Xico to Salvatierra Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Xico to Salvatierra is 340 miles (547 km), about 6 h 11 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: 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; Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Guanajuato is the Mexican state that contains Salvatierra. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Jardín de EsculturasParque Nacional Cofre de PeroteCantonaLa Malinche National ParkTeotihuacanMuseo Arqueológico de ApaxcoJorge R. Acosta MuseumRayón National ParkXicoSalvatierra
Route from Xico to Salvatierra with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance340 mi (547 km)
Driving time, no stops6 h 11 min
Main roads, in orderVER 7 → MEX-140 → MEX-140D → MEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-126 → MEX-61 → MEX-51
Mexican states on the routeVeracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4), Guanajuato (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-140D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 13.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below8

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 insuranceRequired 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 Salvatierra is like

MEX-M40D (121 mi) and MEX-140D (66 mi) carry about 55% of the 340 miles. MEX-140D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-140, MEX-136, MEX-126, MEX-61, MEX-51 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 7 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán, Guanajuato. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Xico to Salvatierra, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–66Veracruz
VER 76–104Veracruz
connecting roads10–133Veracruz
MEX-14013–185Veracruz
connecting roads18–191Veracruz
MEX-140D19–8566Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala
MEX-13685–13752Tlaxcala
MEX-M40D137–258121Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico
MEX-15D258–29840State of Mexico, Michoacán
MEX-126298–3079Michoacán, Guanajuato
MEX-61307–31912Guanajuato
connecting roads319–3212Guanajuato
MEX-51321–33918Guanajuato
local roads339–3401Guanajuato
  • Mile 51 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
  • Mile 76 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
  • Mile 146 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 153 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 166 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 183 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 197 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 227 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 277 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 302 of this route: Michoacán → Guanajuato (state line)

Stops between Xico and Salvatierra

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Jardín de Esculturas (mile 12)
  • Nature and outdoors: Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 42), La Malinche National Park (mile 96), Rayón National Park (mile 280)
  • Museums and history: Jardín de Esculturas (mile 12), Cantona (mile 58), Teotihuacan (mile 165), Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco (mile 198), Jorge R. Acosta Museum (mile 214)

Jardín de Esculturas

Mile 12 · Museum · 0.9 mi from the route

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

Mile 42 · National Park of Mexico · 10 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 58 · Archaeological site · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

La Malinche National Park

Mile 96 · National Park of Mexico · 10 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Tlaxcala's La Malinche National Park surrounds the inactive Matlalcuéyetl volcano, with pine, oak and fir forests on its slopes, hiking trails, birdwatching, and stone cabins and campsites at the Malintzi Vacation Center.

Teotihuacan

Mile 165 · Historic site · 13 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Built between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, this UNESCO-listed ancient city lines the Avenue of the Dead, where you can walk between the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.

Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco

Mile 198 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Founded in 1985, the Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco sits across from the parish church of San Francisco de Asís and beside the town hall in Apaxco, State of Mexico.

Jorge R. Acosta Museum

Mile 214 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

Next to the Tula ruins, the Museo de Sitio Jorge R. Acosta traces the rise and decline of the Toltecs and their city, Tollan Xicocotitlan. It moved into new facilities in 1982 and covers nearly 20 years of digs led by archaeologist Jorge R. Acosta.

Rayón National Park

Mile 280 · National Park of Mexico · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

More drives to Salvatierra

From Xico to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Xico to Salvatierra?

About 6 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 340 miles.

How far is Salvatierra from Xico by car?

About 340 miles (547 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 Salvatierra?

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 Salvatierra?

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; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Xico to Salvatierra use?

In order: VER 7, MEX-140, MEX-140D, MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-126, MEX-61 and MEX-51. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Xico and Salvatierra?

Closest to the road: Jardín de Esculturas (museum, mile 12, 0.9 mi from the route); Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco (museum, mile 198, 3 mi from the route); Jorge R. Acosta Museum (museum, mile 214, 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.