The Wayro route from Xico to Malinalco is 247 miles (397 km), about 5 h 3 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 247 mi (397 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 3 min |
| Main roads, in order | VER 7 → MEX-140 → MEX-140D → MEX-190 → PUE 438D → MEX-94D → MOR 21 → MEX-185 → MEX-181 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3), State of Mexico (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-140D, MEX-150D, MEX-94D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.9 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 Malinalco is like
MEX-140D (91 mi) and PUE 438D (34 mi) carry about 51% of the 247 miles. MEX-140D, MEX-94D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-140, MEX-190, MEX-185, MEX-181 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos, State of Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Xico to Malinalco, 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-94D | 172–204 | 32 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 204–208 | 4 | Morelos |
| MOR 21 | 208–217 | 9 | Morelos |
| local roads | 217–237 | 20 | Morelos, State of Mexico |
| MEX-185 | 237–242 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-181 | 242–246 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 246–247 | 1 | State of Mexico |
- 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)
- Mile 235 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Xico and Malinalco
- 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)
- Museums and history: Xalapa Cathedral (mile 12), Jardín de Esculturas (mile 12), Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla (mile 117), Chalcatzingo (mile 173), Las Pilas archaeological site (mile 174), Museo de sitio de Xochicalco (mile 221), Xochicalco (mile 222)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Las Pilas archaeological site
Set inside a bathing park in Jonacatepec, Las Pilas was a ceremonial center devoted to water, where inhabitants built channels to collect and store underground water for irrigation; burials were found within the channel system.
Museo de sitio de Xochicalco
Next to the Xochicalco archaeological zone in Morelos, the site museum sits along the Xochicalco–Tetlama federal road.
Xochicalco
A fortified hilltop city that thrived between about 650 and 900, Xochicalco is a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can see the Pyramid of the Plumed Serpent with its carved reliefs, ball courts, an underground observatory and a site museum.
When you get to Malinalco
Malinalco
Carved straight into the hillside above Malinalco, the Cuauhcalli is a rock-cut temple at the heart of this archaeological zone. The Mexica took the Matlatzinca town around 1476 and used it to train and consecrate elite warriors.
Desierto del Carmen National Park
Declared a national park on October 10, 1942, Desierto del Carmen is a protected area in the municipality of Tenancingo, in the State of Mexico.
More drives to Malinalco
- Valle de Bravo to Malinalco
- Zitácuaro to Malinalco
- Tlalpujahua to Malinalco
- San Juan del Río to Malinalco
- Tequisquiapan to Malinalco
- Salvatierra to Malinalco
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 Malinalco?
About 5 h 3 min of driving without stops, over 247 miles.
How far is Malinalco from Xico by car?
About 247 miles (397 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 Malinalco?
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 Malinalco?
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; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Xico to Malinalco use?
In order: VER 7, MEX-140, MEX-140D, MEX-190, PUE 438D, MEX-94D, MOR 21, MEX-185 and MEX-181. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Xico and Malinalco?
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); Las Pilas archaeological site (archaeological site, mile 174, 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.