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Trip from Dallas, TX to McKinney, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

38m

Distance

31.9 mi

51 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 35m ★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Dallas, TX, TX

Dallas, TX

Wikimedia Commons

city in Collin County, Texas, United States

McKinney, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick transition from the heart of Dallas to McKinney, this 32.2-mile journey is an efficient trip that clocks in at approximately 37 minutes. Because the distance is so manageable, you can easily complete this as a simple day trip without needing an overnight stay. Your path will take you through the Great Plains region using a combination of McKinney Avenue, the Woodall Rodgers Freeway, and US 75 North. Budgeting about $5 for fuel should be sufficient for the entire route. It is a straightforward drive that serves as a practical link between these two Texas hubs, offering a no-nonsense commute for those moving between the city and the northern suburbs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Central Expressway 26.4 mi 28m
South Tennessee Street 1.1 mi 2m
South McDonald Street 1 mi 1m
Spur 399 0.9 mi 1m
Woodall Rodgers Freeway 0.4 mi <1m
McKinney Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
North Lamar Street <0.1 mi <1m
North Tennessee Street — —

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: North Central Expressway — 26.4 mi, about 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Dallas, TX and McKinney, TX.

1

Start on North Lamar Street

433 ft · 14 sec · North Lamar Street
2

Turn right onto McKinney Avenue

0.2 mi · 24 sec · McKinney Avenue
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Toward US 75 North
4

Merge onto Spur 366

0.4 mi · 37 sec · Woodall Rodgers Freeway
5

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward US 75 North: McKinney, Hall Street, Lemmon Avenue
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward US 75 North: McKinney Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Merge onto US 75

26 mi · 28 min · North Central Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 21 sec
Exit 38C Toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min
Use the slight right lane.
10

Merge onto Spur 399

0.9 mi · 1 min · Spur 399
11

Continue on TX 5

1.0 mi · 1 min · South McDonald Street
12

Turn slight left

281 ft · 10 sec
13

Continue on South Tennessee Street

1.1 mi · 2 min · South Tennessee Street
14

Arrive at destination

North Tennessee Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 28.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.9 mi into trip | ~1m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 75 North: McKinney, Hall Street, Lemmon Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 75 North: McKinney, Hall Street, Lemm...
8
1.1 mi into trip | ~2m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 75 North: McKinney

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 75 North: McKinney
5
1.4 mi into trip | ~2m in | US 75 / North Central Expressway

Merge onto US 75 / North Central Expressway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
8
27.8 mi into trip | ~31m in

Take the exit toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway

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 38C Toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
6
28.1 mi into trip | ~31m in

Keep slight right at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.82 one way

$9.64 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $5.28 $10.55
premium $4.54 $5.70 $11.39
diesel $5.61 $7.04 $14.09

Estimated Tolls: $2.11

Central Expressway (26.4 mi) $2.11

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Tolls

$2

Total

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9.6 0 $3.35 $1.53
Efficient EV 8 0 $2.79 $1.28
EV Truck/SUV 12.8 0 $4.47 $2.04

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (64% 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

8:08 AM

CDT

Current temp

69°F

Mostly Cloudy

S 10 to 15 mph 9% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 7:22PM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 6:54PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Destination

McKinney, TX

Morning in McKinney on Tuesday

Local time

8:08 AM

CDT

Current temp

82°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

13 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

38m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a turn-heavy, local-style driving experience rather than a long-distance highway cruise. With a highway share of 0%, you will spend your time navigating urban streets and connectors rather than racking up miles on open interstates. The route feels more technical and involved, especially since the longest uninterrupted stretch is 0 miles on McKinney Avenue. As you progress, the road demands your full attention due to the frequent transitions between local roads and city freeways. This is not a monotonous grind; instead, it is a focused, active drive that keeps you engaged from start to finish.

84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.4 mi on North Central Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North Central Expressway and South Tennessee Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 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 31.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (US 75 / North Central Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

669 ft 428 ft

Total Climb

424 ft

Total Descent

224 ft

Highest Point

669 ft

~13.7 mi in

Elevation Range

241 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Dallas, TX to McKinney, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Srt South along the way.

Srt South

27.8 mi in | ~31m

About the Cities

Starting in Dallas, TX

Full guide →

“Big D” · Founded 1841

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...

Arriving in McKinney, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1848

McKinney is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of 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 38m. Total distance: 31.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

38m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 26.4 miles on North Central Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $2.11 in tolls one way, starting with Central Expressway. 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 McKinney, 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 0.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (US 75 / North Central Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at McKinney, 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.

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