Origin
Decatur, TX
Late night in Decatur on Sunday
Local time
2:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Decatur, TX to Dallas, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
65.6 mi
106 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Decatur, TX
Thomas balabaud
Dallas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Decatur, TX to Dallas, TX is 65.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 13 minutes via South US Highway 287, SH 183 TEXpress, and I 820 TEXpress, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Texas, traversing the Great Plains region for both its start and end points. You'll find this to be a straightforward, predominantly highway-focused journey. Given its relatively short distance and duration, it's an ideal candidate for a single-day trip with plenty of flexibility.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South US Highway 287 | 30.2 mi | 33m |
| SH 183 TEXpress | 15 mi | 14m |
| I 820 TEXpress | 5.5 mi | 5m |
| SH 121/183 TEXpress | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| North Stemmons Freeway | 4 mi | 5m |
| North Freeway | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| John W Carpenter Freeway | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| South Trinity Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
South US Highway 287
— 30.2 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Decatur, TX and Dallas, TX.
1
Start on North Market Street
70 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Market Street
2
Turn right onto East Main Street
163 ft
·
14 sec
·
East Main Street
3
Turn left onto FM 730
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
South Trinity Street
4
Turn right onto West Hale Avenue
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
West Hale Avenue
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on FM 51
367 ft
·
10 sec
·
South FM 51
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the ramp onto South Highway 287
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
South Highway 287
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Merge onto US 81; US 287
30 mi
·
33 min
·
South US Highway 287
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 35W; US 287
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 57
Toward I 820
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 820 East
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 820
0.4 mi
·
24 sec
·
Northeast Loop
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
Toward I 820 Express East Toll
13
Merge onto I 820 TEXpress
5.5 mi
·
5 min
·
I 820 TEXpress
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on TX 121 TEXpress; TX 183 TEXpress
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
SH 121/183 TEXpress
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on TX 183 TEXpress
12 mi
·
11 min
·
SH 183 TEXpress
Toward TX 183 Express East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 183 TEXpress
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
SH 183 TEXpress
17
Merge onto TX 183
0.8 mi
·
50 sec
·
John W Carpenter Freeway
18
Merge onto I 35E
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
North Stemmons Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 429B
Toward Continental Avenue, Commerce Street West
Use the slight right lane.
20
Turn straight onto North Stemmons Freeway
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
North Stemmons Freeway
21
Turn left onto Continental Avenue
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Continental Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
22
Turn slight right onto North Lamar Street
433 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Lamar Street
23
Arrive at destination
North Lamar Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.8 miles from Decatur, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 64.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West Hale Avenue
Turn right onto West Hale Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
South Highway 287
Take the ramp onto South Highway 287
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
33.5 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward I 820
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 57
Toward I 820
7
33.9 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 820 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 820 East
8
64.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward Continental Avenue, Commerce Street West
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 429B
Toward Continental Avenue, Commerce Street West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.91 one way
$19.82 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $10.85 | $21.70 |
| premium | $4.54 | $11.71 | $23.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.48 | $28.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.7 | 0 | $6.89 | $3.15 |
| Efficient EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.74 | $2.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.2 | 0 | $9.18 | $4.20 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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.
Destination
Dallas, TX
Late night in Dallas on Sunday
Local time
2:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
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
1h 13m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is heavily focused on highway driving, with 95% of the journey utilizing major roadways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on South US Highway 287, including the longest uninterrupted stretch of 30.2 miles. The experience is primarily that of a fast-paced highway cruise, designed for efficient travel between these two Texas locations. Expect smooth sailing on well-maintained expressways and highways for the vast majority of your trip.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.2 mi on South US Highway 287.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South US Highway 287 and SH 183 TEXpress. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near West Hale Avenue.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 65.6 miles you will encounter 17 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 0.4 miles (West Hale Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (South Highway 287): Lane positioning matters here; at 33.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving 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...
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 1h 13m. Total distance: 65.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.2 miles on South US Highway 287. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Dallas, 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 0.4 miles (West Hale Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (South Highway 287): Lane positioning matters here; at 33.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Dallas, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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