The Wayro route from Xico to Atlatlahucan is 196 miles (315 km), about 3 h 40 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 196 mi (315 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 40 min |
| Main roads, in order | VER 7 → MEX-140 → MEX-140D → MEX-190 → PUE 438D → MEX-160 → MEX-115 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-140D, MEX-150D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.8 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 Xico to Atlatlahucan is like
MEX-140D (91 mi) and PUE 438D (34 mi) carry about 64% of the 196 miles. MEX-140D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-140, MEX-190, MEX-160, MEX-115 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Xico to Atlatlahucan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Veracruz |
| VER 7 | 6–10 | 4 | Veracruz |
| connecting roads | 10–13 | 3 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140 | 13–18 | 5 | Veracruz |
| connecting roads | 18–19 | 1 | Veracruz |
| MEX-140D | 19–110 | 91 | Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 110–112 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 112–127 | 15 | Puebla |
| local roads | 127–138 | 11 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 138–172 | 34 | Puebla, Morelos |
| MEX-160 | 172–188 | 16 | Morelos |
| MEX-115 | 188–194 | 6 | Morelos |
| local roads | 194–196 | 2 | Morelos |
- Mile 51 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 76 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 86 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 92 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 99 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 165 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Xico and Atlatlahucan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Xalapa Cathedral (mile 12), Jardín de Esculturas (mile 12)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 42), Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (mile 123)
- Museums and history: Xalapa Cathedral (mile 12), Jardín de Esculturas (mile 12), Cantona (mile 58), Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla (mile 117), International Museum of the Baroque (mile 127), Chalcatzingo (mile 172)
Xalapa Cathedral
One of Xalapa's oldest buildings, the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception mixes a baroque core with neo-Gothic touches added in 1895, and holds the remains of Bishop Rafael Guízar y Valencia.
Jardín de Esculturas
Xalapa's Jardín de Esculturas is an open-air sculpture garden and museum displaying works by nationally and internationally recognized artists.
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.
Cantona
High on the Puebla plateau near the Veracruz line, Cantona was a fortified pre-Hispanic city that controlled trade toward the Gulf; its explored southern section reveals interconnected streets, walled residential units and more than two dozen ballgame courts.
Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla
Behind the facade of Puebla's Santo Domingo church hides the Capilla del Rosario, inaugurated in 1690. Gold covers its walls, pilasters and vaults, and contemporaries hailed it as the eighth wonder of the New World.
Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla
On the Ciudad Universitaria campus of BUAP in Puebla, the university botanical garden covers about 10.7 hectares and was formerly named after Ignacio Rodríguez Alconedo.
Historic centre of Puebla
Laid out from scratch in 1531, Puebla's UNESCO-listed core is a grid of tile-covered houses, colonial churches and the 16th–17th-century cathedral, with the old archbishop's palace that houses the Palafox Library, established in 1646.
International Museum of the Baroque
Designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito and opened in 2016, Puebla's baroque museum wraps its galleries in curving white concrete walls beside a reflecting pond. Exhibits cover baroque painting, sculpture, architecture, music, theater and literature.
Chalcatzingo
At the foot of Cerro Chalcatzingo in eastern Morelos, this early site is known for stone reliefs carved mainly between 700 and 500 BC, some among the region's earliest stone sculpture and several in Olmec style, spread across the hillside.
When you get to Atlatlahucan
Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol
Built by Augustinian friars, the Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol in Atlatlahucan is well preserved, with murals and decorated vaults, and is associated with the origins of the Chinelo dancers.
Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
Inscribed by UNESCO in 1994, this World Heritage site groups early 16th-century monasteries that Franciscan, Dominican and Augustinian friars built on the slopes of Popocatépetl, with large open spaces used to evangelize the Indigenous population.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Yecapixtla
The 16th-century church and former monastery of San Juan Bautista in Yecapixtla belongs to the Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl, inscribed by UNESCO in 1994 as early missionary architecture with large open courtyards.
More drives to Atlatlahucan
- Cuernavaca to Atlatlahucan
- Metepec to Atlatlahucan
- Toluca to Atlatlahucan
- Valle de Bravo to Atlatlahucan
- Zitácuaro to Atlatlahucan
- San Juan del Río to Atlatlahucan
From Xico to other places in Mexico
- Xico to Naolinco
- Xico to Huejotzingo
- Xico to Tecolutla
- Xico to Calpulalpan
- Xico to San Miguel, Morelos
- Xico to Otumba
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Xico to Atlatlahucan?
About 3 h 40 min of driving without stops, over 196 miles.
How far is Atlatlahucan from Xico by car?
About 196 miles (315 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 Xico to Atlatlahucan?
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 Xico to Atlatlahucan?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Xico to Atlatlahucan use?
In order: VER 7, MEX-140, MEX-140D, MEX-190, PUE 438D, MEX-160 and MEX-115. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Xico and Atlatlahucan?
Closest to the road: Xalapa Cathedral (cathedral, mile 12, 0.9 mi from the route); Jardín de Esculturas (museum, mile 12, 0.9 mi from the route); International Museum of the Baroque (art museum, mile 127, 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 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.