Trip from Arlington, TX to Schertz, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 45m

Distance

261.1 mi

420 km

Drive Score

10/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$36

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 32m ★

6 AM

4h 45m

8 AM

5h 12m

10 AM

4h 55m

12 PM

4h 52m

3 PM

4h 56m

5 PM

5h 11m

8 PM

4h 37m

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

city in Guadalupe, Bexar, and Comal counties, Texas, United States

Schertz, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Arlington, TX to Schertz, TX is 261.1 miles and takes about 4h 45m via I 35, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip keeps you within the Great Plains region for its entirety, offering a consistent Texas landscape. You'll be spending a good chunk of time on major highways, so expect a relatively straightforward drive. With a recommended one-day duration, this route is ideal for a quick transit between these two Texas cities.

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

130.6 miles from Arlington, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 22m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Purple Heart Trail	96.5 mi	1h 43m
South Freeway	78 mi	1h 20m
I 35	55.8 mi	58m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway	10.3 mi	11m
North Jack Kultgen Expressway	6.6 mi	7m
Natural Bridge Caverns Road	3.2 mi	5m
South Cooper Street	2.4 mi	4m
South Center Street	2 mi	4m

Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 96.5 mi, about 1h 43m

Traffic on I-35

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

Peak

4 PM

~3,421 veh/hr typical · worst 4,049

Quietest

2 AM

~584 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

5.9×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 52 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 Schertz, 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

8.8 mi · 9 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 27 sec

Exit 176 Toward Cibolo Valley Drive Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto Interstate 35 North

0.9 mi · 1 min · Interstate 35 North

Turn left onto FM 3009

3.2 mi · 5 min · Natural Bridge Caverns Road

Turn right onto FM 78

1.1 mi · 2 min · John E Peterson Boulevard

Turn left onto 1st Street

57 ft · 2 sec · 1st Street

Arrive at destination

1st Street

Trip Plan

To make the most of this single-day trip, consider leaving Arlington early in the morning to avoid potential traffic, especially as you navigate out of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The total drive time is under five hours, so you should only need one planned stop for fuel or a quick break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the longest stretch without a major city is 96.5 miles on Purple Heart Trail, so topping off before that segment is advisable. Given the relatively short duration, you have flexibility to adjust your timing as needed.

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 130.6 miles from Arlington, TX, or about 2h 22m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 96.5 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 57 miles or 1h 5m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 130.6 miles or 2h 22m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 50m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Schertz, 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 261.1 miles and 4h 45m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 57 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 96.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Troy, TX

131 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 57 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Troy, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 130.6 miles from Arlington, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 1 mi from route ~3 min detour

Temple, Texas

Hours: 8:30 am–4 pm

+12547739926

Visit website

Village of Salado Visitors Center

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour

Salado, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+12549478634

Visit website

5 of 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 255.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | South Center Street

Turn right onto South Center Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

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

255.7 mi into trip | ~4h 35m in

Take the exit toward Cibolo Valley Drive

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 176 Toward Cibolo Valley Drive

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$35.76 one way

$71.52 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 91 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$39.95	$79.89
premium	$4.23	$43.43	$86.86
diesel	$4.80	$49.30	$98.60

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$36

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$61–$86

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 91.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	78.3	0	$27.42	$12.53
Efficient EV	65.3	0	$22.85	$10.44
EV Truck/SUV	104.4	1	$36.55	$16.71

Gas CO2

91 kg

EV CO2

31 kg (66% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 Jul 18, 2026

Origin

Arlington, TX

Late night in Arlington on Monday

Local time

5:23 AM

CDT

Current temp

75°F

Mostly Clear

S 10 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 2:55AM CDT until July 20 at 3:42PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 2:52AM CDT until July 19 at 8:30AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Destination

Schertz, TX

Late night in Schertz on Monday

Local time

5:23 AM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Mostly Cloudy

SSE 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 2:55AM CDT until July 20 at 3:42PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 2:52AM CDT until July 19 at 8:30AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

96°F

Troy, TX

131 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

1 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

4h 45m 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...

6 mi from route ~14 min detour Free near mile 90

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...

19 mi from route ~48 min detour Free near mile 261.1

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is mostly highway, with 55% of the route on major roads like I 35. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 96.5 miles on Purple Heart Trail. Expect the transition from highway to surface roads to occur around mile 144. The extensive highway share means you'll likely experience more urban merging and dense exits in the initial and final segments of your drive.

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

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

Longest single stretch: 96.5 mi on Purple Heart Trail.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

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 0.1 miles in near South Center Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 261.1 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 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.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

772 ft 453 ft

Total Climb

633 ft

Total Descent

523 ft

Highest Point

772 ft

~186.5 mi in

Elevation Range

319 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 Schertz, 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 Schertz, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1843

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 45m. Total distance: 261.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 45m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 96.5 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 27 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 Schertz, 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 27 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 4.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Schertz, 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 Schertz, 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

Service Plaza

Cultural Activities Center

Village of Salado Visitors Center

Tube Chute

The Sophienburg Museum & Archives

Pioneer Farms

Bicentennial Park

Children's Park

Doris D Miller Park

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Arlington, TX

Schertz, TX

Same local time

1 degrees warmer at arrival

4h 45m 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 Schertz, 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 Schertz, TX

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