Cleburne, TX to Garland, TX is 200.6 miles and takes about 3h 46m via East R L Thornton Freeway and US Highway 259 North, with a fuel budget near $29 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Great Plains region, primarily within Texas. You'll find yourself on highways for most of the trip, making it a straightforward drive. It's a good option if you need to cover a decent distance without extensive planning, as it's designed for a single day of travel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
100.3 miles from Cleburne, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 52m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
East R L Thornton Freeway
132.6 mi
2h 17m
West US Highway 67
31.9 mi
37m
US Highway 259 North
16.5 mi
24m
Marvin D Love Freeway
5.5 mi
5m
South R L Thornton Freeway
3.6 mi
4m
West S G Alexander Freeway
2.7 mi
2m
East Henderson Street
2.6 mi
4m
FM 1701
2.1 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
East R L Thornton Freeway
— 132.6 mi, about 2h 17m
Traffic on I-30
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 36 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~3,719 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,303
Quietest
2 AM
~450 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 98 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 Cleburne, TX and Garland, TX.
1
Start on US 67 Bus
49 ft·8 sec·East Henderson Street
2
Turn left onto TX 171; TX 174; FM 4
281 ft·12 sec·North Main Street
3
Turn left onto US 67 Bus
0.2 mi·17 sec·East Chambers Street
4
Continue on US 67 Bus
0.1 mi·10 sec·East Chambers Street
5
Turn straight onto US 67 Bus
2.6 mi·4 min·East Henderson Street
6
Continue on US 67 Bus
1.2 mi·1 min·East US Highway 67
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·26 sec
Toward US 67 North
8
Continue on US 67
32 mi·37 min·West US Highway 67
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on US 67
2.7 mi·2 min·West S G Alexander Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on US 67
5.5 mi·5 min·Marvin D Love Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 35E
3.6 mi·4 min·South R L Thornton Freeway
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi·41 sec
Exit 427AToward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin StreetUse the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
422 ft·5 sec
Toward I 35E North, I 30 West: Denton, Fort Worth, Texarkana
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·32 sec
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Convention Center
15
Keep slight left at fork
385 ft·6 sec
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana
16
Continue on I 30; US 67
7.5 mi·9 min·East R L Thornton Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30; US 67
125 mi·2 hr 8 min·East R L Thornton Freeway
Toward I 30 East: TexarkanaUse the straight / right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Toward US 259: De Kalb, Daingerfield
19
Turn left onto US 259
17 mi·24 min·US Highway 259 North
20
Turn left onto FM 1701
2.1 mi·4 min·FM 1701
21
Arrive at destination
FM 1701
Trip Plan
For this 200.6-mile drive, leaving in the morning is your best bet to avoid any potential afternoon traffic, especially as you approach Garland, TX. With a duration of around 3 hours and 46 minutes and a fuel cost estimate of $29, this is easily a single-day trip. While there's only one recommended stop noted, you can easily adjust your timing. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as highway stretches can sometimes mean longer distances between services.
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 100.3 miles from Cleburne, TX, or about 1h 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 132.6 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 44 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.3 miles or 1h 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Garland, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cleburne, 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 Cleburne, TX
This is one driving day of about 200.6 miles and 3h 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Cleburne, 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 East R L Thornton Freeway for about 132.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
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 0 and 56.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|TX 171; TX 174; FM 4 / North Main Street
Turn left onto TX 171; TX 174; FM 4 / North Main Street
Navigation decision point
8
48.1 mi into trip|~57m in
Take the exit toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin Street
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 427A
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Bouleva...
6
48.5 mi into trip|~58m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E North, I 30 West: Denton, Fort Worth, Texarkana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35E North, I 30 West: Denton, Fort Wor...
6
48.6 mi into trip|~58m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Convention Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Convention Center
7
56.6 mi into trip|~1h 7m in|I 30; US 67 / East R L Thornton Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30; US 67 / East R L Thornton Freeway toward I 30 East: Texarkana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.11 one way
$60.23 round trip
$3.81/gal25.4 MPG avg70 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$33.32
$66.64
premium
$4.57
$36.05
$72.11
diesel
$6.28
$49.57
$99.13
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.2
0
$21.06
$9.63
Efficient EV
50.2
0
$17.55
$8.02
EV Truck/SUV
80.2
1
$28.08
$12.84
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
23 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.
Forecast as of Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Cleburne, TX
Morning
in Cleburne on Thursday
Local time
7:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Mostly Sunny
SE 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Garland, TX
Morning
in Garland on Thursday
Local time
7:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Sunny
E 5 mph0% chanceLive 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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 46m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is almost entirely on highways, with a 98% highway share. You'll experience a continuous stretch of 132.6 miles on East R L Thornton Freeway, so expect plenty of exits and merging traffic for a significant portion. Once you transition to West US Highway 67 and US Highway 259 North, you'll still be on well-maintained roads, but potentially with fewer services directly off the highway compared to the initial freeway segment.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 132.6 mi on East R L Thornton Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on East R L Thornton Freeway and West US Highway 67. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near TX 171; TX 174; FM 4 / North Main Street.
Driving Effort7/10
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 200.6 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: near the start (TX 171; TX 174; FM 4 / North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 48.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 48.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
788 ft281 ft
Total Climb
308 ft
Total Descent
690 ft
Highest Point
788 ft
~29.2 mi in
Elevation Range
507 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Cleburne, TX and Garland, TX, road signs point toward Fort Worth, Texarkana, Convention Center and Daingerfield.
Cleburne is one of those fun close-minded towns named after a Confederate general in the Cross Timbers region. It was first a rendezvous point for Confederate soldiers during the Civil War, mostly under Patrick Cleburne, then a watering hole on the Chisholm Trail, then a stop along multiple railroads. But today it's more or less a conservative suburb of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex with a couple of museums and a reservoir known as Lake Cleburne.
Top landmarks
•Johnson County Courthouse — historic place in Cleburne, Johnson County, Texas
Garland is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area in the State of Texas. Mike Judge, the creator of Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill, used to live in Garland, as well as some other small towns around Texas. So, yeah. Don't be shocked if you take a wrong turn through a downscale neighborhood and see someone barbecuing hot dogs using one of those things that turns your truck's air filter into a grill. On the other hand, Garland's north side is a palacial monument to suburban living in all its McMansioned, strip malling, Starbucks-sipping glory. Garland is basically an unprepossessing, pleasant place. While it's hard to get too excited about much that happens in Garland, it is just so darned pleasant.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 46m. Total distance: 200.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 46m 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 132.6 miles on East R L Thornton Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 15 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 Garland, 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 15 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (TX 171; TX 174; FM 4 / North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 48.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 48.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Garland, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.
