Trip from Buna, TX to Austin, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 11m

Distance

279.1 mi

449 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$38

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 58m ★

6 AM

5h 11m

8 AM

5h 38m

10 AM

5h 21m

12 PM

5h 18m

3 PM

5h 22m

5 PM

5h 37m

8 PM

5h 3m

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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Buna, TX

Mark Direen

Austin, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Buna, TX to Austin, TX is 279.1 miles and takes about 5h 11m via Eastex Freeway, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Texas, traversing the Great Plains region for its entirety. Expect a predominantly highway experience, making it a straightforward drive. It's a solid choice for a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stop.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

139.5 miles from Buna, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 37m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Eastex Freeway	84.2 mi	1h 36m
TX 71	77.7 mi	1h 22m
Katy Freeway	74.4 mi	1h 21m
US 96	31.7 mi	34m
East 7th Street	2.8 mi	4m
East State Highway 71	2.2 mi	2m
Bastrop Freeway	1.9 mi	2m
US Highway 96 Business	1.3 mi	2m

Longest stretch: Eastex Freeway — 84.2 mi, about 1h 36m

Traffic on I-10

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 20 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

7 AM

~4,887 veh/hr typical · worst 5,738

Quietest

2 AM

~583 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

8.4×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 51 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 Buna, TX and Austin, TX.

Start on TX 62

323 ft · 5 sec · TX 62

Turn slight left onto TX 62

107 ft · 1 sec · TX 62

Turn slight left onto US 96 Business

1.3 mi · 2 min · US Highway 96 Business

At end of road, turn left onto US 96

32 mi · 34 min · US 96

Keep slight right at fork onto US 69; US 96; US 287

84 mi · 1 hr 36 min · Eastex Freeway

Toward Houston, Port Arthur Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 10; US 90

74 mi · 1 hr 21 min · Katy Freeway

Use the straight lane.

Take the exit onto TX 71

0.5 mi · 33 sec · TX 71

Toward TX 71 West: La Grange, Austin

Keep slight left at fork onto TX 71

77 mi · 1 hr 22 min · TX 71

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on 71 Toll

1.9 mi · 2 min · Bastrop Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on TX 71

2.2 mi · 2 min · East State Highway 71

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min

Toward US 183 North, 183 Toll North: Lampasas Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto US 183

0.4 mi · 26 sec · Bastrop Highway

Continue on 183 Toll

0.7 mi · 40 sec · Bergstrom Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 54 sec

Toward Loop 111: Cesar Chavez Street, 5th Street, 6th Street, 7th Street, Airport Boulevard Use the right lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto East 7th Street

2.8 mi · 4 min · East 7th Street

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Turn left onto Brushy Street

352 ft · 17 sec · Brushy Street

Turn right onto East 6th Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · East 6th Street

Turn left onto Congress Avenue

357 ft · 17 sec · Congress Avenue

Turn left onto East 5th Street

28 ft · 0 sec · East 5th Street

Use the left lane.

Arrive at destination

East 5th Street

Trip Plan

To make the most of this 5h 11m drive, aim to depart Buna, TX early in the morning to avoid any potential traffic, especially as you approach Austin. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $41, you have flexibility in pacing yourself. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, particularly before entering longer stretches of highway where services might be spaced out. The near-total highway nature means you can cover ground efficiently, but be prepared for the increased exit frequency as you get closer to the city.

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 139.5 miles from Buna, TX, or about 2h 37m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 84.2 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 61 miles or 1h 8m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 139.5 miles or 2h 37m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 14m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Austin, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Buna, TX so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Buna, TX

This is one driving day of about 279.1 miles and 5h 11m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Buna, TX.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on Eastex Freeway for about 84.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Houston, TX

140 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

Houston, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 61 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Houston, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 139.5 miles from Buna, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

1.6 mi from route

Colorado County Eastbound Rest Area

2.1 mi from route

Colorado County Westbound Rest Area

2.1 mi from route

Service Plaza

2.4 mi from route

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour

Houston, Texas

Hours: 8 am–10 pm

+17135267577

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 33.1 and 279.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

