By road, Xalapa and Matehuala are about 519 miles (835 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 30 min of driving.
| Distance | 519 mi (835 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 30 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-140D → MEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-140D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.7 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.
How the Xalapa to Matehuala drive plays out
MEX-57 (174 mi) and MEX-57D (129 mi) carry about 58% of the 519 miles. It runs through 8 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-140D, MEX-M40D and MEX-57D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Xalapa to Matehuala, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140D | 6–72 | 66 | Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 72–73 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-136 | 73–124 | 51 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-M40D | 124–212 | 88 | Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 212–213 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 213–300 | 87 | State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| MEX-57 | 300–396 | 96 | Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 396–397 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 397–439 | 42 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 439–517 | 78 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 517–519 | 2 | San Luis Potosí |
- Mile 38 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 64 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 133 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 140 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 153 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 170 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 184 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 213 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 245 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 306 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 360 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
What to see on the way from Xalapa to Matehuala
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Taurino de Huamantla (mile 80)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 29), El Gogorrón National Park (mile 386)
- Museums and history: Museo de Sitio de Cantona (mile 47), Museo Taurino de Huamantla (mile 80), Tula (mile 200), Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (mile 291), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 406)
Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote
Cofre de Perote National Park protects the forested slopes of the mountain, and its role is practical as well as scenic: a little over 40 percent of the water used in Xalapa comes from here.
Museo de Sitio de Cantona
At the Cantona archaeological zone in Tepeyahualco, this site museum shows finds from more than 20 years of digs: pottery, obsidian and stone tools, musical instruments, greenstone and shell ornaments, and burial remains.
Museo Taurino de Huamantla
Next to Huamantla's La Taurina bullring, the Museo Taurino occupies an 18th-century building and since 1982 has displayed bullfighters' costumes, vintage posters, scale models of Mexican bullrings and murals about the Huamantlada.
Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque
Built by Franciscan friar Francisco de Tembleque between 1554 and 1572, this 16th-century water system runs more than 48 km between Zempoala and Otumba. Its tallest arcade at Tepeyahualco reaches almost 40 meters, and UNESCO listed it in 2015.
Tula
Basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall, the Atlantes, crown the main pyramid at Tula. Visitors can also explore a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall.
Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro
Querétaro's historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996, pairs the Spaniards' grid of streets with the winding lanes of the old Indigenous quarters. Walk it for Baroque churches and mansions of the 17th and 18th centuries and the city's landmark aqueduct.
Former hacienda of Chichimequillas
Discalced Carmelite friars founded this hacienda around 1690 to shelter travelers on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and to farm. Its two-story stone and lime main house, finished in 1813, wraps around a central courtyard beside a chapel.
El Gogorrón National Park
Straddling San Luis Potosí and Guanajuato near Villa de Reyes, this national park offers rugged rock formations, mountain scenery and thermal springs, with camping, hiking and mountain biking.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
A parish church from 1609 once stood where San Luis Potosí's cathedral rose between 1701 and 1728. Today the Baroque building serves as the seat of the archdiocese.
When you get to Matehuala
Matehuala Cathedral
Still open for worship, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral serves as the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Matehuala, a city in the state of San Luis Potosí.
More drives to Matehuala
- Zitácuaro to Matehuala
- Mexico City to Matehuala
- Pachuca to Matehuala
- Cuernavaca to Matehuala
- Tlaxcala to Matehuala
- Cuautla to Matehuala
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
Continue Your Adventure
- Matehuala to San Miguel, Morelos Road Trip: Stops & Tolls
- Matehuala to Mascota Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety
- Matehuala to Tetela del Volcán Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops
- Matehuala to Huauchinango Road Trip: Stops, Tolls & Drive Time
- Matehuala to Tetela de Ocampo Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Xalapa to Matehuala?
About 9 h 30 min of driving without stops, over 519 miles.
How far is Matehuala from Xalapa by car?
About 519 miles (835 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 Matehuala?
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 Matehuala?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Xalapa to Matehuala use?
In order: MEX-140D, MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D and MEX-57. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Xalapa to Matehuala?
Closest to the road: Museo Taurino de Huamantla (bullfighting museum, mile 80, 0.7 mi from the route); Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque (aqueduct, mile 150, 2 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 200, 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.