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Trip from Ennis, TX to Plano, 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

59m

Distance

52.8 mi

85 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 55m ★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m

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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city in Ellis County, Texas, United States

Ennis, TX

Wikimedia Commons

city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas, United States

Plano, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Ennis, TX to Plano, TX is 52.8 miles and takes about 59 minutes via I 45 and North Central Expressway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward journey through Texas. It's a relatively short trip, ideal for a quick commute or an easy leg of a longer adventure. Given its duration, you won't need to worry about an overnight stay, and the primary roads are well-maintained highways.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 45 34.1 mi 36m
North Central Expressway 16.6 mi 18m
East Ennis Avenue 0.7 mi 1m
East 15th Street 0.6 mi 1m
North Interstate 45 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 45 — 34.1 mi, about 36m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ennis, TX and Plano, TX.

1

Start on this road

179 ft · 18 sec · this road
2

At end of road, turn left onto US 287 Bus

0.7 mi · 1 min · East Ennis Avenue
3

Turn left onto North Interstate 45

0.2 mi · 25 sec · North Interstate 45
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward I 45 North
5

Merge onto I 45

34 mi · 36 min · I 45
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on US 75

15 mi · 16 min · North Central Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 52 sec
Exit 28A Toward Plano Parkway, 15th Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Turn straight onto North Central Expressway

1.4 mi · 2 min · North Central Expressway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
9

Turn right onto East 15th Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · East 15th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10

Arrive at destination

East 15th Street

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Dallas, TX, TX

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Dallas, TX

26 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.

Popular next leg

Dallas, TX to Plano, TX

18.7 mi · 23m

Pacing Suggestions

Palmer, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Dallas, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 26.4 miles from Ennis, 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 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 52.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 287 Bus / East Ennis Avenue

At end of road, turn left onto US 287 Bus / East Ennis Avenue

Navigation decision point

4
1 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the ramp toward I 45 North

Navigation decision point

Toward I 45 North
5
1.1 mi into trip | ~2m in | I 45

Merge onto I 45

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
50.4 mi into trip | ~55m in

Take the exit toward Plano Parkway, 15th Street

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 28A Toward Plano Parkway, 15th Street
6
52.2 mi into trip | ~58m in | East 15th Street

Turn right onto East 15th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.98 one way

$15.96 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $8.73 $17.47
premium $4.54 $9.43 $18.85
diesel $5.61 $11.66 $23.32

Estimated Tolls: $1.32

Central Expressway (16.6 mi) $1.32

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Tolls

$1

Total

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 15.8 0 $5.54 $2.53
Efficient EV 13.2 0 $4.62 $2.11
EV Truck/SUV 21.1 0 $7.39 $3.38

Gas CO2

18 kg

EV CO2

6 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.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Ennis, TX

Late night in Ennis on Tuesday

Local time

5:16 AM

CDT

Current temp

63°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

N 15 to 20 mph 67% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 18 at 10:34AM CDT until April 18 at 11:00AM CDT by NWS Fort Worth TX

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 10:29AM CDT until April 19 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Lubbock TX

Destination

Plano, TX

Late night in Plano on Tuesday

Local time

5:16 AM

CDT

Current temp

65°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

N 15 to 20 mph 38% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 18 at 10:34AM CDT until April 18 at 11:00AM CDT by NWS Fort Worth TX

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 10:29AM CDT until April 19 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Lubbock TX

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

59m 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?

This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 96% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll spend most of your time on I 45 and North Central Expressway, experiencing a consistent flow of traffic. The longest uninterrupted stretch measures 34.1 miles on I 45, allowing for a good pace without many interruptions. Expect a practical, efficient driving experience rather than a scenic tour, as the focus is on covering ground quickly.

96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.1 mi on I 45.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 45 and North Central Expressway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 287 Bus / East Ennis Avenue.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 59m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 287 Bus / East Ennis Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (I 45): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Ennis, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1872

Ennis is in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas.

Top landmarks

  • • Ennis High School — building in Ennis, Ellis County, Texas

Arriving in Plano, TX

Full guide →

Plano is a city of 285,000 people (2020) in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex region of Texas and is north of Dallas. It is home to the headquarters of several large corporations.

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 59m. Total distance: 52.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

59m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (96%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 34.1 miles on I 45. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $1.32 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.

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: near the start (US 287 Bus / East Ennis Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (I 45): 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 Plano, 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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