Origin
Cactus, TX
Afternoon in Cactus on Sunday
Local time
1:20 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cactus, TX to Laredo, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
35.8 mi
58 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cactus, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Laredo, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Cactus to Laredo, you are looking at a quick 35.8-mile transit across the Great Plains of Texas. Clocking in at approximately 38 minutes, this journey is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You will primarily navigate via the Purple Heart Trail, Houston Street, and the I-35 Frontage Road. With fuel costs estimated at just $5, it is an incredibly budget-friendly drive. Because the entire route remains within the same region, you can expect a consistent environment from start to finish. It is a straightforward, practical connection that functions well for those needing to move between these two points efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 34.7 mi | 36m |
| Houston Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| I-35 Frontage Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Matamoros Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Salinas Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 34.7 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cactus, TX and Laredo, TX.
1
Start on I 35
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Toward US Border Patrol Checkpoint
2
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward San Roman Interchange
3
Turn left
471 ft
·
18 sec
4
Turn left onto I-35 Frontage Road
495 ft
·
13 sec
·
I-35 Frontage Road
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
6
Merge onto I 35
32 mi
·
33 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
7
Turn right onto Houston Street
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Houston Street
8
Turn left onto I 35 Bus
272 ft
·
12 sec
·
Salinas Avenue
9
Turn left onto Matamoros Street
306 ft
·
5 sec
·
Matamoros Street
10
Arrive at destination
Matamoros Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 2.9 and 35.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward San Roman Interchange
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward San Roman Interchange
4
3.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
3.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I-35 Frontage Road
Turn left onto I-35 Frontage Road
Navigation decision point
5
35.7 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
I 35 Bus / Salinas Avenue
Turn left onto I 35 Bus / Salinas Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
35.8 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
Matamoros Street
Turn left onto Matamoros Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.41 one way
$10.82 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $5.92 | $11.84 |
| premium | $4.54 | $6.39 | $12.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.90 | $15.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.13 | $1.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.01 | $2.29 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Laredo, TX
Afternoon in Laredo on Sunday
Local time
1:20 PM
CDT
Current temp
84°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
18 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
38m 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 haul, as this route contains 0% highway driving. You will spend the vast majority of your time—34.7 miles to be exact—navigating the Purple Heart Trail. The experience behind the wheel is dominated by local road conditions, requiring you to stay alert through frequent turns and transitions. Since there are no designated stops along the way, the path remains a direct, functional transit. You won't face the monotony of a long-distance highway grind, but you should prepare for a more involved, hands-on driving experience compared to typical regional travel.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.7 mi on Purple Heart Trail.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 38m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 3.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (I-35 Frontage Road): Navigation decision point.
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 Cactus, TX to Laredo, TX, road signs begin pointing toward San Roman Interchange along the way.
San Roman Interchange
2.9 mi in
|
~3m
About the Cities
Arriving in Laredo, TX
Full guide →“The Gateway City” · Founded 1755
Laredo is a city with 262,000 (2019) inhabitants on the South Texas Plains. Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, is just across the Rio Grande.
Top landmarks
- • Cathedral of San Agustin — historic place in Laredo, Webb County, Texas
- • Fort McIntosh — historic district in Laredo, Webb County, Texas
- • San Agustin de Laredo Historic District — historic district in Laredo, Webb County, 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 38m. Total distance: 35.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.7 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 3.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (I-35 Frontage Road): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Laredo, 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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