Trip from Arlington, TX to Doolittle, 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

8h 56m

Distance

510.8 mi

822 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$77

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min

4 AM

8h 49m ★

6 AM

8h 57m

8 AM

9h 13m

10 AM

9h 2m

12 PM

9h 1m

3 PM

9h 3m

5 PM

9h 12m

8 PM

8h 52m

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

Doolittle, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Trip Overview

Arlington, TX to Doolittle, TX is 510.8 miles and takes about 8h 56m via TX 130 Toll, with a fuel budget near $75 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route spans the Great Plains region of Texas, offering a long-haul experience primarily on major roadways. Given the distance and duration, it's best planned as an overnight trip to avoid fatigue. Consider this drive if you're looking for a straightforward path across the state with minimal complex navigation.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

255.4 miles from Arlington, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 21m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
TX 130 Toll	86.1 mi	1h 19m
South Freeway	78 mi	1h 20m
South Nueces Street	66.2 mi	1h 10m
I 37	60.5 mi	1h 1m
Falfurrias Expressway	55.8 mi	58m
Purple Heart Trail	37.9 mi	39m
I 10	32.5 mi	33m
I 35	26.5 mi	26m

Longest stretch: TX 130 Toll — 86.1 mi, about 1h 19m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 52 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~2,504 veh/hr typical · worst 3,276

Quietest

2 AM

~399 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.3×

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 Doolittle, 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

26 mi · 26 min · I 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 55 sec

Exit 265 Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio Use the slight right lane.

Continue on TX 130 Toll

86 mi · 1 hr 19 min · TX 130 Toll

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min

Toward I 10 West: San Antonio Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 10; TX 130

11 mi · 11 min · I 10; TX 130

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 10; US 90; TX 130

9.4 mi · 9 min · I 10; US 90; TX 130

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130

12 mi · 12 min · I 10; US 90; TX 130

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 410

1.4 mi · 1 min · Connally Loop

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 410; TX 130

6.7 mi · 7 min · Connally Loop

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Exit 41 Toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min

Toward I 37 South: Corpus Christi Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 37

60 mi · 1 hr 1 min · I 37

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit onto US 281 South

15 mi · 19 min · US 281 South

Toward US 281 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto US 281

66 mi · 1 hr 10 min · South Nueces Street

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

9.5 mi · 10 min · I 69C; US 281

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

56 mi · 58 min · Falfurrias Expressway

Use the straight / right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

4.6 mi · 4 min · I 69C; US 281

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 18 sec

Exit 12 Toward FM 2812 Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto North Expressway 281

0.2 mi · 26 sec · North Expressway 281

Turn left onto FM 2812

1.8 mi · 2 min · FM 2812

Turn right onto Doolittle Road

1.9 mi · 4 min · Doolittle Road

Turn left onto 19 1/2 North

0.2 mi · 40 sec · Davis Road

Arrive at destination

19 1/2 North

Trip Plan

For this 510.8-mile drive, splitting it over two days is highly recommended to ensure a safe and comfortable pace. Aim to leave early in the morning on your first day to maximize daylight and cover a significant portion of the 8h 56m total travel time. Plan for two stops, perhaps breaking the drive in half to allow for rest and refueling. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is around $75, and ensure you fill up before the longest stretch on TX 130 Toll, as services can be spaced out on toll roads.

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.

Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 255.4 miles from Arlington, TX, or about 4h 21m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.1 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 112 miles or 2h 2m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 255.4 miles or 4h 21m in

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

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 255.4 miles or 4h 21m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 7h 49m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Doolittle, 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.

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Arlington, TX

Aim for roughly 255 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Doolittle, TX

Aim for roughly 255 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 112 miles from Arlington, TX.

This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.

Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on TX 130 Toll for about 86.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Cleburne, TX

169 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

San Antonio, TX

337 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in San Antonio, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

San Antonio, TX

255 mi · about 4.5h in

A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 255 miles or 4.5 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Cleburne, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 112 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

San Antonio, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 255.4 miles from Arlington, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before TX 130 Toll if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 86.1 miles.

Overnight split

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

Early stretch 2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour

Salado, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+12549478634

Visit website

South Texas Motorcycle Museum

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~9 min detour

Home stretch 3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour

Edinburg, Texas

Hours: Closed

+19562920770

Visit website

Padre Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~11 min detour

Halfway reset 4.3 mi from route ~11 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 9 am–9 pm

+12102077275

Museum of South Texas History

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~11 min detour

Home stretch 4.5 mi from route ~11 min detour

Edinburg, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+19563836911

Visit website

Alamo Helicopter Tours

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~11 min detour

Halfway reset 4.4 mi from route ~11 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 12–10 pm

+12109212359

Visit website

Edinburg Scenic Wetlands & World Birding Center

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~11 min detour

Home stretch 4.5 mi from route ~11 min detour

Edinburg, Texas

Hours: 8 am–6 pm

+19563819922

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 29

5 decision points cluster between mile 15.9 and 294 — 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

166 mi into trip | ~2h 58m in

Take the exit toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 265 Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio

252.8 mi into trip | ~4h 18m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 West: San Antonio

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 10 West: San Antonio

294 mi into trip | ~5h 1m in

Take the exit toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi

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 41 Toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$76.68 one way

$153.36 round trip

$3.81/gal 25.4 MPG avg 179 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.22	$84.85	$169.69
premium	$4.57	$91.80	$183.61
diesel	$6.28	$126.21	$252.42

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$77

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$207–$317

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 178.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.

Driving Electric?

About $54 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	153.2	1	$53.63	$24.52
Efficient EV	127.7	1	$44.70	$20.43
EV Truck/SUV	204.3	2	$71.51	$32.69

Gas CO2

179 kg

EV CO2

60 kg (66% 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

Evening in Arlington on Thursday

Local time

8:08 PM

CDT

Current temp

84°F

Sunny

ESE 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Destination

Doolittle, TX

Evening in Doolittle on Thursday

Local time

8:08 PM

CDT

Current temp

84°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

ENE 6 to 10 mph 34% 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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

8h 56m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

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.

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...

4 mi from route ~10 min detour Free near mile 299.4

View on nps.gov

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...

7 mi from route ~18 min detour Free near mile 88.1

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

This trip is predominantly highway driving, with 74% of the 510.8 miles on major roads like TX 130 Toll. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch on TX 130 Toll at 86.1 miles. The drive transitions from highway cruising to surface streets, with the final leg likely involving more local traffic and potentially denser exit patterns as you approach your destination.

74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 86.1 mi on TX 130 Toll.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on TX 130 Toll and South Freeway. 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 10/10

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 29 significant decision points across 510.8 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 166 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

744 ft 84 ft

Total Climb

332 ft

Total Descent

852 ft

Highest Point

744 ft

~182.4 mi in

Elevation Range

660 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 Doolittle, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Corpus Christi along the way.

Corpus Christi

294 mi in | ~5h 1m

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 Doolittle, TX

Full guide →

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 86.1 miles on TX 130 Toll. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 255 miles on day one.

Yes — we found about 49 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 Doolittle, 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 2 meaningful breaks. There are 49 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

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

Not recommended in a single day. At 8.9 hours each way, a round trip means 17.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Doolittle, TX before the return drive.

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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