The Wayro route from Xico to Tlayacapan is 199 miles (320 km), about 3 h 45 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 199 mi (320 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 45 min |
| Main roads, in order | VER 7 → MEX-140 → MEX-140D → MEX-190 → PUE 438D → MEX-160 → MEX-160D |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-140D, MEX-150D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.9 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 Tlayacapan is like
MEX-140D (91 mi) and PUE 438D (34 mi) carry about 63% of the 199 miles. MEX-140D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-140, MEX-190, MEX-160 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Xico to Tlayacapan, 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-160D | 188–193 | 5 | Morelos |
| local roads | 193–199 | 6 | 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 Tlayacapan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pinacoteca Diego Rivera (mile 11), Xalapa Cathedral (mile 12), Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (mile 15)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 42)
- Museums and history: Pinacoteca Diego Rivera (mile 11), Xalapa Cathedral (mile 12), Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (mile 15), Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla (mile 117), Chalcatzingo (mile 172), Las Pilas archaeological site (mile 173)
Pinacoteca Diego Rivera
In downtown Xalapa, the Pinacoteca Diego Rivera is an art museum with a large collection of works by the muralist Diego Rivera.
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.
Xalapa Museum of Anthropology
Run by the Universidad Veracruzana in a building designed by Edward Durell Stone, the Xalapa Museum of Anthropology displays more than 1,500 pieces from Olmec, central Veracruz and Huastec cultures, including several Olmec colossal heads, amid subtropical gardens.
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.
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.
When you get to Tlayacapan
Templo y exconvento de San Guillermo
Augustinian friars began the Templo y Exconvento de San Guillermo in Totolapan in the mid-16th century; part of the UNESCO-listed Popocatépetl monasteries, it was badly damaged in the 2017 earthquake, and INAH has supervised its restoration.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
More drives to Tlayacapan
- Atlixco to Tlayacapan
- Otumba to Tlayacapan
- Calpulalpan to Tlayacapan
- Metepec to Tlayacapan
- Toluca to Tlayacapan
- Puebla to Tlayacapan
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 Tlayacapan?
About 3 h 45 min of driving without stops, over 199 miles.
How far is Tlayacapan from Xico by car?
About 199 miles (320 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 Tlayacapan?
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 Tlayacapan?
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 Tlayacapan use?
In order: VER 7, MEX-140, MEX-140D, MEX-190, PUE 438D, MEX-160 and MEX-160D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Xico and Tlayacapan?
Closest to the road: Pinacoteca Diego Rivera (art museum, mile 11, 0.9 mi from the route); Xalapa Cathedral (cathedral, mile 12, 0.9 mi from the route); Xalapa Museum of Anthropology (archaeological museum, mile 15, 0.9 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.