Origin
Buda, TX
Late night in Buda on Tuesday
Local time
3:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buda, TX to San Antonio, 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 16m
Distance
66.2 mi
106 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buda, TX
Wikimedia Commons
San Antonio, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition between Buda and San Antonio, you will cover 66.8 miles in about 1 hour and 7 minutes. This short jaunt stays entirely within the Great Plains region of Texas, making it a straightforward day trip that requires no overnight stops. Budgeting around $10 for fuel should be plenty to get you from point A to point B. Since you are essentially hopping between two neighboring communities, you have the flexibility to make this trip on your own schedule. It is a highly practical drive for those who need to navigate between these two Texas hubs without the need for extensive planning or travel prep.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 43.7 mi | 46m |
| North Pan Am Expressway | 17 mi | 20m |
| Interstate Highway 35 | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Cabelas Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Interstate 35 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Main Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Flores Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 43.7 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buda, TX and San Antonio, TX.
1
Start on North Main Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
2
Turn right onto Cabelas Drive
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Cabelas Drive
3
Turn right onto South Interstate 35
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Interstate 35
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 35 South
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
Merge onto I 35
32 mi
·
34 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 35
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 35
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 35
10.0 mi
·
11 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
Use the slight left lane.
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 157A
Toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn straight onto East Elmira Street
526 ft
·
17 sec
·
East Elmira Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Turn left onto North Main Avenue
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
North Main Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Enter roundabout onto Navarro Street
159 ft
·
3 sec
·
Navarro Street
15
Continue on Navarro Street
111 ft
·
2 sec
·
Navarro Street
16
Keep slight right at fork onto North Main Avenue
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
North Main Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
17
Turn right onto West Travis Street
222 ft
·
10 sec
·
West Travis Street
18
Turn left onto North Flores Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
North Flores Street
19
Continue on Military Plaza
392 ft
·
15 sec
·
Military Plaza
20
Turn left onto Dolorosa Street
327 ft
·
8 sec
·
Dolorosa Street
21
Arrive at destination
Dolorosa Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.1 miles from Buda, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 58 and 65.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
58 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 South
8
64.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
|
I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
8
65 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro Avenue
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 157A
Toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro...
6
65.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
North Main Avenue
Turn left onto North Main Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
65.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
North Main Avenue
Keep slight right at fork onto North Main Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.00 one way
$20.01 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $10.95 | $21.90 |
| premium | $4.54 | $11.82 | $23.64 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.62 | $29.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.95 | $3.18 |
| Efficient EV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.79 | $2.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.5 | 0 | $9.27 | $4.24 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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
San Antonio, TX
Late night in San Antonio on Tuesday
Local time
3:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
E 5 mph
76% chance
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
7 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 16m 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 cruise. You will begin by navigating via Cabelas Drive before transitioning onto Interstate 35 and I-35 South to complete the journey. The route is characterized by its local feel, requiring your full attention as you navigate turns rather than simply settling into a long, straight highway stretch. Because the highway share is 0% of the total route, this is not your typical high-speed, long-distance interstate haul. Staying alert is key as you maneuver through the local road network that connects these two cities.
Only 29% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43.7 mi on Purple Heart Trail.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 58 miles in near I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway.
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 66.2 miles you will encounter 12 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 58 miles (I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 64.4 miles (I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 65 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Buda, TX
Full guide →Founded 1881
Top landmarks
- • Downtown Buda Historic District — historic district in Buda, Hays County, Texas
Arriving in San Antonio, TX
Full guide →Founded 1718
San Antonio is the second largest city in the state of Texas and the 7th largest in the United States. It's the 24th largest metropolitan area in the country. Visited by more than 31 million annual visitors, San Antonio is a beautiful city at the axis of three different geological terrains: Hill Country, South Texas Plains and Prairie and Lakes. There's a lot to do in this city: fine art museums, historical missions and plenty of amusement parks in addition to great dining and lots of drinking. The culture and people are vibrant and interesting. San Antonio's downtown is one of the most lively in the nation.
Top landmarks
- • Alamo Mission in San Antonio — historic place in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
- • San Antonio Missions National Historical Park — historic district in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
- • Fort Sam Houston — military base in San Antonio, 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 16m. Total distance: 66.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 43.7 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 San Antonio, 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 58 miles (I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 64.4 miles (I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 65 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — San Antonio Missions 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 San Antonio, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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