Cholula
- Xalapa to Zacatelco
- Xalapa to Huejotzingo
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Xalapa to Comitán?
About 8 h 29 min of driving without stops, over 489 miles.
What is the driving distance from Xalapa to Comitán?
About 489 miles (787 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 Xalapa to Comitán?
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 Xalapa to Comitán?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chiapas Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Xalapa to Comitán?
In order: MEX-140, MEX-140D, MEX-180, MEX-150D, MEX-145D, MEX-180D, MEX-187D, MEX-190 and MEX-190D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Xalapa to Comitán?
Closest to the road: Museo de la Ciudad (museum, mile 394, 1 mi from the route); Planetario Tuxtla - Jaime Sabines Gutiérrez (museum, mile 398, 0.6 mi from the route); San Cristobal Cathedral (cathedral, mile 434, 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.