Origin
Alvin, TX
Late night in Alvin on Tuesday
Local time
4:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alvin, TX to Houston, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
31.5 mi
51 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alvin, TX
Thomas balabaud
Houston, TX
Trace Hudson
Trip Overview
Traveling the 31 miles from Alvin to Houston is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 41 minutes. Because of the short duration, this route is perfectly suited for a quick day trip, allowing you to reach the city without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via North Gordon Street, Highway 6, and TX 288 North. Budgeting approximately $5 for fuel makes this a very economical transit between these two Great Plains locations. Since both cities reside within the same region, you won’t encounter dramatic shifts in geography, just a transition from a smaller community into the bustling Houston metro area.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Brazoria County Expressway | 16.1 mi | 19m |
| West State Highway 6 | 10 mi | 15m |
| Nolan Ryan Expressway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Gulf Freeway | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Gordon Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Louisiana Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Rusk Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Memorial Drive Frontage Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Brazoria County Expressway
— 16.1 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alvin, TX and Houston, TX.
1
Start on West Sealy Street
8 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Sealy Street
2
Turn left onto TX 35 Bus
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
North Gordon Street
3
Turn left onto TX 6
10 mi
·
15 min
·
West State Highway 6
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward TX 288 North
5
Merge onto TX 288
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Nolan Ryan Expressway
6
Continue on TX 288
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
South Freeway
7
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 288 Toll
16 mi
·
19 min
·
Brazoria County Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Toward I 45 North: Dallas
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto I 45
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Gulf Freeway
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 47B
Toward Houston Avenue, Memorial Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
444 ft
·
14 sec
Toward Memorial Drive
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto Memorial Drive Frontage Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Memorial Drive Frontage Road
13
Continue on Rusk Street
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
Rusk Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto Louisiana Street
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Louisiana Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
Louisiana Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 12.8 and 31.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
12.8 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
TX 288 Toll / Brazoria County Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 288 Toll / Brazoria County Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
28.9 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 45 North: Dallas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 45 North: Dallas
8
30.3 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward Houston Avenue, Memorial Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 47B
Toward Houston Avenue, Memorial Drive
8
30.6 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Memorial Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Memorial Drive
6
31.2 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
Louisiana Street
Turn left onto Louisiana Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.76 one way
$9.52 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $5.21 | $10.42 |
| premium | $4.54 | $5.62 | $11.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.95 | $13.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.31 | $1.51 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Houston, TX
Late night in Houston on Tuesday
Local time
4:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 5 to 10 mph
8% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 18 at 5:12AM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 18 at 2:47AM CDT until April 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
13 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
43m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. The route features no dedicated highway segments, requiring your full attention as you transition between local roads and surface highways. Because the longest stretch is 0 miles on North Gordon Street, you should be prepared for frequent turns and steady navigation through local intersections. This drive lacks the high-speed rhythm of a typical interstate, opting instead for a more technical, stop-and-go feel. You will experience a gradual progression from local streets into the denser traffic patterns of the destination.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.1 mi on Brazoria County Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Brazoria County Expressway and West State Highway 6. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 12.8 miles in near TX 288 Toll / Brazoria County Expressway.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 31.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12.8 miles (TX 288 Toll / Brazoria County Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Alvin, TX
Full guide →Founded 1893
Alvin is in the Gulf Coast of Texas. Home of the Pitcher Nolan Ryan. It's about 20 miles southeast of Houston, at the intersections of SH-35 and SH-6.
Arriving in Houston, TX
Full guide →“Space City” · Founded 1836
Houston is a sprawling port city in Southeastern Texas. An oil boom and continuing international immigration has brought explosive growth to the city, and it is now the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States and the most diverse large city since 2021. While at first glance, the city appears to be a 9-5 central business district surrounded by a sea of suburbs and strip malls, there are many hidden gems to be discovered.
Top landmarks
- • Museum of Fine Arts, Houston — art museum in Houston, Texas
- • Astrodome — historic place in Houston, Harris County, Texas
- • Rothko Chapel — building in Houston, Harris County, Texas
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 31.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.1 miles on Brazoria County Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Houston, TX before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 12.8 miles (TX 288 Toll / Brazoria County Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Houston, TX before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Houston, TX
More trips to Houston, TX
Explore more options from Alvin, TX or browse trips ending in Houston, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.