The Wayro route from Xalapa to Uruapan is 411 miles (662 km), about 6 h 40 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 411 mi (662 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 40 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-140D → MEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D → MEX-14D |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-140D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.5 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.
What the drive from Xalapa to Uruapan is like
MEX-M40D (121 mi) and MEX-15D (91 mi) carry about 52% of the 411 miles. MEX-140D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-136 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 6 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Xalapa to Uruapan, 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 | 124–245 | 121 | Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 245–336 | 91 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 336–375 | 39 | Michoacán |
| MEX-14D | 375–410 | 35 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 410–411 | 1 | Michoacán |
- 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 214 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 263 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Xalapa and Uruapan
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 29), Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 99), Rayón National Park (mile 267)
- Museums and history: Museo de Sitio de Cantona (mile 47), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 285), Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (mile 378)
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.
Parque nacional Xicoténcatl
Covering roughly 600 hectares in central Tlaxcala, Xicohténcatl National Park takes in the historic center of Tlaxcala city plus Quiahuixtlán, Ocotelulco and Tepeticpac, which correspond to three of the old Tlaxcalan lordships.
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.
Atlantean figures
Crowning the main pyramid at the Tula archaeological zone, these basalt sculptures of Toltec warriors stand more than four meters tall in what was once the Toltec capital; the nearby Wall of Snakes shows carved serpents devouring skeletons.
Rayón National Park
Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro's basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) rises on pre-Hispanic platforms beside its own plaza. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga planned it as a five-nave cathedral, only one nave was finished, and his remains rest inside.
When you get to Uruapan
Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park
In Michoacán, Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park follows the headwaters of the Cupatitzio River, which bubbles up from an underground spring and carves a small ravine as it starts to flow.
Salto La Tzaráracua
About 10 km from Uruapan, Michoacán, the Tzaráracua waterfall drops roughly 40 meters. It is formed by the Cupatitzio River, which rises in the Barranca del Cupatitzio park inside the city.
More drives to Uruapan
- Mazatlán to Uruapan
- Durango to Uruapan
- Cuernavaca to Uruapan
- Mexico City to Uruapan
- Puebla to Uruapan
- Veracruz to Uruapan
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
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Xalapa to Uruapan?
About 6 h 40 min of driving without stops, over 411 miles.
How far is Uruapan from Xalapa by car?
About 411 miles (662 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 Uruapan?
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 Uruapan?
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; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Xalapa to Uruapan use?
In order: MEX-140D, MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D and MEX-14D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Xalapa and Uruapan?
Closest to the road: Atlantean figures (atlantean figures, mile 201, 1 mi from the route); Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 285, 1 mi from the route); Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (minor basilica, mile 378, 2 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 mile 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 (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city 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.