Origin
Austin, TX
Late night in Austin on Tuesday
Local time
4:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Austin, TX to Johnson City, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
47.8 mi
77 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 57m
★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Austin, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Johnson City, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick getaway from Austin, the 47.8-mile trek to Johnson City is a straightforward trip that typically takes just over an hour. You will primarily navigate via South Mopac Expressway, West US Highway 290, and South US Highway 281. Since this journey is entirely contained within the Great Plains region of Texas, you can easily complete it in a single day without needing an overnight stay. With a modest fuel budget of about $7, it is an economical choice for a spontaneous outing. Whether you are heading out for a change of pace or a specific errand, the simplicity of this connection makes it a very manageable drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West US Highway 290 | 30.5 mi | 37m |
| South US Highway 281 | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| South Mopac Expressway | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| US 290 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| East 6th Street | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| East Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West US 290 Bypass Lanes | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West US 290 Frontage Rd | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
West US Highway 290
— 30.5 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Austin, TX and Johnson City, TX.
1
Start on East 5th Street
417 ft
·
15 sec
·
East 5th Street
2
Turn left onto Brazos Street
357 ft
·
23 sec
·
Brazos Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto East 6th Street
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
East 6th Street
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn left onto Atlanta Street
233 ft
·
6 sec
·
Atlanta Street
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward Loop 1 South
6
Merge onto Loop 1
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
South Mopac Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 290 West, TX 71 West: Johnson City, Llano
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
319 ft
·
7 sec
Toward US 290 West, TX 71 West
9
Merge onto US 290; TX 71
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
US 290; TX 71
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on West US Highway 290 Frontage Rd
447 ft
·
6 sec
·
West US Highway 290 Frontage Rd
11
Continue on West US 290 Frontage Rd
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
West US 290 Frontage Rd
12
Turn straight onto West US 290 Bypass Lanes
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
West US 290 Bypass Lanes
13
Continue on US 290
378 ft
·
4 sec
·
West US Highway 290
14
Continue on US 290
30 mi
·
37 min
·
West US Highway 290
Use the left lane.
15
Merge onto US 281; US 290
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
South US Highway 281
16
Turn left onto US 290
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
Toward Fredericksburg
17
Turn right onto Spur 356
57 ft
·
1 sec
·
North Nugent Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
Spur 356
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.9 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 6.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Brazos Street
Turn left onto Brazos Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East 6th Street
Turn left onto East 6th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Atlanta Street
Turn left onto Atlanta Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
6.2 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward US 290 West, TX 71 West: Johnson City, Llano
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.
Toward US 290 West, TX 71 West: Johnson City, L...
6
6.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 290 West, TX 71 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 290 West, TX 71 West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.22 one way
$14.45 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $7.91 | $15.81 |
| premium | $4.54 | $8.53 | $17.07 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.55 | $21.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.02 | $2.29 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.18 | $1.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.69 | $3.06 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Johnson City, TX
Late night in Johnson City on Tuesday
Local time
4:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°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
24 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 1m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as 93 percent of this route keeps you moving on major thoroughfares. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 30.5 miles along West US Highway 290, allowing you to settle into a steady rhythm behind the wheel. While you start your departure on the bustling Mopac Expressway, the transition to highway driving defines the character of this trip. The road personality here is consistent and efficient, prioritizing speed and directness over winding backroads. You will find that the transitions between these three main roads are relatively seamless, keeping the drive feeling cohesive from start to finish.
93% 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: 30.5 mi on West US Highway 290.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on West US Highway 290 and South US Highway 281. 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 Brazos Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.8 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 0.1 miles (Brazos Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (East 6th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (Atlanta Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,401 ft
487 ft
Total Climb
1,244 ft
Total Descent
534 ft
Highest Point
1,401 ft
~44.4 mi in
Elevation Range
915 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Austin, TX to Johnson City, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Llano along the way.
Llano
6.2 mi in
|
~10m
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
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 1m. Total distance: 47.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.5 miles on West US Highway 290. 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 Johnson City, 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 0.1 miles (Brazos Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (East 6th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (Atlanta Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Johnson City, 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 NPS for national parks. 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 Johnson City, TX
Explore more options from Austin, TX or browse trips ending in Johnson City, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.