Trip from Fannett, TX to Austin, TX

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

Drive Time

4h 21m

Distance

232.6 mi

374 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$32

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 8m ★

6 AM

4h 21m

8 AM

4h 48m

10 AM

4h 31m

12 PM

4h 28m

3 PM

4h 32m

5 PM

4h 46m

8 PM

4h 13m

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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Fannett, TX

Thomas balabaud

Austin, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Fannett, TX to Austin, TX is 232.6 miles and takes about 4h 21m via I 10 and TX 71, with a fuel budget near $34 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region of Texas, offering a straightforward drive that's mostly on the highway. It's a manageable distance for a single day, making it a good option if you're looking for a direct route without extensive overnight planning. You'll likely find services readily available along the main interstates, so planning for fuel and rest stops should be relatively simple.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

116.3 miles from Fannett, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 11m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 10	143.6 mi	2h 41m
TX 71	77.7 mi	1h 22m
East 7th Street	2.8 mi	4m
East State Highway 71	2.2 mi	2m
Bastrop Freeway	1.9 mi	2m
Farm to Market Road 365	1.3 mi	2m
Bergstrom Expressway	0.7 mi	<1m
East 6th Street	0.6 mi	1m

Longest stretch: I 10 — 143.6 mi, about 2h 41m

Traffic on I-10

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

7 AM

~4,887 veh/hr typical · worst 5,738

Quietest

2 AM

~583 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

8.4×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

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 Fannett, TX and Austin, TX.

Start on TX 124

35 ft · 3 sec · State Highway 124

Turn right onto FM 365

1.3 mi · 2 min · Farm to Market Road 365

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 39 sec

Merge onto I 10

144 mi · 2 hr 41 min · I 10

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit onto TX 71

0.5 mi · 33 sec · TX 71

Toward TX 71 West: La Grange, Austin

Keep slight left at fork onto TX 71

77 mi · 1 hr 22 min · TX 71

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on 71 Toll

1.9 mi · 2 min · Bastrop Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on TX 71

2.2 mi · 2 min · East State Highway 71

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min

Toward US 183 North, 183 Toll North: Lampasas Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto US 183

0.4 mi · 26 sec · Bastrop Highway

Continue on 183 Toll

0.7 mi · 40 sec · Bergstrom Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 54 sec

Toward Loop 111: Cesar Chavez Street, 5th Street, 6th Street, 7th Street, Airport Boulevard Use the right lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto East 7th Street

2.8 mi · 4 min · East 7th Street

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Turn left onto Brushy Street

352 ft · 17 sec · Brushy Street

Turn right onto East 6th Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · East 6th Street

Turn left onto Congress Avenue

357 ft · 17 sec · Congress Avenue

Turn left onto East 5th Street

28 ft · 0 sec · East 5th Street

Use the left lane.

Arrive at destination

East 5th Street

Trip Plan

For this 4h 21m drive, leaving Fannett in the morning is your best bet to have ample daylight for the 232.6-mile trip to Austin. With a fuel cost estimated at $34, keep an eye on your gauge, especially during the 143.6-mile stretch on I 10 where services might be more spaced out. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility; however, planning one brief stop around the halfway point could make the drive more comfortable. Watch for the transition from I 10 to TX 71, as this marks a change in the road profile as you get closer to your destination.

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 116.3 miles from Fannett, TX, or about 2h 11m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 143.6 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 51 miles or 58m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 116.3 miles or 2h 11m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 32m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Fannett, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Fannett, TX

This is one driving day of about 232.6 miles and 4h 21m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 51 miles from Fannett, TX.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on I 10 for about 143.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in Colorado County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Eagle Lake, TX

116 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

Houston, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 51 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Houston, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 116.3 miles from Fannett, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

2.1 mi from route

Service Plaza

2.4 mi from route

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

Play Street Museum - Katy

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 3 mi from route ~8 min detour

Katy, Texas

Hours: 8:30 am–6 pm

+12816664217

Visit website

ARs Entertainment Hub Baytown

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

Early stretch 3.3 mi from route ~8 min detour

Baytown, Texas

Hours: 4–10 pm

+18889999440

Visit website

Cidercade Houston

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, ~9 min detour

Early stretch 3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour

Houston, Texas

Hours: 10 am–12 pm

+13462417524

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 145.8 and 232.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

145.8 mi into trip | ~2h 44m in | TX 71

Keep slight left at fork onto TX 71

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

227 mi into trip | ~4h 11m in

Take the exit toward US 183 North, 183 Toll North: Lampasas

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. Toward US 183 North, 183 Toll North: Lampasas

228.6 mi into trip | ~4h 13m in

Take the exit toward Loop 111: Cesar Chavez Street, 5th Street, 6th Street, 7th Street, Airport Boulevard

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Toward Loop 111: Cesar Chavez Street, 5th Stree...

