Origin
Austin, TX
Late night in Austin on Sunday
Local time
12:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Austin, TX to Leander, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
27.2 mi
44 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Austin, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Leander, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel the 27.2 miles between Austin and Leander, expect a straightforward journey that typically takes about 34 minutes. You will navigate through the heart of the Great Plains, keeping your trip entirely within the state of Texas. With no mandatory stops required, this route is perfectly suited for a quick, one-day excursion. Budgeting around $4 for fuel should easily cover your needs for the duration of the drive. Because this is a short trip, there is no need to worry about overnight logistics, making it a flexible option for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 183 | 11.3 mi | 13m |
| 183A Toll | 7.9 mi | 7m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| Ranch Road 2243 | 1 mi | 1m |
| East 5th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 183A Frontage Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Interstate 35 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East 7th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 183
— 11.3 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Austin, TX and Leander, 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
7.9 mi
·
7 min
·
183A Toll
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward FM 2243: Hero Way
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn straight onto 183A Frontage Road
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
183A Frontage Road
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn left onto RM 2243
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Ranch Road 2243
14
Continue on RM 2243
496 ft
·
14 sec
·
East South Street
15
Turn right onto US 183
69 ft
·
1 sec
·
North US Highway 183
Use the right lane.
16
Arrive at destination
US 183
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 27.2 — 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.
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
7
27.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
US 183 / North US Highway 183
Turn right onto US 183 / North US Highway 183
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.11 one way
$8.22 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $4.50 | $9.00 |
| premium | $4.54 | $4.86 | $9.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.01 | $12.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.86 | $1.31 |
| Efficient EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.38 | $1.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.81 | $1.74 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Leander, TX
Late night in Leander on Sunday
Local time
12:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°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
8 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
34m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate grind, as this route maintains a 0% highway share. Your path will take you along Red River Street and East 7th Street before transitioning toward your destination. Since the drive is comprised of local roads, you will experience a constant shift in pace compared to an open highway stretch. Staying alert is key, as the technical nature of these turns requires more active steering than a standard freeway cruise. It is a practical, functional drive that connects two urban points without the monotony of long-distance interstate travel.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.3 mi on US 183.
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 0.3 miles in near Red River Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 27.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
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 1.5 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Leander, 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 34m. Total distance: 27.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.3 miles on US 183. 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 Leander, 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 1.5 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Leander, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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