Dallas, TX to Mission, TX is 527.1 miles and takes about 9 hours 8 minutes via South R L Thornton Freeway and TX 130 Toll, with a fuel budget near $77 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a long-haul drive that crosses through the Great Plains region of Texas. While it's possible to complete in one day, this route is best split over two days to allow for a more relaxed pace and a chance to rest. Consider this drive if you're looking for a straightforward route with minimal complexity.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
263.6 miles from Dallas, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 24m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
South R L Thornton Freeway
89.9 mi
1h 32m
TX 130 Toll
86.1 mi
1h 19m
South Nueces Street
66.2 mi
1h 10m
I 37
60.5 mi
1h 1m
Falfurrias Expressway
55.8 mi
58m
Purple Heart Trail
37.9 mi
39m
I 10
32.5 mi
33m
I 69C
27.1 mi
29m
Longest stretch:
South R L Thornton Freeway
— 89.9 mi, about 1h 32m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,007 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,783
Quietest
2 AM
~579 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 51 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 Dallas, TX and Mission, TX.
1
Start on North Lamar Street
0.2 mi·34 sec·North Lamar Street
2
Turn right onto Elm Street
0.2 mi·30 sec·Elm Street
3
Continue on Elm Street
0.1 mi·14 sec·Elm Street
4
Take the ramp
327 ft·7 sec
Toward I 30, I 35E
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·20 sec
Toward I 30 West, I 35E SouthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
330 ft·8 sec
Toward I 35E SouthUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 35E
0.8 mi·1 min·South Stemmons Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 35E
0.5 mi·44 sec·South R L Thornton Freeway
9
Continue on I 35E
89 mi·1 hr 31 min·South R L Thornton Freeway
Exit 426Toward Dallas ZooUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 35; US 77
6.6 mi·7 min·North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 35
38 mi·39 min·Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
26 mi·26 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.7 mi·55 sec
Exit 265Toward TX 130 Toll South: San AntonioUse the slight right lane.
14
Continue on TX 130 Toll
86 mi·1 hr 19 min·TX 130 Toll
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 10 West: San AntonioUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
16
Merge onto I 10; TX 130
11 mi·11 min·I 10; TX 130
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on I 10; US 90; TX 130
9.4 mi·9 min·I 10; US 90; TX 130
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130
12 mi·12 min·I 10; US 90; TX 130
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork onto I 410
1.4 mi·1 min·Connally Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Merge onto I 410; TX 130
6.7 mi·7 min·Connally Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Exit 41Toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus ChristiUse the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 37 South: Corpus ChristiUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
23
Merge onto I 37
60 mi·1 hr 1 min·I 37
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Take the exit onto US 281 South
15 mi·19 min·US 281 South
Toward US 281 SouthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Keep slight left at fork onto US 281
66 mi·1 hr 10 min·South Nueces Street
26
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281
9.5 mi·10 min·I 69C; US 281
27
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281
56 mi·58 min·Falfurrias Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
28
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281
18 mi·18 min·I 69C; US 281
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Toward US 281 South, TX 495: Pharr
30
Merge onto I 2; US 83
8.2 mi·9 min·I 2; US 83
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
Exit 136Toward FM 1016, TX 107: Conway AvenueUse the slight right lane.
32
Turn straight onto East Expressway 83
0.7 mi·1 min·East Expressway 83
33
Turn right onto TX 107
0.9 mi·1 min·South Conway Avenue
34
Turn right onto US 83 Bus
381 ft·11 sec·East 9th Street
35
Turn left onto Doherty Avenue
421 ft·23 sec·Doherty Avenue
36
Turn left onto US 83 Bus
246 ft·4 sec·East Tom Landry Street
37
Arrive at destination
US 83 Bus
Trip Plan
Given the 9-hour drive time, this route is best tackled over two days. Plan to depart early to maximize daylight hours, especially if you intend to split the drive. With two recommended stops, you can break up the 527.1 miles into manageable segments. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the estimated cost is $77, and ensure you have enough to cover longer stretches between services. A good strategy is to complete about half the distance on day one, finding a place to rest before continuing the remaining miles on day two.
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.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 263.6 miles from Dallas, TX, or about 4h 24m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89.9 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 116 miles or 2h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 263.6 miles or 4h 24m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 263.6 miles or 4h 24m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mission, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Dallas, TX
Aim for roughly 264 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Mission, TX
Aim for roughly 264 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 116 miles from Dallas, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on South R L Thornton Freeway for about 89.9 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 28
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 525 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 30 West, I 35E South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 30 West, I 35E South
8
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 35E South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35E South
7
162.6 mi into trip|~2h 49m in
Take the exit toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 265
Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
8
290.6 mi into trip|~4h 52m in
Take the exit toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi
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 41
Toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus...
8
525 mi into trip|~9h 4m in
Take the exit toward FM 1016, TX 107: Conway Avenue
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 136
Toward FM 1016, TX 107: Conway Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$72.20 one way
$144.39 round trip
$3.48/gal25.4 MPG avg184 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.89
$80.64
$161.28
premium
$4.23
$87.68
$175.35
diesel
$4.80
$99.53
$199.05
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$72
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$202–$312
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 184.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $55 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
158.1
1
$55.35
$25.30
Efficient EV
131.8
1
$46.12
$21.08
EV Truck/SUV
210.8
2
$73.79
$33.73
Gas CO2
184 kg
EV CO2
62 kg (66% 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 Jul 16, 2026
Origin
Dallas, TX
Late night
in Dallas on Sunday
Local time
2:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
90°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 10 mph46% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 4:47PM CDT until July 16 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 16 at 4:46PM CDT until July 16 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA
Destination
Mission, TX
Late night
in Mission on Sunday
Local time
2:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
98°F
Mostly Sunny
SE 16 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 4:47PM CDT until July 16 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 16 at 4:46PM CDT until July 16 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
8 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
9h 8m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...
1 mi from route
~4 min detour
Free
near mile 290.8
Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation's first and...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 90.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily on highways, with 78% of the 527.1 miles on major roads like South R L Thornton Freeway and TX 130 Toll. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 89.9 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway, indicating significant portions of uninterrupted driving. The transition from highway to surface roads will occur at points where the main toll roads and freeways end. Expect a steady cruising experience for the majority of this trip.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
37 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 89.9 mi on South R L Thornton Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South R L Thornton Freeway and TX 130 Toll. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 28 significant decision points across 527.1 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: at 0.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 162.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
797 ft74 ft
Total Climb
556 ft
Total Descent
842 ft
Highest Point
797 ft
~150.6 mi in
Elevation Range
723 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 Mission, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Corpus Christi along the way.
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...
The longest stretch is about 89.9 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 264 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 51 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 Mission, 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 2 meaningful breaks. There are 51 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 162.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.1 hours each way, a round trip means 18.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Mission, TX before the return drive.
