Trip from Forney, TX to Brownsville, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 49m
Distance
538.7 mi
867 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$74
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Forney, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Brownsville, TX
Eddie O.
Trip Overview
Embarking on this 538.7-mile journey from Forney, TX to Brownsville, TX will take approximately 9 hours and 49 minutes of driving time. Given the substantial distance, it's best planned as a 2-day trip to avoid an overly strenuous day. The route primarily utilizes U.S. Highway 77, South R L Thornton Freeway, and TX 130 Toll, with 88% of the drive being on highways. Expect a fuel cost of around $81 for this extensive drive. This long-distance trek cuts through the heart of Texas, offering a direct path south.
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
269.4 miles from Forney, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 45m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Highway 77 | 105 mi | 1h 56m |
| South R L Thornton Freeway | 80.3 mi | 1h 22m |
| TX 130 Toll | 58.5 mi | 54m |
| TX 80 | 51.2 mi | 56m |
| South US Highway 181 | 40.2 mi | 45m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 37.9 mi | 39m |
| I 69E | 31.3 mi | 33m |
| I 35 | 26.5 mi | 26m |
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 20 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,987 veh/hr typical · worst 3,782
Quietest
2 AM
~483 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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 Forney, TX and Brownsville, TX.
Start on West Main Street
Turn right onto FM 740
Continue on FM 740
At end of road, turn right onto FM 740
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 20
Merge onto I 20
Take the exit
Merge onto I 35E
Continue on I 35; US 77
Continue on I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Take the exit
Continue on TX 130 Toll
Take the exit
Continue on US 183
Continue on US 183
Continue on US 183
Continue on US 183
Continue on TX 80
Turn slight left onto FM 792
Continue on TX 72; TX 239
Turn left onto US 181
Continue on US 181
Continue on US 181
Continue on US 181
Take the exit onto US 181
Keep slight right at fork onto US 181
Turn straight onto US 181
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 77
Take the exit onto US 77
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 37; US 77; I 69E
Take the exit onto I 69E; US 77
Keep slight left at fork onto US 77
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69E; US 77
Continue on I 69E; US 77; US 83
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69E; US 77; US 83
Take the exit
Turn straight onto South Expressway
Turn right onto East 12th Street
Turn right onto US 77 Business
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 9-hour and 49-minute drive, splitting it over two days is highly recommended. Plan for at least two stops to break up the 538.7 miles. Departing early in the morning will help you maximize daylight hours, especially considering the long stretches. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the longest stretch without services is 105 miles on U.S. Highway 77; ensure you refuel before reaching that point to avoid any inconvenience.
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.
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 119 miles or 2h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 269.4 miles or 4h 45m 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 269.4 miles or 4h 45m
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 8h 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brownsville, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
Open the route before leaving Forney, 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 Forney, TX
Aim for roughly 269 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Brownsville, TX
Aim for roughly 269 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
178 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
356 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, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
269 mi · about 4.9h in
A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 269 miles or 4.9 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
A short stop after about 119 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 269.4 miles from Forney, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before U.S. Highway 77 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 105 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 269 miles or 4.9 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Bell County Northbound Rest Area
Hill County Northbound Rest Area
Pilot Travel Center
Kenedy County Rest Area
Service Plaza
Texas Travel Information Center at Harlingen
Flying J Travel Center
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
Love's Travel Stop
Love's Travel Stop
Love's Travel Stop
Love's Travel Stop
Road Ranger
Petro Stopping Centers
Buc-ee's
Service Plaza
Service Plaza
QuikTrip
QuikTrip
Circle K
TA
Flying J Travel Center
Flying J Travel Plaza
Pilot Travel Center
Hill County Southbound Rest Area
Service Plaza
QuikTrip
Road Ranger
Love's Travel Stop
Love's Travel Stop
Buc-ee's
TA
Service Plaza
QuikTrip
Pilot Travel Center
Bell County Southbound Rest Area
Love's Travel Stop
San Patricio County Northbound Rest Area
Washington Plaza
Near the end, right off the route
Brownsville, Texas
Hours: Open 24 hours
+19565422064
Visit websiteStillman House Museum
Near the end, right off the route
Brownsville, Texas
Hours: 10 am–4 pm
+19565415560
Visit websiteGladys Porter Zoo
Near the end, right off the route
Brownsville, Texas
