Driving from Clute to Laredo covers 302.1 miles and typically takes about 6 hours and 23 minutes. This highway-focused trip is perfectly manageable as a single-day journey, though the duration makes it a full day behind the wheel. Expect to budget roughly $46 for fuel to complete the trek. As you transition across the Texas Great Plains, the route remains consistent in its regional character. Because the drive is straightforward, you won't need to worry about complex overnight splits, but staying focused is key for the duration of the trip.
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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
151.1 miles from Clute, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 27m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 59
135.8 mi
2h 30m
US Highway 59 West
65.2 mi
1h 16m
TX 35
28.1 mi
42m
TX 111
27.3 mi
40m
West 3rd Street
8.8 mi
15m
North Brooks Street
8.2 mi
12m
State Highway 332 West
7.8 mi
11m
US Highway 59 South
4.4 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
US 59
— 135.8 mi, about 2h 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clute, TX and Laredo, TX.
1
Start on East Main Street
0.4 mi·51 sec·East Main Street
2
Continue on South Main Street
0.8 mi·1 min·South Main Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto State Highway 332 West
0.2 mi·22 sec·State Highway 332 West
4
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·18 sec
5
Merge onto TX 288; TX 332
3.7 mi·4 min·Nolan Ryan Expressway
6
Take the exit
0.1 mi·14 sec
Toward TX 332
7
Continue on TX 332
0.2 mi·24 sec·State Highway 228
8
Turn left onto TX 332
7.5 mi·11 min·State Highway 332 West
Use the straight / left lanes.
9
Turn right onto TX 36
8.2 mi·12 min·North Brooks Street
10
Turn left onto TX 35 Business
1.4 mi·2 min·South 17th Street
11
At end of road, turn left onto TX 35
28 mi·42 min·TX 35
12
Turn right onto FM 1468
0.5 mi·1 min·Broadway
13
Turn left onto FM 2431
8.8 mi·15 min·West 3rd Street
14
Continue on TX 111
27 mi·40 min·TX 111
15
Turn left onto Loop 521
1.4 mi·2 min·West Main Street
16
Turn slight right
0.3 mi·57 sec
17
Continue on US 59 Frontage Road
0.1 mi·12 sec·US 59 Frontage Road
18
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·41 sec
19
Continue on US 59
28 mi·29 min·US 59
20
Keep slight right at fork onto US 59
4.4 mi·4 min·US Highway 59 South
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
22
Continue on Northwest Zac Lenz Parkway Frontage Road East
0.3 mi·39 sec·Northwest Zac Lenz Parkway Frontage Road East
23
Turn right onto US 59
49 mi·57 min·US 59
24
Continue on US 59
1.3 mi·2 min·West Corpus Christi Street
25
Continue on US 59
65 mi·1 hr 16 min·US Highway 59 West
26
Continue on US 59; TX 44
59 mi·1 hr 3 min·US 59; TX 44
27
Turn left onto Bob Bullock Loop
0.8 mi·1 min·Bob Bullock Loop
28
Turn right onto Spur 400
3.0 mi·5 min·Clark Boulevard
29
Continue on Park Street
0.4 mi·49 sec·Park Street
30
Turn left onto Santa Ursula Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·Santa Ursula Avenue
31
Turn right onto Houston Street
0.3 mi·42 sec·Houston Street
32
Turn left onto I 35 Bus
272 ft·12 sec·Salinas Avenue
33
Turn left onto Matamoros Street
306 ft·5 sec·Matamoros Street
34
Arrive at destination
Matamoros Street
Trip Plan
To keep your drive comfortable, plan for at least one dedicated stop to break up the 6-hour travel time. Since the route is heavily reliant on US 59, keep an eye on your fuel gauge during that 135.8-mile stretch to ensure you don't run low between service intervals. Leaving early in the morning is your best bet to avoid potential traffic fluctuations and ensure you arrive in Laredo with plenty of daylight left. Flexibility is an advantage here, so use your single planned stop as a chance to stretch and reset before tackling the final miles of the trip.
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 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 151.1 miles from Clute, TX, or about 3h 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 135.8 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 66 miles or 1h 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 151.1 miles or 3h 27m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Laredo, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clute, 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 Clute, TX
This is one driving day of about 302.1 miles and 6h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 66 miles from Clute, 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 US 59 for about 135.8 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 21
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 302 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in|State Highway 332 West
Turn right onto State Highway 332 West
Navigation decision point
4
5.3 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the exit toward TX 332
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward TX 332
4
5.6 mi into trip|~8m in|TX 332 / State Highway 332 West
Turn left onto TX 332 / State Highway 332 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
302 mi into trip|~6h 23m in|I 35 Bus / Salinas Avenue
Turn left onto I 35 Bus / Salinas Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
302 mi into trip|~6h 23m in|Matamoros Street
Turn left onto Matamoros Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.65 one way
$91.30 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg106 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$49.97
$99.93
premium
$4.54
$53.94
$107.88
diesel
$5.61
$66.70
$133.40
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 105.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
90.6
1
$31.72
$14.50
Efficient EV
75.5
0
$26.43
$12.08
EV Truck/SUV
120.8
1
$42.29
$19.33
Gas CO2
106 kg
EV CO2
35 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 18, 2026
Origin
Clute, TX
Late night
in Clute on Sunday
Local time
12:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Laredo, TX
Late night
in Laredo on Sunday
Local time
12:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°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
2 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
6h 23m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a trip dominated by high-speed transit, with highway driving accounting for 90% of your time on the road. You will primarily navigate via TX 35 and US 59, which provides a steady, reliable path toward your destination. The route features a significant longest stretch of 135.8 miles on US 59, requiring you to remain alert during these long, uninterrupted segments. While the road is designed for efficiency rather than technical maneuvering, the sheer distance means you will spend most of your time maintaining a consistent pace on major thoroughfares.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
34 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 135.8 mi on US 59.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 59 and US Highway 59 West. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near State Highway 332 West.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 23m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 21 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (State Highway 332 West): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 5.6 miles (TX 332 / State Highway 332 West): Lane positioning matters here.
Clute is a city on the North Barrier Coast of Texas. If you have never seen an industrial plant, you are in for a treat, as Dow tanks and stacks and whatever else seem to overshadow everything around here.
The longest stretch is about 135.8 miles on US 59. 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 is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Laredo, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (State Highway 332 West): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 5.6 miles (TX 332 / State Highway 332 West): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.4 hours each way, a round trip means 12.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Laredo, TX before the return drive.
