Origin
China Grove, TX
Morning in China Grove on Sunday
Local time
9:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from China Grove, TX to San Antonio, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
19m
Distance
11.5 mi
18 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
China Grove, TX
JUNLIN ZOU
San Antonio, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from China Grove to San Antonio is a short, straightforward trip covering just 14.4 miles. You can easily complete this drive in about 20 minutes, making it a perfect day trip that requires no overnight stops. Budgeting around $2 for fuel is more than enough for this quick commute between these Great Plains locations. Since the entire route is within the same region, you won't experience any major shifts in landscape or climate. It is a practical, no-fuss journey that gets you from point A to point B without any unnecessary complexity.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Rigsby Avenue | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| Jose Lopez Freeway | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| William J Bordelon Freeway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| US Highway 87 East | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| East Commerce Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Roland Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| US 87 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Military Plaza | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Rigsby Avenue
— 4.7 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between China Grove, TX and San Antonio, TX.
1
Start on US 87
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
US Highway 87 East
2
Continue on US 87
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
US Highway 87 East
3
Continue on US 87
4.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Rigsby Avenue
4
Turn slight right onto US 87
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Roland Avenue
5
Turn left onto US 87
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
US 87
Toward I 10 West, US 90 West
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Merge onto I 10; US 87; US 90
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Jose Lopez Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 574
Toward I 37, US 281: Corpus Christi, Johnson City
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 37 North, US 281 North: Johnson City
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 37; US 281
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
William J Bordelon Freeway
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 141
Toward Commerce Street, Downtown, The Alamo
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn straight onto Interstate 37 South
380 ft
·
11 sec
·
Interstate 37 South
12
Turn left onto East Commerce Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Commerce Street
13
Turn left onto Military Plaza
392 ft
·
15 sec
·
Military Plaza
14
Turn left onto Dolorosa Street
327 ft
·
8 sec
·
Dolorosa Street
15
Arrive at destination
Dolorosa Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 6.5 and 10.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
6.5 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
US 87
Turn left onto US 87 toward I 10 West, US 90 West
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward I 10 West, US 90 West
5
6.7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 10; US 87; US 90 / Jose Lopez Freeway
Merge onto I 10; US 87; US 90 / Jose Lopez Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
8.4 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward I 37, US 281: Corpus Christi, Johnson City
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 574
Toward I 37, US 281: Corpus Christi, Johnson Ci...
8
8.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 37 North, US 281 North: Johnson City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 37 North, US 281 North: Johnson City
8
10.1 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward Commerce Street, Downtown, The Alamo
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 141
Toward Commerce Street, Downtown, The Alamo
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.74 one way
$3.48 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $1.90 | $3.80 |
| premium | $4.54 | $2.05 | $4.11 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.54 | $5.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.21 | $0.55 |
| Efficient EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.01 | $0.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.61 | $0.74 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Morning in San Antonio on Sunday
Local time
9:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°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
14 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
19m 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 highway cruise, as this route features zero percent highway driving. You will navigate a series of local roads, specifically utilizing Highway 87 East, Rigsby Avenue, and Roland Avenue to reach your destination. Because there are no long stretches of open road, your longest uninterrupted segment is effectively 0 miles on Highway 87 East. This path requires your full attention as you transition through various local intersections. It is a functional, urban-style drive that prioritizes navigation through city streets over distance or speed.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.7 mi on Rigsby Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.5 miles in near US 87.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 11.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 19m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.5 miles (US 87): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.7 miles (I 10; US 87; US 90 / Jose Lopez Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.4 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
701 ft
593 ft
Total Climb
175 ft
Total Descent
180 ft
Highest Point
701 ft
~6.5 mi in
Elevation Range
108 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 China Grove, TX and San Antonio, TX, road signs point toward Johnson City, Downtown and The Alamo.
Johnson City
8.4 mi in
|
~14m
Downtown
10.1 mi in
|
~16m
The Alamo
10.1 mi in
|
~16m
About the Cities
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 19m. Total distance: 11.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.7 miles on Rigsby Avenue. 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 6.5 miles (US 87): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.7 miles (I 10; US 87; US 90 / Jose Lopez Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.4 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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