229.1 mi into trip | ~4h 14m in | East 7th Street

Keep slight left at fork onto East 7th Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

232.6 mi into trip | ~4h 21m in | East 5th Street

Turn left onto East 5th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$31.86 one way

$63.72 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 81 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$35.59	$71.17
premium	$4.23	$38.69	$77.38
diesel	$4.80	$43.92	$87.84

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$32

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$57–$82

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 81.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	69.8	0	$24.42	$11.16
Efficient EV	58.2	0	$20.35	$9.30
EV Truck/SUV	93	1	$32.56	$14.89

Gas CO2

81 kg

EV CO2

27 kg (67% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 18, 2026

Origin

Fannett, TX

Late night in Fannett on Sunday

Local time

1:58 AM

CDT

Current temp

92°F

Partly Sunny

SW 5 mph 4% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 9:55AM CDT until July 19 at 11:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 9:53AM CDT until July 19 at 7:15PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Destination

Austin, TX

Late night in Austin on Sunday

Local time

1:58 AM

CDT

Current temp

95°F

Partly Sunny

S 5 to 10 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 9:55AM CDT until July 19 at 11:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 9:53AM CDT until July 19 at 7:15PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

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.

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

3 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

4h 21m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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 predominantly highway, with 97% of the 232.6 miles on major roads like I 10 and TX 71. You'll experience a long stretch of 143.6 miles on I 10 before transitioning to TX 71 and then East 7th Street. Expect a consistent cruising pace for most of the trip, with the landscape shifting as you approach urban areas. The majority of the route features a rural feel, punctuated by the merging traffic as you get closer to Austin.

97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 143.6 mi on I 10.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and TX 71. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 145.8 miles in near TX 71.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 232.6 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 145.8 miles (TX 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 227 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 228.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

525 ft 12 ft

Total Climb

588 ft

Total Descent

122 ft

Highest Point

525 ft

~199.4 mi in

Elevation Range

513 ft

About the Cities

Arriving in Austin, TX

Full guide →

“City of the Violet Crown” · Founded 1835

Austin is a city of about 1,054,000 (2026) surpassing Fort Worth to become the 4th most populous city in Texas. It is on the southeast edge of the Hill Country region of Texas, making it the fourth-largest city in the state and the 11th-largest in the country. It is the capital of Texas and a college town, and also a center of an alternative culture away from the major cities on the US coasts, though the city is rapidly gentrifying with its rising popularity. Austin's attitude is commonly emblazoned about town on T-shirts and bumper stickers that read: "Keep Austin Weird." Austin is also marketed as the Live Music Capital of the World due to the large number of venues.

Top landmarks

• Texas State Capitol — capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Texas
• Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum — presidential library and museum for U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson in Austin,...
• Texas State Cemetery — historic cemetery in Austin, 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 4h 21m. Total distance: 232.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 143.6 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 24 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 Austin, 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 1 meaningful breaks. There are 24 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Possible but tiring. At 4.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Austin, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.

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, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Fannett, TX or browse trips ending in Austin, TX.

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Trip from Fannett, TX to Austin, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-10

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Chambers County Westbound Rest Area

Chambers County Eastbound Rest Area

TA

Love's Travel Stop

Flying J Travel Center

Buc-ee's

Buc-ee's

QuikTrip

Road Ranger

Buc-ee's

Service Plaza

Service Plaza

Service Plaza

Service Plaza

Flying J Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

TA

Flying J Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Pilot Travel Center

Colorado County Eastbound Rest Area

Colorado County Westbound Rest Area

Service Plaza

Austin Bat Tours

Gator Country

Katy Heritage Park

Chambers County Museum at Wallisville

Botanical Gates of Paradise

Play Street Museum - Katy

ARs Entertainment Hub Baytown

Cidercade Houston

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Fannett, TX

Austin, TX

Same local time

3 degrees warmer at arrival

4h 21m on the road

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

About the Cities

Arriving in Austin, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

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?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

Continue From Austin, TX

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