33.1 mi into trip | ~37m in | US 69; US 96; US 287 / Eastex Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 69; US 96; US 287 / Eastex Freeway toward Houston, Port Arthur

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Houston, Port Arthur

192.2 mi into trip | ~3h 35m in | TX 71

Keep slight left at fork onto TX 71

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

273.5 mi into trip | ~5h 1m in

Take the exit toward US 183 North, 183 Toll North: Lampasas

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 183 North, 183 Toll North: Lampasas

275.1 mi into trip | ~5h 3m in

Take the exit toward Loop 111: Cesar Chavez Street, 5th Street, 6th Street, 7th Street, Airport Boulevard

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Toward Loop 111: Cesar Chavez Street, 5th Stree...

279.1 mi into trip | ~5h 11m in | East 5th Street

Turn left onto East 5th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$38.23 one way

$76.46 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 98 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$42.70	$85.40
premium	$4.23	$46.43	$92.85
diesel	$4.80	$52.70	$105.40

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$38

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$63–$88

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 97.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	83.7	1	$29.31	$13.40
Efficient EV	69.8	0	$24.42	$11.16
EV Truck/SUV	111.6	1	$39.07	$17.86

Gas CO2

98 kg

EV CO2

33 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 Jul 18, 2026

Origin

Buna, TX

Late night in Buna on Sunday

Local time

1:52 AM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Mostly Cloudy

0 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 9:47PM CDT until July 18 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 17 at 9:34PM CDT until July 19 at 9:45AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Destination

Austin, TX

Late night in Austin on Sunday

Local time

1:52 AM

CDT

Current temp

77°F

Mostly Cloudy

SSE 5 to 10 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 9:47PM CDT until July 18 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 17 at 9:34PM CDT until July 19 at 9:45AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

3 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

5h 11m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is almost entirely highway, with 98% of the 279.1 miles on major roads like the Eastex Freeway, TX 71, and Katy Freeway. You'll encounter an 84.2-mile stretch on the Eastex Freeway without needing to exit. The transition to surface streets will occur near your destination. Expect consistent cruising with many exits along the way.

98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 84.2 mi on Eastex Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Eastex Freeway and TX 71. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 33.1 miles in near US 69; US 96; US 287 / Eastex Freeway.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 279.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 33.1 miles (US 69; US 96; US 287 / Eastex Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 192.2 miles (TX 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 273.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

536 ft 13 ft

Total Climb

572 ft

Total Descent

161 ft

Highest Point

536 ft

~259.2 mi in

Elevation Range

524 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Buna, TX and Austin, TX, road signs point toward Houston and Port Arthur.

Houston

33.1 mi in | ~37m | via US 69; US 96; US 287

Port Arthur

33.1 mi in | ~37m | via US 69; US 96; US 287

About the Cities

Starting in Buna, TX

Full guide →

Arriving 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 5h 11m. Total distance: 279.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 84.2 miles on Eastex Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 26 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 26 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Not recommended in a single day. At 5.2 hours each way, a round trip means 10.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Austin, TX before the return drive.

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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Explore more options from Buna, TX or browse trips ending in Austin, TX.

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Trip from Buna, TX to Austin, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-10

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Chambers County Westbound Rest Area

Chambers County Eastbound Rest Area

TA

Love's Travel Stop

Flying J Travel Center

Buc-ee's

Buc-ee's

QuikTrip

Road Ranger

Buc-ee's

Service Plaza

Service Plaza

Service Plaza

Service Plaza

Petro Stopping Centers

Flying J Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

TA

Flying J Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Pilot Travel Center

Colorado County Eastbound Rest Area

Colorado County Westbound Rest Area

Service Plaza

Austin Bat Tours

Waugh Drive Bat Colony

Chambers County Museum at Wallisville

Downtown Aquarium

Tyrrell Park

Barbara Fish Daniel Nature Play Area and Picnic Pavilion

Cattail Marsh Scenic Wetlands & Boardwalk

Midtown Park

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Buna, TX

Austin, TX

Same local time

3 degrees warmer at arrival

5h 11m on the road

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Buna, TX

Arriving in Austin, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

Continue From Austin, TX

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