Origin
Arlington, TX
Late night in Arlington on Tuesday
Local time
4:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 28m
Distance
188.7 mi
304 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$29
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
Jollyville, TX
Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE
Arlington, TX to Jollyville, TX is 188.7 miles and takes about 3h 28m via I 35, with a fuel budget near $29 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Texas, taking you from the Great Plains region of Arlington to the Great Plains region of Jollyville. It's a mostly highway trip, so expect a fairly straightforward path. With a recommended one-day drive, you can easily make this trip without needing an overnight stay.
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
94.3 miles from Arlington, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 43m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Freeway | 78 mi | 1h 20m |
| I 35 | 40.2 mi | 41m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 37.9 mi | 39m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway | 10.3 mi | 11m |
| North Jack Kultgen Expressway | 6.6 mi | 7m |
| McNeil Road | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| McNeil Drive | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| South Cooper Street | 2.4 mi | 4m |
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, TX and Jollyville, TX.
Start on West Abram Street
Continue on West Abram Street
Turn right onto South Center Street
Turn right onto Spur 303
Turn left onto FM 157
Keep slight right at fork onto FM 157
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 20
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 35W
Continue on I 35; US 77
Continue on I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Take the exit
Turn straight onto North Interstate 35
Turn right onto CR 171
Turn right onto McNeil Drive
Turn right onto Research Boulevard
Turn right onto Pond Springs Road
Arrive at destination
Given the relatively short duration of just under 3.5 hours, you have a lot of flexibility with departure time. Leaving in the morning will allow you to enjoy the entire day at your destination. Your fuel cost is estimated at $29, so ensure you start with a full tank. With only one recommended stop, consider a break around the halfway point to stretch your legs. Pay attention to traffic conditions, especially as you get closer to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and Austin metro area.
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.
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 42 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 94.3 miles or 1h 43m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jollyville, TX than in the middle of the route.
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 188.7 miles and 3h 28m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
94 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 94.3 miles from Arlington, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before South Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 78 miles.
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 0.1 and 179.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto South Center Street
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto FM 157 / South Cooper Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
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
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35W South: Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward RM 620: McNeil Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$28.51 one way
$57.03 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $31.21 | $62.42 |
| premium | $4.54 | $33.69 | $67.38 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $41.66 | $83.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 66 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 56.6 | 0 | $19.81 | $9.06 |
| Efficient EV | 47.2 | 0 | $16.51 | $7.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 75.5 | 0 | $26.42 | $12.08 |
Gas CO2
66 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (67% 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 Tuesday
Local time
4:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Jollyville on Tuesday
Local time
4:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
82°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
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This route is primarily highway, with 67% of the 188.7 miles on the freeway. You'll experience a longest stretch of 78 miles on I 35, which means extended periods of cruising. Expect to transition from highway to surface roads as you approach your destination, likely around mile 123 if you consider the highway share.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South Freeway and I 35. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Center Street.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 188.7 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 0.1 miles (South Center Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (FM 157 / South Cooper Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Arlington, TX to Jollyville, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Denton along the way.
Denton
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 28m. Total distance: 188.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
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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