This 124.4-mile drive from Arlington, TX to Paris, TX is easily manageable as a one-day trip, taking approximately 2 hours and 21 minutes. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, with a 97% highway share, making it a straightforward journey. The estimated fuel cost for this route is around $19, which is quite budget-friendly for a day trip. Both your starting point in Arlington and your destination in Paris are located within the Great Plains region, so you won't experience a significant change in landscape. This route is a practical choice for a quick excursion with minimal fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
62.2 miles from Arlington, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
East R L Thornton Freeway
55.6 mi
1h
TX 24
48.2 mi
53m
Tom Landry Freeway
16.5 mi
18m
South Mesquite Street
1.2 mi
2m
South Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
East Copeland Road
0.5 mi
<1m
North Center Street
0.5 mi
1m
East Interstate 30
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
East R L Thornton Freeway
— 55.6 mi, about 1h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, TX and Paris, TX.
1
Start on West Abram Street
93 ft·8 sec·West Abram Street
2
Continue on West Abram Street
0.2 mi·34 sec·West Abram Street
3
Turn left onto South Mesquite Street
1.2 mi·2 min·South Mesquite Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn straight onto North Center Street
0.5 mi·1 min·North Center Street
5
Turn slight right
218 ft·9 sec
Use the right lane.
6
Turn straight onto East Interstate 30
0.2 mi·45 sec·East Interstate 30
7
Continue on East Copeland Road
0.5 mi·55 sec·East Copeland Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·56 sec
Toward I 30 EastUse the straight / left lanes.
9
Merge onto I 30
16 mi·18 min·Tom Landry Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 30; US 67
7.5 mi·9 min·East R L Thornton Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30; US 67
48 mi·51 min·East R L Thornton Freeway
Toward I 30 East: TexarkanaUse the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi·12 sec
Exit 101Toward TX 24, FM 1737: Commerce, Paris
13
Continue on TX 24
48 mi·53 min·TX 24
Toward TX 24: Commerce, Paris
14
Turn left onto TX 19; TX 24
516 ft·10 sec·East Hearne Avenue
15
Turn right onto TX 19; TX 24
0.7 mi·1 min·South Main Street
16
Turn right onto US 82 Business; US 271 Business
280 ft·10 sec·Clarksville Street
17
Turn left onto 1st Street Southeast
113 ft·5 sec·1st Street Southeast
18
Arrive at destination
1st Street Southeast
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of 2 hours and 21 minutes, this trip is ideal for a day excursion, offering flexibility in your departure time. You can leave in the morning and be in Paris with plenty of daylight remaining. With no specific stops recommended, plan your own breaks as needed, keeping in mind the $19 fuel cost, which suggests one or two fill-ups might be sufficient. A good tip for this route is to be mindful of the transition onto TX 24, as it offers a slightly different feel from the initial freeway experience.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 62.2 miles from Arlington, TX, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.6 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 27 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 62.2 miles or 1h 12m 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 56m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Paris, 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 124.4 miles and 2h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Arlington, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on East R L Thornton Freeway for about 55.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 75.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|South Mesquite Street
Turn left onto South Mesquite Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.6 mi into trip|~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 30 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward I 30 East
5
3 mi into trip|~7m in|I 30 / Tom Landry Freeway
Merge onto I 30 / Tom Landry Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
27 mi into trip|~35m in|I 30; US 67 / East R L Thornton Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30; US 67 / East R L Thornton Freeway toward I 30 East: Texarkana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana
6
75.1 mi into trip|~1h 26m in
Take the exit toward TX 24, FM 1737: Commerce, Paris
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 101
Toward TX 24, FM 1737: Commerce, Paris
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.80 one way
$37.59 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg44 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$20.57
$41.15
premium
$4.54
$22.21
$44.42
diesel
$5.61
$27.47
$54.93
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
37.3
0
$13.06
$5.97
Efficient EV
31.1
0
$10.89
$4.98
EV Truck/SUV
49.8
0
$17.42
$7.96
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Arlington, TX
Late night
in Arlington on Sunday
Local time
12:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
S 10 to 15 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Paris, TX
Late night
in Paris on Sunday
Local time
12:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
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
16 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
2h 21m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this 124.4-mile trip, as 97% of it involves major roadways like the East R L Thornton Freeway and TX 24. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 55.6 miles on the East R L Thornton Freeway. While primarily on high-speed roads, the route offers a consistent driving experience without many complex turns or significant changes in road type. This means you can settle into a rhythm and cover ground efficiently.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 55.6 mi on East R L Thornton Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on East R L Thornton Freeway and TX 24. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near South Mesquite Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 124.4 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.2 miles (South Mesquite Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles (I 30 / Tom Landry Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Paris, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Fm 1737: Commerce along the way.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 21m. Total distance: 124.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 55.6 miles on East R L Thornton Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (South Mesquite Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles (I 30 / Tom Landry Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Paris, TX before heading back.
