Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 46m
Distance
92.7 mi
149 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Athens, TX
Wikimedia Commons
This 92.7-mile journey from Arlington, TX to Athens, TX is designed for a single day, taking approximately 1 hour and 46 minutes to complete. Your estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $14. As you travel from the Great Plains region of Texas to another part of the Great Plains, expect a drive that is characterized by frequent turns and local road navigation rather than extended highway cruising, with no highway percentage specified. This route is well-suited for a day trip, allowing ample time to reach your destination without needing an overnight stop. It offers a straightforward drive within the state of Texas.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
46.3 miles from Arlington, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 54m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| C F Hawn Freeway | 58.8 mi | 1h 3m |
| Lyndon B Johnson Freeway | 21.4 mi | 22m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway | 5.9 mi | 6m |
| South Collins Street | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| West Corsicana Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| West Abram Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Interstate 20 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Prairieville Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, TX and Athens, TX.
Start on West Abram Street
Continue on West Abram Street
Turn right
Turn slight right onto South Collins Street
Turn left onto East Interstate 20
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 20
Continue on I 20
Take the exit
Merge onto US 175
Continue on US 175 Bus
Turn left onto US 175 Bus; TX 31 Bus
Turn left onto TX 31 Bus
Arrive at destination
Given the relatively short duration of 1 hour and 46 minutes for this 92.7-mile trip, you have a lot of flexibility in when you depart. Consider leaving Arlington, TX in the morning to enjoy Athens, TX with plenty of daylight. The $14 fuel cost is manageable, so plan to fill up before you leave or at a convenient point along the way if needed. Since there are no specified long stretches, pace yourself and be ready for frequent turns, as the route profile suggests. Keep an eye out for local signage as you navigate through communities on your way to Athens.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 20 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 46.3 miles or 54m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Athens, TX than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Arlington, TX so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Arlington, TX
This is one driving day of about 92.7 miles and 1h 46m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
46 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.
A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 46.3 miles from Arlington, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 32.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto East Interstate 20
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 20 East
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 20 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 175 East: Kaufman
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$14.01 one way
$28.01 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $15.33 | $30.66 |
| premium | $4.54 | $16.55 | $33.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $20.47 | $40.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 27.8 | 0 | $9.73 | $4.45 |
| Efficient EV | 23.2 | 0 | $8.11 | $3.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 37.1 | 0 | $12.98 | $5.93 |
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Arlington on Sunday
Local time
2:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Late night in Athens on Sunday
Local time
2:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Prepare for a 'turn-heavy local drive' experience on this route, as indicated by its profile. With a highway share of 0%, you won't encounter significant interstate stretches. The longest uninterrupted stretch is not specified, suggesting a drive punctuated by various turns and changes in road type. This suggests a more engaged driving experience, navigating through local streets and roads rather than a steady, high-speed cruise. The nature of the drive will likely involve adapting to different speed limits and road conditions as you move through various communities.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on C F Hawn Freeway and Lyndon B Johnson Freeway. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 92.7 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (East Interstate 20): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Founded 1876
Arlington is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex metropolitan area, in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of almost 400,000 (2019), it is Texas' seventh largest, and the third largest in the Metroplex. Arlington is south of the sprawling DFW International Airport.
Top landmarks
Athens is a small city in the Blackland Prairie region of Eastern Texas.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 46m. Total distance: 92.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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.
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