How to Get to Tuxtepec
The gateway to the Chinantla — here’s how to get here from outside the region.
By plane
The closest airport is “General Heriberto Jara” International Airport (VER) in Veracruz, 155 km away — approximately 2 hours by car.
Oaxaca International Airport “Xoxocotlán” (OAX) is 223 km away, about 6 hours by car or bus.
From either airport you can rent a car or take a direct bus to Tuxtepec.
By bus
Tuxtepec is connected by more than 35 bus routes. The ADO, AU, and Cuenca lines offer direct departures from Oaxaca de Juárez (~6 h 25 min), Mexico City’s TAPO terminal (~9 h), Puebla, Córdoba, Orizaba, and Veracruz.
ADO–AU Terminal: Mariano Matamoros 383, Col. La Piragua.
By car
Tuxtepec is connected by highway to Oaxaca, Veracruz, and Puebla, making it a natural crossing point between central Mexico and the Gulf coast.
From Veracruz (airport): ~2 h by road.
From Oaxaca City: ~6 h through the Sierra Norte.
How to Visit the Chinantla
Getting to Tuxtepec is just the first step — getting around the villages of the Chinantla is a different story. Here’s what you should know.
Your own or a rental car
This is the best option if you plan to stay several days and visit multiple places — it gives you the freedom to move at your own pace without depending on schedules or waiting for transport to fill up.
Tuxtepec has agencies such as Hertz, Avis, Dollar, and Europcar, plus local rental companies. Some roads to more remote communities are unpaved, so allow extra time, especially during the rainy season.
Public transportation
If you’re traveling on a limited budget, there are several options departing from Tuxtepec to the main villages of the Chinantla:
- Bus — the only one with a fixed schedule.
- Suburbans — passenger vans.
- Shared taxis — shared with other passengers headed to the same destination.
- Fleteras — passenger trucks that also run this route.
To reach more distant communities, you sometimes need to transfer at one of the main villages along the route.
Keep this in mind
Except for the bus, these forms of transport don’t run on a fixed schedule — they depart once they fill up, which can mean a wait.
If you choose public transport to reach remote communities, try to start your return trip early: finding transport back in the afternoon can be harder, and many small communities have no lodging options if you get stranded without a way back.