Elgin Travel Center
0 mi from route
Trip from Ames, TX to Austin, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 24, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 50m
Distance
201.9 mi
325 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$30
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 38m
★
6 AM
3h 51m
8 AM
4h 16m
10 AM
3h 59m
12 PM
3h 57m
3 PM
4h 1m
5 PM
4h 15m
8 PM
3h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ames, TX
Thomas balabaud
Austin, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Ames, TX to Austin, TX is 201.9 miles and takes about 3h 50m via US 290 and East Grand Parkway North, with a fuel budget near $29 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Texas, moving from the Great Plains region to another part of the Great Plains. With a high percentage of highway driving, this route is best suited for those looking for a straightforward drive. The relatively short duration makes it ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination with plenty of time.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
101 miles from Ames, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 53m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 290 | 77.5 mi | 1h 29m |
| East Grand Parkway North | 56.4 mi | 1h |
| Northwest Freeway | 23 mi | 26m |
| US Highway 290 | 19 mi | 21m |
| West Main Street | 9 mi | 10m |
| Manor Expressway | 6.1 mi | 6m |
| West Clayton Street | 5.1 mi | 6m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 3.4 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
US 290
— 77.5 mi, about 1h 29m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~5,271 veh/hr typical
Quietest
3 AM
~982 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 101 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ames, TX and Austin, TX.
1
Start on FM 160
98 ft
·
7 sec
·
Martin L King Street North
2
Turn right onto US 90
9.0 mi
·
10 min
·
West Main Street
3
Turn right onto TX 321
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
North Cleveland Street
4
Turn left onto FM 1960
5.1 mi
·
6 min
·
West Clayton Street
5
Turn right onto East Grand Parkway North
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
East Grand Parkway North
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
7
Merge onto TX 99 Toll
56 mi
·
59 min
·
East Grand Parkway North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward US 290: Austin, Houston
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 290 West, TX 6 North: Austin
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto US 290; TX 6
23 mi
·
26 min
·
Northwest Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on US 290
19 mi
·
21 min
·
US Highway 290
12
Take the exit onto US 290
53 mi
·
59 min
·
US 290
Toward US 290 West: Austin
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on US 290
21 mi
·
25 min
·
US 290
14
Continue on 290 Toll
6.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Manor Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Continue on US 290
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 290
16
Take the exit onto US 290
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 290
Toward I 35 South, US 290 West
Use the slight right lane.
17
Merge onto I 35; US 290
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Use the slight left lane.
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 234B
Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University
Use the slight right lane.
20
Turn straight onto North Interstate 35
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Interstate 35
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Turn right onto East 6th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East 6th Street
Use the right lane.
22
Turn left onto Congress Avenue
357 ft
·
17 sec
·
Congress Avenue
23
Turn left onto East 5th Street
28 ft
·
0 sec
·
East 5th Street
Use the left lane.
24
Arrive at destination
East 5th Street
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 50m estimated drive time, starting your trip in Ames, TX, in the morning is advisable to maximize daylight. The route has one recommended stop, so plan for a brief break to stretch your legs and refuel if needed. The fuel cost is estimated at $29, so ensure you have adequate funds or a payment method ready. Since this is a single-day trip covering 201.9 miles, you have the flexibility to depart at your convenience, but keeping an eye on the 77.5-mile stretch on US 290 will help you anticipate the longest segment without a major exit.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 101 miles from Ames, TX, or about 1h 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 77.5 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 44 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 101 miles or 1h 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Austin, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ames, TX so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ames, TX
This is one driving day of about 201.9 miles and 3h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Ames, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 290 for about 77.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
101 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 44 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 101 miles from Ames, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 290 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 77.5 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
290 Travel Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Austin Bat Tours
4.4
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the end, right off the route
Home stretch
0.2 mi from route
~1 min detour
Austin, Texas
Hours: 9 am–10 pm
Visit websiteZube Park
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, short detour
Early stretch
2.4 mi from route
~6 min detour
Hockley, Texas
Hours: 7 am–9 pm
+12813538100
Visit websiteDennis Johnston Park
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Early in the drive, short detour
Early stretch
2.8 mi from route
~7 min detour
Spring, Texas
Hours: 7 am–10 pm
+17132740930
Visit websiteBotanical Gates of Paradise
4.1
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
1.7 mi from route
~4 min detour
Austin, Texas
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
Houston Area Live Steamers
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, short detour
Early stretch
2.8 mi from route
~7 min detour
Hockley, Texas
Visit websiteGeronimo Adventure Park
4.9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Early in the drive, ~9 min detour
Early stretch
3.7 mi from route
~9 min detour
Spring, Texas
Hours: 12–6 pm
+18303655867
Visit websiteBarton Creek Greenbelt
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, ~11 min detour
Home stretch
4.4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Austin, Texas
Hours: 5 am–10 pm
+15129746700
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 70.9 and 201 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
70.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
Take the exit toward US 290: Austin, Houston
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.
