If you are planning to head from Dallas to Linden, you are looking at a 157.2-mile trek through the heart of the Texas Great Plains. Expect to spend about 3 hours and 1 minute behind the wheel, making this a very manageable day trip. You will navigate a route that transitions from the urban pulse of Commerce Street onto I-45 South and I-30. With a fuel budget of approximately $23, it is an affordable excursion for a weekend getaway or a quick change of scenery. Because the drive is relatively short, there is no need to split this into an overnight stay unless you prefer a slower pace. Keep in mind that this is a turn-heavy local drive, so be prepared for more navigation than a simple point-to-point interstate cruise.
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
78.6 miles from Dallas, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 24m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
East R L Thornton Freeway
113.1 mi
1h 57m
State Highway 49
16.1 mi
18m
TX 11
14.1 mi
21m
West William Marvin Watson Boulevard
7.8 mi
11m
West Ferguson Road
3.6 mi
6m
Commerce Street
0.9 mi
1m
North Lamar Street
0.3 mi
<1m
North Main Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
East R L Thornton Freeway
— 113.1 mi, about 1h 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dallas, TX and Linden, TX.
1
Start on North Lamar Street
0.3 mi·53 sec·North Lamar Street
2
Turn left onto Commerce Street
0.9 mi·1 min·Commerce Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward I 45 SouthUse the straight / left lanes.
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward I 30Use the slight right lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·52 sec
Toward I 30 East
6
Merge onto I 30; US 67
5.9 mi·7 min·East R L Thornton Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30; US 67
107 mi·1 hr 50 min·East R L Thornton Freeway
Toward I 30 East: TexarkanaUse the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward US 271 to US 67, SH 49, FM 1734: Mount Pleasant, Paris, Pittsburg
9
Turn right onto US 271
0.4 mi·50 sec·West Ferguson Road
10
Continue on TX 49
3.2 mi·5 min·West Ferguson Road
11
Continue on TX 49
16 mi·18 min·State Highway 49
12
At end of road, turn left onto US 259; TX 11; TX 49
7.8 mi·11 min·West William Marvin Watson Boulevard
13
Turn left onto TX 11
14 mi·21 min·TX 11
14
Turn left onto FM 125
279 ft·5 sec·North Main Street
15
Arrive at destination
FM 125
Trip Plan
To make the most of your 157.2-mile journey, try to depart Dallas during off-peak hours to avoid the initial congestion on Commerce Street and the major interstates. Since the drive takes just over three hours, plan for at least one stop to stretch your legs and refresh your focus. Keep that $23 fuel estimate in mind when budgeting, and ensure your tank is topped off before leaving the urban sprawl. Because this is a turn-heavy route, having a reliable GPS or map handy is essential to navigate the transitions between local roads smoothly. Flexibility is your biggest advantage here, as the short duration allows you to easily adjust your departure or arrival times to suit your schedule.
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 78.6 miles from Dallas, TX, or about 1h 24m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 113.1 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 35 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 78.6 miles or 1h 24m 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 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Linden, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Dallas, 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 Dallas, TX
This is one driving day of about 157.2 miles and 3h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Dallas, 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 113.1 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 7.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 45 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward I 45 South
8
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 30
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 30
5
1.6 mi into trip|~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 30 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 30 East
5
2 mi into trip|~4m in|I 30; US 67 / East R L Thornton Freeway
Merge onto I 30; US 67 / East R L Thornton Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
7.8 mi into trip|~11m 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
$23.75 one way
$47.51 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg55 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$26.00
$52.00
premium
$4.54
$28.07
$56.13
diesel
$5.61
$34.71
$69.42
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 55 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
47.2
0
$16.51
$7.55
Efficient EV
39.3
0
$13.75
$6.29
EV Truck/SUV
62.9
0
$22.01
$10.06
Gas CO2
55 kg
EV CO2
18 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 Apr 14, 2026
Origin
Dallas, TX
Morning
in Dallas on Tuesday
Local time
10:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 10 to 15 mph9% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 13 at 6:56PM CDT until April 13 at 7:15PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 6:54PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Destination
Linden, TX
Morning
in Linden on Tuesday
Local time
10:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
84°F
Sulphur Springs, TX
79 mi in
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
6 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
3h 1m 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?
Prepare for a drive that shifts significantly in personality as you leave the city limits. While you begin on major arteries, the route is defined by its turn-heavy local nature rather than a monotonous interstate grind. With 0% of the trip classified as highway-share, you will spend most of your time navigating local roads that demand your full attention. This configuration creates a more engaging, hands-on experience behind the wheel compared to cruising on open freeways. You should anticipate a dynamic journey where the road conditions change frequently, keeping the drive feeling active from start to finish.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 113.1 mi on East R L Thornton Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on East R L Thornton Freeway and State Highway 49. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 157.2 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Dallas, TX and Linden, TX, road signs point toward Sh 49, Fm 1734: Mount Pleasant, Paris and Pittsburg.
Dallas, with a population of more than 1.3 million residents, is the ninth largest city in the United States and the third largest in the state of Texas. It is an impressive melting pot of culture and character. Boasting high-end luxury hotels, innumerable fine dining spots, and one of the busiest airports in the world, Dallas maintains an upscale ethos reflected by an affluent population, world-class museums, and a shimmering modern skyline. Its history was marred by the infamous assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, but there is more historic and contemporary heritage to be discovered in the city.
As a center of the oil and cotton industries in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Dallas was a classic American boom town and remains one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.
Top landmarks
•Dallas Museum of Art — art museum in Dallas, Texas
•Texas School Book Depository — building in Dallas, Texas, United States
•George W. Bush Presidential Center — Presidential library and museum for U.S. President George W. Bush, located in Da...
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 1m. Total distance: 157.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 113.1 miles on East R L Thornton Freeway. 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 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 Linden, 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: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Possible but tiring. At 3.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Linden, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.
