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Trip from Austin, TX to Burnet, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 3, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 8m

Distance

55.1 mi

89 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 3m ★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m

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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Downtown Austin, TX, TX

Austin, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Burnet, TX, TX

Burnet, TX

Erik Karits

Trip Overview

The drive from Austin, TX to Burnet, TX covers 55.1 miles and takes about 1h 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on West State Highway 29, 183A Toll, US 183 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.7 miles on West State Highway 29. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.99 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
West State Highway 29 21.7 mi 27m
183A Toll 13.6 mi 13m
US 183 11.3 mi 13m
Purple Heart Trail 4.5 mi 5m
East Polk Street 1.6 mi 2m
East 5th Street 0.3 mi <1m
North US Highway 183 0.2 mi <1m
North Interstate 35 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: West State Highway 29 — 21.7 mi, about 27m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

7 AM

~5,271 veh/hr typical

Quietest

3 AM

~982 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

5.4×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 101 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 Austin, TX and Burnet, TX.

1

Start on East 5th Street

0.3 mi · 52 sec · East 5th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2

Turn left onto Red River Street

0.1 mi · 20 sec · Red River Street
Use the left lane.
3

Turn right onto East 7th Street

0.1 mi · 17 sec · East 7th Street
Use the right lane.
4

Turn left onto North Interstate 35

0.2 mi · 26 sec · North Interstate 35
Use the left lane.
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward I 35 North, US 290 East
6

Merge onto I 35; US 290

0.6 mi · 42 sec · Purple Heart Trail
7

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290

4.0 mi · 4 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 1 min
Exit 240B Toward US 183 North: Lampasas Use the slight right lane.
9

Merge onto US 183

11 mi · 13 min · US 183
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on 183A Toll

14 mi · 13 min · 183A Toll
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
12

Turn straight onto US 183

0.2 mi · 21 sec · North US Highway 183
13

Turn left onto TX 29

22 mi · 27 min · West State Highway 29
14

Continue on TX 29

1.6 mi · 2 min · East Polk Street
15

Arrive at destination

TX 29

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Liberty Hill, TX, TX

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Liberty Hill, TX

28 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

Wells Branch, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Leander, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27.5 miles from Austin, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

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 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 5.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in | Red River Street

Turn left onto Red River Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
7
0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in | East 7th Street

Turn right onto East 7th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in | North Interstate 35

Turn left onto North Interstate 35

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
1.5 mi into trip | ~3m in | I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
5.5 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the exit toward US 183 North: Lampasas

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 240B Toward US 183 North: Lampasas

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.99 one way

$15.99 round trip

$3.69/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.08 $8.86 $17.71
premium $4.43 $9.61 $19.23
diesel $5.60 $12.15 $24.29

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.5 0 $5.79 $2.64
Efficient EV 13.8 0 $4.82 $2.20
EV Truck/SUV 22 0 $7.71 $3.53

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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 Sep 1, 2026

Origin

Austin, TX

Afternoon in Austin on Thursday

Local time

3:42 PM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Mostly Clear

SSE 0 to 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Tropical Cyclone Local Statement

Tropical Cyclone Local Statement issued August 31 at 10:31PM CDT by NWS Lake Charles LA

Tropical Cyclone Local Statement

Tropical Cyclone Local Statement issued August 31 at 10:20PM CDT by NWS Houston/Galveston TX

Destination

Burnet, TX

Afternoon in Burnet on Thursday

Local time

3:42 PM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Mostly Clear

SSE 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Tropical Cyclone Local Statement

Tropical Cyclone Local Statement issued August 31 at 10:31PM CDT by NWS Lake Charles LA

Tropical Cyclone Local Statement

Tropical Cyclone Local Statement issued August 31 at 10:20PM CDT by NWS Houston/Galveston TX

98°F

Liberty Hill, TX

28 mi in

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

5 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 8m 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?

55.1 mi in 1h 8m, mostly highway — 21.7 mi of that is on West State Highway 29.

61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.7 mi on West State Highway 29.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on West State Highway 29 and 183A Toll. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Red River Street.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.1 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 0.3 miles (Red River Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (East 7th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (North Interstate 35): Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

1,460 ft 487 ft

Total Climb

1,022 ft

Total Descent

225 ft

Highest Point

1,460 ft

~51.1 mi in

Elevation Range

973 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Austin, TX

Full guide →

“City of the Violet Crown” · Founded 1835

Austin is a city of about 1,054,000 (2026) surpassing Fort Worth to become the 4th most populous city in Texas. It is on the southeast edge of the Hill Country region of Texas, making it the fourth-largest city in the state and the 11th-largest in the country. It is the capital of Texas and a college town, and also a center of an alternative culture away from the major cities on the US coasts, though the city is rapidly gentrifying with its rising popularity. Austin's attitude is commonly emblazoned about town on T-shirts and bumper stickers that read: "Keep Austin Weird." Austin is also marketed as the Live Music Capital of the World due to the large number of venues.

Top landmarks

  • • Texas State Capitol — capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Texas
  • • Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum — presidential library and museum for U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson in Austin,...
  • • Texas State Cemetery — historic cemetery in Austin, Texas, USA

Arriving in Burnet, TX

Full guide →

Burnet is nestled at the edge of the spectacular Texas Hill Country about 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Austin, amidst the beautiful Highland Lakes, is the historic community of Burnet. Burnet was established in the mid-1800s as a fort on the Texas frontier. Modern Burnet has kept with its pioneering routes while also adapting to the modern age. Today Burnet is considered the jewel of the Highland Lakes. Throughout the year, the City of Burnet offers a vast array of events and activities for all ages. From the spring splash of bluebonnets and wildflowers to the fall festival of arts on the Arts and Crafts Trail, from the winter wonderland of the spectacular Christmas musical light display to the summer frontier shoot-outs and vintage steam train tours, Burnet is alive with sights and sounds that make it one of the Hill Country's most popular destination spots in the state of Texas.

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 8m. Total distance: 55.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 21.7 miles on West State Highway 29. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Burnet, TX before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

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 0.3 miles (Red River Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (East 7th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (North Interstate 35): Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Burnet, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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