Toward US 290: Austin, Houston
8
71.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 290 West, TX 6 North: Austin
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 290 West, TX 6 North: Austin
7
196.4 mi into trip
|
~3h 41m in
|
US 290
Take the exit onto US 290 toward I 35 South, US 290 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 35 South, US 290 West
8
198.6 mi into trip
|
~3h 45m in
|
I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
8
201 mi into trip
|
~3h 48m in
Take the exit toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 234B
Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson Univer...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.31 one way
$60.62 round trip
$3.81/gal
25.4 MPG avg
71 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $33.54 | $67.07 |
| premium | $4.57 | $36.29 | $72.57 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $49.89 | $99.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 60.6 | 0 | $21.20 | $9.69 |
| Efficient EV | 50.5 | 0 | $17.67 | $8.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 80.8 | 1 | $28.27 | $12.92 |
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% 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.
Origin
Ames, TX
Night in Ames on Friday
Local time
10:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Austin, TX
Night in Austin on Friday
Local time
10:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Mostly Sunny
ENE 0 to 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
25 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 50m 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 to spend about 90% of your time on highways, covering a significant portion of the 201.9 miles in this mode. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 77.5 miles along US 290. You'll transition from highway to surface roads at some point, so be prepared for changes in traffic flow and potential for more frequent stops as you get closer to Austin. The majority of your drive will be on major thoroughfares, suggesting a generally efficient pace.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 77.5 mi on US 290.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 290 and East Grand Parkway North. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 70.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 201.9 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 70.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 71.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 196.4 miles (US 290): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
559 ft
74 ft
Total Climb
485 ft
Total Descent
74 ft
Highest Point
559 ft
~158.6 mi in
Elevation Range
485 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Ames, TX to Austin, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Houston along the way.
Houston
70.9 mi in
|
~1h 18m
About the Cities
Starting in Ames, TX
Full guide →Arriving in Austin, TX
Full guide →“City of the Violet Crown” · Founded 1835
Austin is a city of about 1,054,000 (2026) surpassing Fort Worth to become the 4th most populous city in Texas. It is on the southeast edge of the Hill Country region of Texas, making it the fourth-largest city in the state and the 11th-largest in the country. It is the capital of Texas and a college town, and also a center of an alternative culture away from the major cities on the US coasts, though the city is rapidly gentrifying with its rising popularity. Austin's attitude is commonly emblazoned about town on T-shirts and bumper stickers that read: "Keep Austin Weird." Austin is also marketed as the Live Music Capital of the World due to the large number of venues.
Top landmarks
- • Texas State Capitol — capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Texas
- • Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum — presidential library and museum for U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson in Austin,...
- • Texas State Cemetery — historic cemetery in Austin, Texas, USA
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 3h 50m. Total distance: 201.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 77.5 miles on US 290. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Austin, TX before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 6 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 70.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 71.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 196.4 miles (US 290): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Austin, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. 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 Austin, TX
More trips to Austin, TX
Explore more options from Ames, TX or browse trips ending in Austin, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.