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
+19565467187
Visit websiteSouthern Pacific Linear Park
Near the end, right off the route
Brownsville, TX
Hours: 7 am–10 pm
+19565422064
Visit websiteChildren's Museum of Brownsville
Near the end, short detour
Brownsville, TX
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+19565489300
Visit websiteLincoln Park
Near the end, short detour
Brownsville, Texas
Hours: 8 am–10 pm
+19569974875
Visit websiteDick Kleberg Park
Later in the drive, short detour
Kingsville, Texas
Hours: 8 am–10 pm
+13612218705
Visit websiteNTER - The Great Escape
Near the start, short detour
Waxahachie, Texas
Hours: 5–9 pm
+12149801053
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 255 decision points cluster between mile 23.6 and 537.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 35E South: Waco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 183 South: Lockhart
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto I 69E; US 77 toward I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, Brownsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward 12th-14th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$73.78 one way
$147.57 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.89 | $82.42 | $164.83 |
| premium | $4.23 | $89.61 | $179.21 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $101.72 | $203.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$74
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$204–$314
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 188.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $57 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 161.6 | 1 | $56.56 | $25.86 |
| Efficient EV | 134.7 | 1 | $47.14 | $21.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 215.5 | 2 | $75.42 | $34.48 |
Gas CO2
188 kg
EV CO2
63 kg (66% 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.
Origin
Forney, TX
Morning in Forney on Sunday
Local time
10:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Partly Cloudy
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 10:11PM CDT by NWS Brownsville TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 18 at 8:53PM CDT until July 20 at 6:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Destination
Brownsville, TX
Morning in Brownsville on Sunday
Local time
10:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Partly Cloudy
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 10:11PM CDT by NWS Brownsville TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 18 at 8:53PM CDT until July 20 at 6:00AM 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.
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
4 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
9h 49m 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...
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
National Historical Park
On May 8, 1846, U.S. and Mexican troops clashed on the prairie of Palo Alto. The battle was the first in a two-year long war that changed the map of North America. Although the two countries have deve...
Padre Island National Seashore
National Seashore
Protecting sixty-six miles of wild coastline along the Gulf of America, the narrow barrier island is home to one of the last intact coastal prairie habitats in the United States. Along the hypersaline...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This is largely a highway-focused drive, with 88% of the mileage on major roads, making for a consistent pace. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 105 miles on U.S. Highway 77, providing ample time to settle into the drive. While predominantly highway, the mix of freeways and toll roads ensures a relatively efficient transit across the state. The character of the road remains consistent, designed for covering long distances effectively.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on U.S. Highway 77 and South R L Thornton Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 23.6 miles in.
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 25 significant decision points across 538.7 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 23.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 175.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 235.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
347 ft
Total Descent
785 ft
Highest Point
725 ft
~192.4 mi in
Elevation Range
700 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Forney, TX
Full guide →Forney is a part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex located in North Central Texas, just east of Dallas.
Top landmarks
- • Brooks, William and Blanche, House — historic place in Forney, Kaufman County, Texas
Arriving in Brownsville, TX
Full guide →Founded 1849
Located at the southernmost tip of Texas, Brownsville is a popular location for Mexican and American beach tourists. It is part of the Rio Grande Valley, a four-county region known for its abundance in citrus fruit production and Winter Texan population. The city features a combination of different climate regimes: Gulf Coast plains and the Great Plains. There is a lot to do in this city: historical museums, art galleries, beaches, birding locations and natural wildlife refuges. As Brownsville is a border town, its culture is predominantly Hispanic.
Top landmarks
- • USS Cabot — 1943 Independence-class aircraft carrier
- • Fort Brown — Texas, a former US Amy post
- • Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park — historic site in Brownsville (vicinity), Cameron County, Texas
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
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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