Trip from Arlington, TX to Castle Hills, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 23, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 57m

Distance

273.7 mi

441 km

Drive Score

10/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$41

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min

4 AM

4h 44m ★

6 AM

4h 58m

8 AM

5h 25m

10 AM

5h 7m

12 PM

5h 5m

3 PM

5h 9m

5 PM

5h 24m

8 PM

4h 50m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time

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suburban city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States

Arlington, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Castle Hills, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Trip Overview

Arlington, TX to Castle Hills, TX is 273.7 miles and takes about 4h 57m via Purple Heart Trail, South Freeway, and I 35, with a fuel budget near $44 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Texas, moving from the Great Plains region to another part of the same region. Expect a mix of highway cruising and surface streets, so plan for varying speeds and traffic conditions. With only one recommended stop and a drive time under five hours, this route is very manageable for a single day.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

136.9 miles from Arlington, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 28m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Purple Heart Trail	99.6 mi	1h 46m
South Freeway	78 mi	1h 20m
I 35	55.8 mi	58m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway	10.3 mi	11m
Connally Loop	6.9 mi	7m
North Pan Am Expressway	6.9 mi	7m
North Jack Kultgen Expressway	6.6 mi	7m
South Cooper Street	2.4 mi	4m

Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 99.6 mi, about 1h 46m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 100 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~3,362 veh/hr typical · worst 4,075

Quietest

2 AM

~579 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

5.8×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 104 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 Arlington, TX and Castle Hills, TX.

Start on West Abram Street

93 ft · 8 sec · West Abram Street

Continue on West Abram Street

417 ft · 21 sec · West Abram Street

Turn right onto South Center Street

2.0 mi · 4 min · South Center Street

Use the right lane.

Turn right onto Spur 303

0.5 mi · 48 sec · West Pioneer Parkway

Use the left lane.

Turn left onto FM 157

1.5 mi · 2 min · South Cooper Street

Use the left lane.

Keep slight right at fork onto FM 157

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Cooper Street

Use the left lane.

Take the ramp

0.6 mi · 1 min

Toward I 20 West: Fort Worth

Merge onto I 20

10 mi · 11 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Exit 437 Toward I 35W South, I 35W North: Waco, Denton Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 1 min

Toward I 35W South: Waco Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 35W

78 mi · 1 hr 20 min · South Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35; US 77

6.6 mi · 7 min · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

38 mi · 39 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

56 mi · 58 min · I 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290

50 mi · 54 min · Purple Heart Trail

Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street Use the slight left lane.

Continue on I 35

1.7 mi · 1 min · Interstate Highway 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

12 mi · 12 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

6.9 mi · 7 min · North Pan Am Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 55 sec

Exit 166 Toward I 410 West, Loop 368 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 33 sec

Toward I 410 West Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 410

6.9 mi · 7 min · Connally Loop

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 21 sec

Exit 19A Toward Honeysuckle Lane, Frontage Road Use the slight right lane.

Turn right onto Roleto Drive

0.1 mi · 28 sec · Roleto Drive

Turn right onto South Gardenview Drive

0.1 mi · 30 sec · South Gardenview Drive

Arrive at destination

South Gardenview Drive

Trip Plan

Given the 4h 57m estimated drive time and 273.7 miles, departing in the morning is ideal to avoid potential afternoon traffic. You're looking at a fuel cost of around $44, so ensure your tank is full before you leave Arlington. The route includes one recommended stop, and the longest stretch without a major change is 99.6 miles, so plan your break accordingly. Since this trip is easily completed in one day, you have flexibility; however, be mindful of the shift from highway to surface roads as you get closer to Castle Hills, as this can impact your arrival time.

