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Trip from Cactus, TX to Arlington, TX

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

Drive Time

7h 9m

Distance

403.3 mi

649 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$61

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min
4 AM
6h 59m ★
6 AM
7h 10m
8 AM
7h 31m
10 AM
7h 17m
12 PM
7h 15m
3 PM
7h 18m
5 PM
7h 30m
8 PM
7h 3m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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family of mostly succulent plants, adapted to dry environments

Cactus, TX

Wikimedia Commons

suburban city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States

Arlington, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 420.8-mile journey from Cactus, TX, to Arlington, TX, is designed for a single day of travel, taking approximately 6 hours and 25 minutes. You'll navigate using the South Pan Am Expressway and North Pan Am Expressway, also known as the Purple Heart Trail. With a fuel cost estimated at $64, this drive offers a straightforward path through the Great Plains region. While it's manageable as a day trip, be prepared for frequent turns, as this route is characterized by its local, less direct nature. Plan for one primary stop to break up the drive. The drive remains within Texas, connecting two points within the same state.

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

2 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

201.6 miles from Cactus, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 32m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Purple Heart Trail 303.8 mi 5h 14m
I 35W 45.1 mi 47m
South Pan Am Expressway 21.5 mi 26m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway 10.3 mi 11m
North Pan Am Expressway 7.4 mi 8m
South Jack Kultgen Expressway 6.6 mi 7m
South Cooper Street 2.7 mi 4m
Interstate Highway 35 1.9 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 303.8 mi, about 5h 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cactus, TX and Arlington, TX.

1

Start on I 35

116 mi · 1 hr 56 min · Purple Heart Trail
Toward US Border Patrol Checkpoint Use the straight / slight right lanes.
2

Continue on I 35

9.3 mi · 11 min · South Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
3

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

1.7 mi · 2 min · South Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35

10 mi · 13 min · South Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 37, US 281: Upper Level, Corpus Christi, Johnson City Use the straight lane.
5

Keep slight left at fork onto North Pan Am Expressway

7.4 mi · 8 min · North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35: Austin Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on I 35

12 mi · 12 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on I 35

1.9 mi · 2 min · Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 35

48 mi · 52 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290

96 mi · 1 hr 40 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on I 35

6.6 mi · 7 min · South Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 35; US 77

33 mi · 33 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W

45 mi · 47 min · I 35W
Toward I 35W: Fort Worth Use the slight left lane.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Exit 45B Toward I 20 East: Dallas Use the right lane.
14

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 58 sec
Toward I 20 East: Dallas Use the slight left lane.
15

Merge onto I 20

5.7 mi · 6 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight left at fork onto I 20

4.6 mi · 4 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Toward I 20 East: Dallas
17

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Exit 449A Toward FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Continue on West Interstate 20

0.3 mi · 24 sec · West Interstate 20
19

Turn left onto FM 157

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Cooper Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
20

Keep slight right at fork onto FM 157

1.7 mi · 2 min · South Cooper Street
Use the left lane.
21

Turn right onto Spur 303

0.5 mi · 50 sec · West Pioneer Parkway
Use the right lane.
22

Turn left onto South Center Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · South Center Street
Use the left lane.
23

Continue on South Mesquite Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · South Mesquite Street
24

Turn left onto East Abram Street

0.1 mi · 26 sec · East Abram Street
25

Arrive at destination

West Abram Street

Trip Plan

To make the most of this 6-hour and 25-minute drive, departing in the morning will give you ample daylight to navigate the numerous turns. With a total distance of 420.8 miles, consider planning your single stop strategically about halfway through to refuel and stretch. The estimated fuel cost of $64 is a good baseline, but it's always wise to have a little extra. Pay close attention to your GPS, as the 'turn-heavy local drive' profile means you'll be making frequent adjustments. This route is best tackled with a full tank of gas before you leave Cactus, TX.

