Trip from Edinburg, TX to Irving, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

9h 6m

Distance

496.2 mi

798 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$76

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min

4 AM

8h 59m ★

6 AM

9h 7m

8 AM

9h 23m

10 AM

9h 13m

12 PM

9h 11m

3 PM

9h 13m

5 PM

9h 22m

8 PM

9h 2m

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

Best Time

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Edinburg, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Irving, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Edinburg to Irving is 496.2 miles and takes about 9h 6m via I 69C, Purple Heart Trail, and Pickle Parkway, with a fuel budget near $71 and enough daylight to finish in a day if you start early. This drive stays within Texas, connecting the Great Plains region from south to north. With a recommended two days for the trip, you'll have ample time to break up the drive and avoid feeling rushed. It's a mostly highway route, making it efficient for covering distance.

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

248.1 miles from Edinburg, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 46m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 69C	138.2 mi	2h 31m
Purple Heart Trail	97.7 mi	1h 39m
Pickle Parkway	58.5 mi	54m
I 35E	47.3 mi	48m
King David Drive	31.8 mi	39m
State Highway 80 North	30.8 mi	35m
State Highway 80	23.6 mi	25m
Nueces Street	11.1 mi	14m

Longest stretch: I 69C — 138.2 mi, about 2h 31m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 40 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~2,975 veh/hr typical · worst 3,836

Quietest

2 AM

~487 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.1×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 104 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 Edinburg, TX and Irving, TX.

Start on this road

191 ft · 16 sec · this road

Turn right onto US 281 Business; TX 107

186 ft · 7 sec · North 10th Avenue

Turn right onto US 281 Business; TX 107

377 ft · 13 sec · West McIntyre Street

Turn left onto US 281 Business

3.3 mi · 5 min · North Closner Boulevard

Turn straight onto North Expressway 281

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Expressway 281

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 36 sec

Toward I 69C North, US 281 North

Merge onto I 69C; US 281

68 mi · 1 hr 12 min · I 69C; US 281

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 69C; US 281

70 mi · 1 hr 19 min · I 69C; US 281

Keep slight left at fork onto US 281

11 mi · 14 min · Nueces Street

Turn right onto TX 72

32 mi · 39 min · King David Drive

Continue on TX 72; TX 239

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Main Street

Keep slight left at fork onto TX 72; TX 239

233 ft · 3 sec · East Main Street

Continue on FM 792

8.4 mi · 10 min · Helena Road

Turn straight onto TX 80

24 mi · 25 min · State Highway 80

Continue on TX 80

1.0 mi · 2 min · South Nixon Avenue

Continue on TX 80; TX 97

31 mi · 35 min · State Highway 80 North

Continue on US 183

10 mi · 11 min · US 183

Continue on US 183

4.9 mi · 8 min · South Colorado Street

Continue on US 183

0.2 mi · 16 sec · United States Highway 183

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 35 sec

Toward TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco

Merge onto TX 130 Toll

59 mi · 54 min · Pickle Parkway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 49 sec

Toward I 35 North: Waco Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 35

65 mi · 1 hr 6 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

6.6 mi · 7 min · South Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35; US 77

33 mi · 33 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E

47 mi · 48 min · I 35E

Toward I 35E: Dallas Use the slight right lane.

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 2 min

Exit 418A Toward I 20 West: Fort Worth Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto I 20

6.6 mi · 7 min · Lyndon B Johnson Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min

Exit 460 Toward Spur 408 Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto Spur 408

3.9 mi · 4 min · Patriot Parkway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto Loop 12

5.4 mi · 5 min · South Walton Walker Boulevard

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

492 ft · 12 sec

Toward TX 356: Irving Boulevard Use the slight right lane.

Turn straight onto South Loop 12

0.3 mi · 32 sec · South Loop 12

Turn left onto TX 356

0.4 mi · 59 sec · East State Highway 356

Use the left / straight lanes.

Continue on TX 356

1.2 mi · 2 min · East Irving Boulevard

Continue on West Irving Boulevard

0.1 mi · 26 sec · West Irving Boulevard

Turn right onto North Ohio Street

58 ft · 2 sec · North Ohio Street

Arrive at destination

North Ohio Street

Trip Plan

To make the most of this 496.2-mile drive, consider splitting it over two days as recommended. Departing early in the morning will give you a good head start. With two recommended stops, plan to drive approximately 250 miles per day. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is around $71; it's wise to refuel before the longest stretch on I 69C, which is 138.2 miles. This allows for a relaxed pace and ensures you arrive in Irving comfortably.

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 248.1 miles from Edinburg, TX, or about 4h 46m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 138.2 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 109 miles or 2h 1m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 248.1 miles or 4h 46m 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 248.1 miles or 4h 46m

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 7h 59m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Irving, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Edinburg, 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 Edinburg, TX

Aim for roughly 248 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Irving, TX

Aim for roughly 248 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 109 miles from Edinburg, 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 I 69C for about 138.2 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Overnight candidate

San Antonio, TX

248 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in San Antonio, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

San Antonio, TX

248 mi · about 4.6h in

A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 248 miles or 4.6 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

San Diego, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 109 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

San Antonio, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 248.1 miles from Edinburg, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 69C if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 138.2 miles.

