Origin
Austin, TX
Late night in Austin on Sunday
Local time
12:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Austin, TX to Jarrell, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
41.5 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Austin, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Jarrell, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Austin to Jarrell is 41.5 miles and takes about 47 minutes via Purple Heart Trail/I-35, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Texas and the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward transition from the capital city to a smaller community. It's primarily a surface road experience, making it an easy drive for those looking to avoid extensive highway time. Consider this route if you're seeking a quick, no-fuss trip between these two Texas locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 39.1 mi | 42m |
| North Interstate 35 | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| East 5th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East 7th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Red River Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 39.1 mi, about 42m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 36 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~4,198 veh/hr typical · worst 4,842
Quietest
3 AM
~726 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 104 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 Jarrell, 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
39 mi
·
41 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 275
Toward FM 487: Florence, Bartlett
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn straight onto FM 487
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
North Interstate 35
10
Arrive at destination
North Interstate 35
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.7 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 40.1 — 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.
8
40.1 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward FM 487: Florence, Bartlett
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 275
Toward FM 487: Florence, Bartlett
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.02 one way
$12.04 round trip
$3.69/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.08 | $6.67 | $13.34 |
| premium | $4.43 | $7.24 | $14.48 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $9.15 | $18.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.63 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.81 | $2.66 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Jarrell, TX
Late night in Jarrell on Sunday
Local time
12:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
2 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
47m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive involves 41.5 miles with a significant portion on surface roads, as indicated by the highway share. You'll encounter 39.1 miles on the Purple Heart Trail, which is your longest continuous stretch. Expect a driving experience that transitions from urban access roads to more open surface street cruising as you head north. The majority of your time will be spent navigating through local traffic patterns rather than high-speed interstate travel.
Only 3% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.1 mi on Purple Heart Trail.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Red River Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 41.5 miles you will encounter 8 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
Mostly flat terrain
915 ft
487 ft
Total Climb
718 ft
Total Descent
337 ft
Highest Point
915 ft
~38.5 mi in
Elevation Range
429 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 Jarrell, TX
Full guide →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 47m. Total distance: 41.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.1 miles on Purple Heart Trail. 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 Jarrell, 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 Jarrell, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Jarrell, TX
More trips to Jarrell, TX
Explore more options from Austin, TX or browse trips ending in Jarrell, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.