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 136.9 miles from Arlington, TX, or about 2h 28m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.6 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 60 miles or 1h 8m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 136.9 miles or 2h 28m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 1m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Castle Hills, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Arlington, 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 Arlington, TX

This is one driving day of about 273.7 miles and 4h 57m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 miles from Arlington, 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 Purple Heart Trail for about 99.6 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Troy, TX

137 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

Italy, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 60 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Troy, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 136.9 miles from Arlington, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

0.4 mi from route

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third 3 mi from route ~8 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

Visit website

Toybrary Austin

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third 3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 10 am–6 pm

+15124343927

Visit website

Wonder Chamber

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 3.4 mi from route ~8 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 12–9 pm

+12104675504

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 18

5 decision points cluster between mile 15.9 and 273.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

15.9 mi into trip | ~21m in

Take the exit toward I 35W South, I 35W North: Waco, Denton

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 437 Toward I 35W South, I 35W North: Waco, Denton

16.1 mi into trip | ~22m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 35W South: Waco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 35W South: Waco

195.3 mi into trip | ~3h 30m 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

265.7 mi into trip | ~4h 47m in

Take the exit toward I 410 West, Loop 368 South

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 166 Toward I 410 West, Loop 368 South

273.3 mi into trip | ~4h 56m in

Take the exit toward Honeysuckle Lane, Frontage Road

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 19A Toward Honeysuckle Lane, Frontage Road

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$41.09 one way

$82.17 round trip

$3.81/gal 25.4 MPG avg 96 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.22	$45.46	$90.92
premium	$4.57	$49.19	$98.38
diesel	$6.28	$67.63	$135.26

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$41

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$66–$91

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 95.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.

Driving Electric?

About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	82.1	1	$28.74	$13.14
Efficient EV	68.4	0	$23.95	$10.95
EV Truck/SUV	109.5	1	$38.32	$17.52

Gas CO2

96 kg

EV CO2

32 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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.

Forecast as of Oct 22, 2026

Origin

Arlington, TX

Late night in Arlington on Friday

Local time

1:46 AM

CDT

Current temp

84°F

Sunny

E 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Destination

Castle Hills, TX

Late night in Castle Hills on Friday

Local time

1:46 AM

CDT

Current temp

61°F

Sunny

E 5 mph Live forecast

57°F

Troy, TX

137 mi in

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

23 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

4h 57m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Waco Mammoth National Monument

National Monument

Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation's first and...

4 mi from route ~10 min detour Free near mile 94.4

View on nps.gov

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...

15 mi from route ~39 min detour Free near mile 273.7

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive features a 55% highway share, meaning you'll spend a good portion of the 273.7 miles on faster roads like I 35. The longest continuous stretch on a single highway is 99.6 miles on Purple Heart Trail. You'll transition between high-speed freeway travel and slower, surface-level roads, so be prepared for frequent changes in the speed limit and exit density. Expect to encounter urban merging and more stop-and-go traffic as you approach your destination.

55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.

25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 99.6 mi on Purple Heart Trail.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15.9 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 273.7 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 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 195.3 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

903 ft 414 ft

Total Climb

1,075 ft

Total Descent

840 ft

Highest Point

903 ft

~156.4 mi in

Elevation Range

489 ft

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 Arlington, TX to Castle Hills, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Denton along the way.

Denton

15.9 mi in | ~21m

About the Cities

Starting in Arlington, TX

Full guide →

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

• Six Flags Over Texas — amusement park
• Mini Mine Train — Steel roller coaster
• Arlington Museum of Art — art museum in Texas, United States

Arriving in Castle Hills, TX

Full guide →

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 4h 57m. Total distance: 273.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 99.6 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 26 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 Castle Hills, 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 26 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Possible but tiring. At 5.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Castle Hills, 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Trip from Arlington, TX to Castle Hills, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-35

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Bell County Northbound Rest Area

Service Plaza

Hill County Northbound Rest Area

Buc-ee's

Flying J Travel Center

Walburg Travel Center & Food Court

Buc-ee's

QuikTrip

QuikTrip

Ascent Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

TA

Flying J Travel Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Hill County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Road Ranger

Marlstone Retail Center

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Buc-ee's

Pilot Travel Center

TA

Service Plaza

Bell County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Doris D Miller Park

Round1 Bowling & Arcade North Star Mall

Denman Estate Park

Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio

Bicentennial Park

Austin Bat Tours

Toybrary Austin

Wonder Chamber

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Arlington, TX

Castle Hills, TX

Same local time

23 degrees cooler at arrival

4h 57m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Waco Mammoth National Monument

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Arlington, TX

Arriving in Castle Hills, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Are there national parks near this route?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

Continue From Castle Hills, TX

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