Origin
Denton, TX
Late night in Denton on Sunday
Local time
2:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Denton, TX to Frisco, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
25.8 mi
42 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Denton, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Denton, TX to Frisco, TX is 25.8 miles and takes about 40m via US Highway 380 East, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day drive primarily within the Great Plains region of Texas. You'll be navigating a mix of well-traveled roads, so expect typical suburban traffic patterns. Given the short distance and duration, this trip is ideal for a quick commute or a brief excursion without requiring extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US Highway 380 East | 8.2 mi | 12m |
| East University Drive | 5.6 mi | 8m |
| West University Drive | 4.1 mi | 6m |
| Dallas North Tollway | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| North Locust Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Dallas Parkway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| 5th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US Highway 380 East
— 8.2 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Denton, TX and Frisco, TX.
1
Start on West Hickory Street
183 ft
·
15 sec
·
West Hickory Street
2
Turn left onto North Locust Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Locust Street
3
Turn right onto US 380
5.6 mi
·
8 min
·
East University Drive
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on US 377; US 380
8.2 mi
·
12 min
·
US Highway 380 East
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on US 380
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
West University Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward DNT: Dallas North Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on University Drive
392 ft
·
7 sec
·
University Drive
8
Turn slight right
231 ft
·
11 sec
Use the right lane.
9
Turn straight onto Dallas Parkway
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Dallas Parkway
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward DNT Toll South
11
Merge onto DNT
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Dallas North Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward Main Street
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn straight onto Dallas Parkway
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Dallas Parkway
14
Turn left onto Main Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Turn left onto 5th Street
395 ft
·
20 sec
·
5th Street
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto Oak Street
356 ft
·
17 sec
·
Oak Street
17
Turn right onto 6th Street
355 ft
·
17 sec
·
6th Street
18
Turn right onto Main Street
268 ft
·
7 sec
·
Main Street
19
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 25.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 380 / East University Drive
Turn right onto US 380 / East University Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
19.1 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward DNT: Dallas North Tollway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward DNT: Dallas North Tollway
5
20.1 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
DNT / Dallas North Tollway
Merge onto DNT / Dallas North Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
24.2 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Main Street
6
25.5 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
5th Street
Turn left onto 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.90 one way
$7.80 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $4.27 | $8.53 |
| premium | $4.54 | $4.61 | $9.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.70 | $11.39 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.33
Dallas North Tollway
(4.1 mi)
$0.33
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$0
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.71 | $1.24 |
| Efficient EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.26 | $1.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.61 | $1.65 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Frisco, TX
Late night in Frisco on Sunday
Local time
2:50 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
13 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
40m 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 offers a mixed drive experience, with about 34% of it on highways. You'll encounter stretches on US Highway 380 East, East University Drive, and West University Drive. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll experience is 8.2 miles on US Highway 380 East, providing a good opportunity to settle into a rhythm. As you travel, the character of the road will transition from more open highway to more developed urban and suburban areas.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.2 mi on US Highway 380 East.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near US 380 / East University Drive.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 25.8 miles you will encounter 12 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 (US 380 / East University Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.1 miles (DNT / Dallas North Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Denton, TX and Frisco, TX, road signs point toward Dnt: Dallas North Tollway and Dnt Toll South.
Dnt: Dallas North Tollway
19.1 mi in
|
~29m
Dnt Toll South
19.9 mi in
|
~31m
About the Cities
Starting in Denton, TX
Full guide →Founded 1866
Denton is a city in Texas. It is a college town which forms the northern tip of what is known as the Golden Triangle, the other two points being Dallas and Fort Worth, approximately equidistant to the southeast and southwest.
Top landmarks
- • Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square — historic place in Denton, Denton County, Texas
- • Pioneer Woman — monument in Denton, Denton County, Texas
Arriving in Frisco, TX
Full guide →Founded 1904
Frisco is a suburb of Dallas and part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Top landmarks
- • Videogame History Museum — computer museum in Texas, USA
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 40m. Total distance: 25.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.2 miles on US Highway 380 East. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.33 in tolls one way, starting with Dallas North Tollway. 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 Frisco, 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 1.2 miles (US 380 / East University Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.1 miles (DNT / Dallas North Tollway): 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 Frisco, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Frisco, TX
More trips to Frisco, TX
Explore more options from Denton, TX or browse trips ending in Frisco, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.