Mexico City to Oaxaca: The Best Route

The Mexico City to Oaxaca route is one of the classic Mexican travel corridors — two of the country’s most interesting cities connected by a road that passes through Puebla (itself worth a day) and a spectacular mountain valley descent into Oaxaca. Here’s the full route, whether you go direct or take the slow road.

Direct flight: 1 hour

Aeromexico, Volaris, and VivaAerobus all serve the CDMX–Oaxaca route. Flights typically depart from Terminal 2 at AICM. Booked 2–3 weeks in advance: MXN 800–1,500. Oaxaca’s airport (Xoxocotlán, OAX) is 7 km south of the city centre — taxi ~MXN 200.

Best option if you want to maximise time in Oaxaca.

Bus: 6–7 hours

ADO (first-class) from TAPO (Terminal de Oriente) or Terminal Poniente. Several daily departures; the night bus (departing 10pm–midnight, arriving 4–6am) is popular as it saves a night’s accommodation. First-class bus: ~MXN 400–550.

The journey is comfortable and the road (Highway 135D) is well-maintained. The descent from the Sierra Madre del Sur into the Valley of Oaxaca is scenic.

The slow route via Puebla and Tehuacán

If time allows, breaking the journey in Puebla (2 hours from CDMX) adds significant value:

Puebla: UNESCO historic centre with some of the finest Talavera tile architecture in Mexico, the great pyramid of Cholula (10 minutes from the city), and the city’s celebrated food (mole poblano, chiles en nogada in season, cemitas).

Tehuacán (optional): a dry highland city 140 km south of Puebla, known for mineral water (several of Mexico’s major brands source from here) and as the entry point to the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley biosphere reserve — one of the driest and most biodiverse arid ecosystems in the Americas, now a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. Requires a detour and an extra day.

The 5-day CDMX–Oaxaca corridor itinerary

Day 1: Mexico City — Templo Mayor and Centro Histórico.

Day 2: Mexico City — Teotihuacán (pyramids at 8am, return by noon), then bus to Puebla (2 hours from CDMX, or from Cholula via colectivo from Teotihuacán — slightly complex but doable). Evening in Puebla.

Day 3: Puebla — Cholula pyramid (morning), Talavera workshop tour (Uriarte, free weekdays), Cathedral and centro. Evening food: mole poblano or cemita.

Day 4: Bus from Puebla to Oaxaca (3 hours, ~MXN 200). Arrive midday. Walk the Andador, Mercado 20 de Noviembre, mezcal in the evening.

Day 5: Oaxaca — Monte Albán (morning, 8am bus from city), afternoon free for markets and the Santo Domingo complex.

What to know about Oaxaca

• Altitude: 1,550m — comparable to Mexico City. No altitude adjustment required.
• Best time: November through March for clear skies and mild temperatures. October coincides with Día de Muertos (significant local celebration) and fills accommodation.
• Getting around in Oaxaca: the historic centre is entirely walkable. Taxis are metered and cheap; Uber operates.