The Wayro route from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Tlacotalpan is 266 miles (428 km), about 4 h 51 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 266 mi (428 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 51 min |
| Main roads, in order | PUE 438D → MEX-190D → MEX-190 → MEX-150D → MEX-175 |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos (Level 3), Puebla (Level 2), Veracruz (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-190D, MEX-150D, MEX-145D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.6 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas to Tlacotalpan is like
MEX-150D (125 mi) and MEX-175 (30 mi) carry about 58% of the 266 miles. MEX-190D, MEX-150D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-190, MEX-175 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Morelos, Puebla, Veracruz. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Tlacotalpan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Morelos |
| PUE 438D | 3–32 | 29 | Morelos, Puebla |
| MEX-190D | 32–42 | 10 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 42–43 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 43–57 | 14 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 57–58 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 58–183 | 125 | Puebla, Veracruz |
| local roads | 183–235 | 52 | Veracruz |
| MEX-175 | 235–265 | 30 | Veracruz |
| local roads | 265–266 | 1 | Veracruz |
- Mile 6 of this route: Morelos → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 116 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
Stops between Zacualpan de Amilpas and Tlacotalpan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 128)
- Nature and outdoors: Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (mile 47), Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 128)
- Museums and history: International Museum of the Baroque (mile 42), Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla (mile 52), Veracruz State Art Museum (mile 139), Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz (mile 150), Huatusco (mile 176)
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.
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.
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.
Cañón del Río Blanco National Park
Cañón del Río Blanco National Park is a protected natural area in the Mexican state of Veracruz, set aside by the government as a national park.
Teatro Llave
In central Orizaba, the Gran Teatro Ignacio de la Llave hosts artistic and cultural performances, and its exhibition room shows temporary collections, mostly by artists from the surrounding valley.
Veracruz State Art Museum
Housed in Orizaba's 18th-century former Oratorio of San Felipe Neri, later a hospital and then a jail, the Veracruz State Art Museum (Museo de Arte del Estado) holds more than 700 works, including 36 by Diego Rivera.
Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz
Built in the first half of the 17th century, Córdoba's Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the city's main church; look up to see its octagonal dome covered in tiles, finished in a neoclassical style.
Huatusco
Above the Atoyac River in Carrillo Puerto, the ruins of Huatusco (Cuauhtochco) include a Mexica-era temple that still keeps original surface finishes. There are no visitor facilities; reaching it means crossing a suspension bridge and climbing a steep trail, ideally with a local guide.
More drives to Tlacotalpan
- Puebla to Tlacotalpan
- Cholula to Tlacotalpan
- Zacatelco to Tlacotalpan
- Chiautempan to Tlacotalpan
- Tlaxcala to Tlacotalpan
- Huejotzingo to Tlacotalpan
From Zacualpan de Amilpas to other places in Mexico
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Ixtenco
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Omitlán
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Tetela de Ocampo
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Huasca de Ocampo
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to El Oro
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Metztitlán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Tlacotalpan?
About 4 h 51 min of driving without stops, over 266 miles.
How far is Tlacotalpan from Zacualpan de Amilpas by car?
About 266 miles (428 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas to Tlacotalpan?
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 Zacualpan de Amilpas to Tlacotalpan?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Tlacotalpan use?
In order: PUE 438D, MEX-190D, MEX-190, MEX-150D and MEX-175. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Zacualpan de Amilpas and Tlacotalpan?
Closest to the road: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 128, 0.4 mi from the route); Teatro Llave (theatre building, mile 137, 1 mi from the route); Veracruz State Art Museum (art museum, mile 139, 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.