Origin
Athens, TX
Late night in Athens on Sunday
Local time
2:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Athens, TX to Dallas, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
73.3 mi
118 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Athens, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Dallas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Athens to Dallas covers approximately 74.3 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Because this is a relatively short trip, you can easily complete it in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You will navigate through the Great Plains, primarily utilizing West Corsicana Street, Highway 175 West, and the Julius Schepps Freeway. With fuel costs estimated at around $11, this is a budget-friendly transit between the two Texas cities. Whether you are heading to the metro area for business or a quick visit, the direct nature of this path makes it a straightforward logistical task rather than a multi-day expedition.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US Highway 175 West | 68.8 mi | 1h 14m |
| Julius Schepps Freeway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Elm Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West Corsicana Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Lamar Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Prairieville Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US Highway 175 West
— 68.8 mi, about 1h 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Athens, TX and Dallas, TX.
1
Start on TX 31 Bus
192 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Prairieville Street
2
Turn right onto US 175 Bus; TX 31 Bus
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Corsicana Street
3
Keep slight right at fork onto US 175 Bus
69 mi
·
1 hr 14 min
·
US Highway 175 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Merge onto I 45
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 284B
Toward Main Street West, Elm Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward Elm Street
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Turn straight onto Elm Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Elm Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
8
Turn right onto North Lamar Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Lamar Street
9
Arrive at destination
North Lamar Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
37 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.6 miles from Athens, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US Highway 175 West if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 68.8 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 73.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 175 Bus / US Highway 175 West
Keep slight right at fork onto US 175 Bus / US Highway 175 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
69.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway
Merge onto I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
71.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Take the exit toward Main Street West, Elm Street
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 284B
Toward Main Street West, Elm Street
8
72.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Elm Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Elm Street
4
73.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
North Lamar Street
Turn right onto North Lamar Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.08 one way
$22.15 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $12.12 | $24.25 |
| premium | $4.54 | $13.09 | $26.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.18 | $32.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22 | 0 | $7.70 | $3.52 |
| Efficient EV | 18.3 | 0 | $6.41 | $2.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.3 | 0 | $10.26 | $4.69 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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.
Destination
Dallas, TX
Late night in Dallas on Sunday
Local time
2:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 10 to 15 mph
9% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 7:22PM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 6:54PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
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
3 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
1h 22m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate haul. You won't find long, uninterrupted highway stretches here, as the route is characterized by its local connectivity. While you will transition onto Highway 175 West and the Julius Schepps Freeway, the lack of a high highway percentage means your focus will remain on navigating local transitions. Be prepared for a drive that requires your attention due to the frequent turns as you move toward the city. The lack of a single long, straight stretch ensures the journey remains active and engaging from start to finish.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 68.8 mi on US Highway 175 West.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 175 West and Julius Schepps Freeway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near US 175 Bus / US Highway 175 West.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 22m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (US 175 Bus / US Highway 175 West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 69.6 miles (I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 71.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
490 ft
348 ft
Total Climb
154 ft
Total Descent
216 ft
Highest Point
490 ft
Elevation Range
142 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Athens, TX
Full guide →Athens is a small city in the Blackland Prairie region of Eastern Texas.
Arriving in Dallas, TX
Full guide →“Big D” · Founded 1841
Dallas, with a population of more than 1.3 million residents, is the ninth largest city in the United States and the third largest in the state of Texas. It is an impressive melting pot of culture and character. Boasting high-end luxury hotels, innumerable fine dining spots, and one of the busiest airports in the world, Dallas maintains an upscale ethos reflected by an affluent population, world-class museums, and a shimmering modern skyline. Its history was marred by the infamous assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, but there is more historic and contemporary heritage to be discovered in the city. As a center of the oil and cotton industries in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Dallas was a classic American boom town and remains one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.
Top landmarks
- • Dallas Museum of Art — art museum in Dallas, Texas
- • Texas School Book Depository — building in Dallas, Texas, United States
- • George W. Bush Presidential Center — Presidential library and museum for U.S. President George W. Bush, located in Da...
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 1h 22m. Total distance: 73.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 68.8 miles on US Highway 175 West. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (US 175 Bus / US Highway 175 West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 69.6 miles (I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 71.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Dallas, TX before heading back.
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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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