Origin
Carrollton, TX
Late night in Carrollton on Tuesday
Local time
3:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carrollton, TX to Fort Worth, 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
43m
Distance
34.9 mi
56 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 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carrollton, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Fort Worth, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Driving from Carrollton to Fort Worth is a straightforward 34.9-mile journey that typically takes about 37 minutes. Because this trip is so short, you can easily complete it as a simple day trip without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily utilize the President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT) and TX 183 West to navigate between these two Great Plains locations. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $5, this commute is highly economical for those moving within the region. It functions best as a quick connection rather than a long-haul expedition. Expect a practical, no-nonsense travel experience that gets you to your destination efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Airport Freeway | 19.3 mi | 21m |
| President George Bush Turnpike | 9.2 mi | 9m |
| East Belt Line Road | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| North South Freeway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| US 287 Bus | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Airport Freeway
— 19.3 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carrollton, TX and Fort Worth, TX.
1
Start on East Belt Line Road
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
East Belt Line Road
2
Turn left
357 ft
·
10 sec
Toward PGBT Toll South
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on this road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Toward PGBT Toll South
4
Merge onto PGBT
9.2 mi
·
9 min
·
President George Bush Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward TX 183 West: Fort Worth, DFW Airport
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Merge onto TX 183
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Airport Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 121
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Airport Freeway
Exit 25A
Toward TX 121 South: Downtown, Fort Worth
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on TX 121
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Airport Freeway
Exit 24B
Toward TX 121 South: Downtown, Ft Worth
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 35W South, US 287 South, US 377 South: Waco
Use the slight left lane.
10
Merge onto I 35W; US 287; US 377
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North South Freeway
11
Take the exit onto US 287 Bus
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 287 Bus
Exit 49B
Toward US 287 Business: Rosedale Street, Allen Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on South Freeway
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
South Freeway
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Arrive at destination
South Freeway
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 2.2 and 34 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Turn left toward PGBT Toll South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward PGBT Toll South
7
12 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward TX 183 West: Fort Worth, DFW Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward TX 183 West: Fort Worth, DFW Airport
9
24.8 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
TX 121 / Airport Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 121 / Airport Freeway toward TX 121 South: Downtown, Fort Worth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 25A
Toward TX 121 South: Downtown, Fort Worth
8
32 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35W South, US 287 South, US 377 South: Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35W South, US 287 South, US 377 South:...
8
34 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
US 287 Bus
Take the exit onto US 287 Bus toward US 287 Business: Rosedale Street, Allen 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 49B
Toward US 287 Business: Rosedale Street, Allen...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.27 one way
$10.55 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $5.77 | $11.54 |
| premium | $4.54 | $6.23 | $12.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.71 | $15.41 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.73
President George Bush Turnpike
(9.2 mi)
$0.73
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.66 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.05 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.89 | $2.23 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Fort Worth, TX
Late night in Fort Worth on Tuesday
Local time
3:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°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
22 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
43m 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 that demands your full attention as you transition between major thoroughfares. Unlike a long-distance interstate cruise, this route lacks any significant uninterrupted highway stretches, meaning you will frequently navigate interchanges and local transitions. Since the highway share is 0 percent, you should prepare for a more tactile driving experience that requires constant adjustments. The character of the road is defined by its series of turns rather than long, straight-line speed. Navigating the PGBT and TX 183 requires staying alert to signage to ensure you stay on the correct path toward Fort Worth.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.3 mi on Airport Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Airport Freeway and President George Bush Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 34.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 12 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.8 miles (TX 121 / Airport Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
650 ft
434 ft
Total Climb
269 ft
Total Descent
147 ft
Highest Point
650 ft
~34.9 mi in
Elevation Range
217 ft
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.
Between Carrollton, TX and Fort Worth, TX, road signs point toward Pgbt Toll South, Dfw Airport and Ft Worth.
Pgbt Toll South
2.2 mi in
|
~4m
Dfw Airport
12 mi in
|
~15m
Ft Worth
25 mi in
|
~31m
|
via TX 121
About the Cities
Starting in Carrollton, TX
Full guide →Founded 1913
Carrollton is a fast-growing suburb of Dallas, part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. In 2019, it was home to about 140,000 people.
Arriving in Fort Worth, TX
Full guide →“Panther city” · Founded 1849
Fort Worth is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of approximately 1,020,000, it is Texas' 5th largest city. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, which has a population exceeding 6 million. Sometimes referred to as Cowtown, it is by far closer to its cowboy roots than neighboring Dallas. This article also covers North Richland Hills, a neighboring community.
Top landmarks
- • Amon Carter Museum of American Art — art museum in Fort Worth, Texas
- • Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth — art museum
- • St. Patrick Cathedral in Fort Worth — church located in Fort Worth, 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 43m. Total distance: 34.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.3 miles on Airport Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.73 in tolls one way, starting with President George Bush Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Fort Worth, 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 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 12 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.8 miles (TX 121 / Airport Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fort Worth, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Fort Worth, TX
More trips to Fort Worth, TX
Explore more options from Carrollton, TX or browse trips ending in Fort Worth, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.