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 201.6 miles from Cactus, TX, or about 3h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 303.8 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 89 miles or 1h 29m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 201.6 miles or 3h 32m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 6h

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Cactus, 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.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Cactus, TX

This is one driving day of about 403.3 miles and 7h 9m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 89 miles from Cactus, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Purple Heart Trail for about 303.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Wells Branch, TX, TX

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Wells Branch, TX

202 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

San Antonio, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 89 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Austin, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 201.6 miles from Cactus, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 303.8 miles.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Road Ranger

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Early in the drive, ~12 min detour

4.7 mi from route ~12 min detour mile 86.4

Moore, Texas

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18306632940

Visit website

Children's Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour mile 172.8

San Marcos, Texas

Hours: 6 am–11 pm

+15123938400

Visit website

Calaboose African American History Museum

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.3 mi from route ~6 min detour mile 172.8

San Marcos, Texas

Hours: 10 am–2 pm

+15123938421

Visit website

Austin Bat Tours

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 201.6

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

Visit website

Barton Creek Greenbelt

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~11 min detour

4.2 mi from route ~11 min detour mile 201.6

Austin, Texas

Hours: 5 am–10 pm

+15129746700

Visit website

Botanical Gates of Paradise

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

3.8 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 201.6

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

Village of Salado Visitors Center

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

4 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 259.2

Salado, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+12549478634

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 126.6 and 397.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
126.6 mi into trip | ~2h 9m in | I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway toward I 37, US 281: Upper Level, Corpus Christi, Johnson City

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

Use the straight lane. Toward I 37, US 281: Upper Level, Corpus Christ...
7
137.1 mi into trip | ~2h 22m in | North Pan Am Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35: Austin

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 35: Austin
7
341.3 mi into trip | ~5h 58m in | I 35W

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W toward I 35W: Fort Worth

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 35W: Fort Worth
7
386.4 mi into trip | ~6h 46m in

Take the exit toward I 20 East: Dallas

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 45B Toward I 20 East: Dallas
8
397.5 mi into trip | ~6h 58m in

Take the exit toward FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield

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. Exit 449A Toward FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$60.94 one way

$121.88 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 141 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $66.70 $133.41
premium $4.54 $72.01 $144.01
diesel $5.61 $89.04 $178.09

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$61

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$86–$111

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 141.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $42 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 121 1 $42.35 $19.36
Efficient EV 100.8 1 $35.29 $16.13
EV Truck/SUV 161.3 2 $56.46 $25.81

Gas CO2

141 kg

EV CO2

47 kg (67% 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 Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Cactus, TX

Afternoon in Cactus on Sunday

Local time

1:20 PM

CDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Arlington, TX

Afternoon in Arlington on Sunday

Local time

1:20 PM

CDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

5 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

7h 9m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Waco Mammoth National Monument

Waco Mammoth National Monument

National Monument

Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation's first and...

5 mi from route ~12 min detour Free near mile 305.9
View on nps.gov
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...

8 mi from route ~21 min detour Free near mile 125.1
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for this 420.8-mile route. With a highway share of 0%, you won't be cruising on interstates; instead, you'll be navigating a series of local roads and expressways, indicated by the South Pan Am Expressway and North Pan Am Expressway. The 'Purple Heart Trail' designation suggests a route with historical significance, though the primary characteristic is its frequent directional changes. The absence of a 'longest_stretch' data point further emphasizes that this is not a route for sustained high-speed travel, requiring constant attention to navigation.

Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 303.8 mi on Purple Heart Trail.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

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 126.6 miles in near I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 403.3 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 126.6 miles (I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 137.1 miles (North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 341.3 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Cactus, TX and Arlington, TX, road signs point toward Corpus Christi and Johnson City.

Corpus Christi

126.6 mi in | ~2h 9m | via I 35

Johnson City

126.6 mi in | ~2h 9m | via I 35

About the Cities

Arriving in Arlington, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1876

Arlington is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex metropolitan area, in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of almost 400,000 (2019), it is Texas' seventh largest, and the third largest in the Metroplex. Arlington is south of the sprawling DFW International Airport.

Top landmarks

  • • Six Flags Over Texas — amusement park
  • • Mini Mine Train — Steel roller coaster
  • • Arlington Museum of Art — art museum in Texas, United States

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 7h 9m. Total distance: 403.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

7h 9m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 303.8 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

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 Arlington, 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 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 126.6 miles (I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 137.1 miles (North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 341.3 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 7.2 hours each way, a round trip means 14.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Arlington, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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