Overnight split

0.3 mi from route

Flying J Travel Center

0.6 mi from route

QuikTrip

2.3 mi from route

Museum of South Texas History

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.1 mi from route

Edinburg, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+19563836911

Visit website

NTER - The Great Escape

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour

Waxahachie, Texas

Hours: 5–9 pm

+12149801053

Visit website

Edinburg Scenic Wetlands & World Birding Center

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour

Edinburg, Texas

Hours: 8 am–6 pm

+19563819922

Visit website

South Texas Motorcycle Museum

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour

Edinburg, Texas

Hours: Closed

+19562920770

Visit website

Kids Wonderland

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour

McAllen, Texas

Hours: 11 am–8 pm

+19569293106

Visit website

Doris D Miller Park

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, ~11 min detour

Final third 4.3 mi from route ~11 min detour

Waco, Texas

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Ripley's Believe It or Not!

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~12 min detour

Home stretch 4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour

Grand Prairie, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+19722632391

Visit website

Louis Tussaud's Palace of Wax

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~12 min detour

Home stretch 4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour

Grand Prairie, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+19722632391

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 22

5 decision points cluster between mile 265.4 and 483.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

265.4 mi into trip | ~5h 9m in

Keep slight left at fork toward TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco

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

Toward TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco

324.4 mi into trip | ~6h 4m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 35 North: Waco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 35 North: Waco

429.1 mi into trip | ~7h 52m in | I 35E

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E toward I 35E: Dallas

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 35E: Dallas

476.4 mi into trip | ~8h 41m in

Take the exit toward I 20 West: Fort Worth

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 418A Toward I 20 West: Fort Worth

483.9 mi into trip | ~8h 50m in

Take the exit toward Spur 408

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 460 Toward Spur 408

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$75.97 one way

$151.95 round trip

$3.89/gal 25.4 MPG avg 174 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.29	$83.85	$167.69
premium	$4.64	$90.61	$181.21
diesel	$6.18	$120.71	$241.42

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$76

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$206–$316

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 173.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.

Driving Electric?

About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	148.9	1	$52.10	$23.82
Efficient EV	124.1	1	$43.42	$19.85
EV Truck/SUV	198.5	2	$69.47	$31.76

Gas CO2

174 kg

EV CO2

58 kg (67% 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 Oct 19, 2026

Origin

Edinburg, TX

Afternoon in Edinburg on Monday

Local time

4:22 PM

CDT

Current temp

66°F

Mostly Cloudy

N 5 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Destination

Irving, TX

Afternoon in Irving on Monday

Local time

4:22 PM

CDT

Current temp

53°F

Mostly Cloudy

SE 0 to 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

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

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

9h 6m 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.

Waco Mammoth National Monument

National Monument

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...

5 mi from route ~12 min detour Free near mile 393.5

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

This trip is predominantly highway driving, with 66% of the route on major roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 138.2 miles on I 69C before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a consistent driving experience for much of the trip, with periods of straightforward cruising and the occasional need to navigate urban merging as you approach your destination.

66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

38 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 138.2 mi on I 69C.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 69C and Purple Heart Trail. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 265.4 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 22 significant decision points across 496.2 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 265.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 324.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 429.1 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

734 ft 74 ft

Total Climb

936 ft

Total Descent

547 ft

Highest Point

734 ft

~334.4 mi in

Elevation Range

660 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 Edinburg, TX to Irving, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Waco along the way.

Waco

265.4 mi in | ~5h 9m

About the Cities

Starting in Edinburg, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1908

Edinburg is in the South Texas Plains and was originally called Chapin before its name took on a variation of the capital of Scotland. It is the county seat of Hidalgo County and also home to the main campus of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. For the tourists, there's an interesting museum and wetland reserve.

Arriving in Irving, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1903

Irving is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. Part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Irving has experienced exponential growth over the past fifty years, and is home to a multitude of attractions of all types, from modern art to major sporting events. Founded in 1902 out of the remnants of the small community of Kit, Irving is now a bustling city of approximately 197,000 residents. Rather like Dallas, it is divided into a highly affluent northern half and less affluent but highly diverse southern half. It is bounded to the east by the northern fork (Elm Fork) of the Trinity River and to the northwest by the sprawling D/FW International Airport.

Top landmarks

• Ruth Paine Home — house in Irving, Texas, United States

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 138.2 miles on I 69C. 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 248 miles on day one.

Yes — we found about 36 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 Irving, 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 36 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — 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 18.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Irving, TX before the return drive.

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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Explore more options from Edinburg, TX or browse trips ending in Irving, TX.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.

Trip from Edinburg, TX to Irving, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-35

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Overnight Options

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Quality Services Towing & Tires

Hill County Northbound Rest Area

Rest Area

Brooks County Rest Area

Love's Travel Stop

TA

Love's Travel Stop

Flying J Travel Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Hill County Southbound Rest Area

Rest Area

Flying J Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

Pilot Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

Petro Stopping Centers

Buc-ee's

Service Plaza

QuikTrip

QuikTrip

Circle K

Ascent Travel Center

Bell County Northbound Rest Area

Pilot Travel Center

Bell County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Walburg Travel Center & Food Court

Road Ranger

Love's Travel Stop

QuikTrip

QuikTrip

Buc-ee's

TA

Service Plaza

Flying J Travel Center

QuikTrip

Museum of South Texas History

NTER - The Great Escape

Edinburg Scenic Wetlands & World Birding Center

South Texas Motorcycle Museum

Kids Wonderland

Doris D Miller Park

Ripley's Believe It or Not!

Louis Tussaud's Palace of Wax

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Edinburg, TX

Irving, TX

Same local time

13 degrees cooler at arrival

9h 6m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Waco Mammoth National Monument

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Edinburg, TX

Arriving in Irving, TX

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Should I split this drive into multiple days?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?