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Trip from Forney, TX to McKinney, TX

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

Drive Time

54m

Distance

45 mi

72 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 50m ★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m

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

city in Kaufman County, Texas, United States

Forney, TX

Wikimedia Commons

city in Collin County, Texas, United States

McKinney, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Forney, TX to McKinney, TX is 45 miles and takes about 54 minutes via North Central Expressway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive entirely within Texas, connecting two points in the Great Plains region. Given its short distance and highway focus, it’s a convenient trip for a quick journey or an easy addition to a larger Texas road trip. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, making it a practical choice for efficient travel.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Central Expressway 16.8 mi 18m
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway 11.4 mi 12m
US 80 9.3 mi 9m
South Tennessee Street 1.1 mi 2m
South McDonald Street 1 mi 1m
Spur 399 0.9 mi 1m
Pinson Road 0.5 mi 1m
West Broad Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: North Central Expressway — 16.8 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Forney, TX and McKinney, TX.

1

Start on West Main Street

52 ft · 9 sec · West Main Street
2

Turn left onto FM 740

0.1 mi · 25 sec · South Bois d'Arc Street
3

Turn left onto FM 688; FM 740

0.2 mi · 38 sec · West Broad Street
4

Turn right onto FM 740

0.5 mi · 1 min · Pinson Road
5

Turn right

0.1 mi · 29 sec
6

At end of road, turn right onto West US Highway 80

0.1 mi · 11 sec · West US Highway 80
7

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 13 sec
Toward US 80 West
8

Merge onto US 80

9.3 mi · 9 min · US 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 51 sec
Toward I 635 North Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Merge onto I 635

11 mi · 12 min · Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 635

0.1 mi · 9 sec · Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway
12

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 1 min
Exit 19A Toward US 75 South, US 75 North: Dallas, McKinney Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork

0.6 mi · 54 sec
Toward US 75 North: McKinney Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14

Merge onto US 75

17 mi · 18 min · North Central Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 21 sec
Exit 38C Toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight right at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min
Use the slight right lane.
17

Merge onto Spur 399

0.9 mi · 1 min · Spur 399
18

Continue on TX 5

1.0 mi · 1 min · South McDonald Street
19

Turn slight left

281 ft · 10 sec
20

Continue on South Tennessee Street

1.1 mi · 2 min · South Tennessee Street
21

Arrive at destination

North Tennessee Street

Where to Stop

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

city in Collin and Dallas counties in Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Richardson, TX

23 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

Mesquite, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Richardson, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 22.5 miles from Forney, 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 10.5 and 41.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
10.5 mi into trip | ~13m in

Take the exit toward I 635 North

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 635 North
8
22.5 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward US 75 South, US 75 North: Dallas, McKinney

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 19A Toward US 75 South, US 75 North: Dallas, McKinn...
7
23.4 mi into trip | ~28m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 75 North: McKinney

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward US 75 North: McKinney
8
40.9 mi into trip | ~47m in

Take the exit toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway

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 38C Toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
6
41.2 mi into trip | ~47m in

Keep slight right at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.80 one way

$13.60 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $7.44 $14.89
premium $4.54 $8.03 $16.07
diesel $5.61 $9.94 $19.87

Estimated Tolls: $1.35

Central Expressway (16.8 mi) $1.35

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Tolls

$1

Total

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.5 0 $4.73 $2.16
Efficient EV 11.3 0 $3.94 $1.80
EV Truck/SUV 18 0 $6.30 $2.88

Gas CO2

16 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (69% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Forney, TX

Late night in Forney on Sunday

Local time

2:31 AM

CDT

Current temp

60°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

McKinney, TX

Late night in McKinney on Sunday

Local time

2:31 AM

CDT

Current temp

59°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

1 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

54m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 84% of the route utilizing major roads. You'll experience a mostly uninterrupted stretch of 16.8 miles on North Central Expressway, offering a consistent pace. The primary roads involved include US 80, Lyndon B Johnson Freeway, and North Central Expressway, indicating a predominantly urban and suburban highway environment. Expect a smooth, efficient journey with minimal deviations from high-speed thoroughfares.

84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.8 mi on North Central Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North Central Expressway and Lyndon B Johnson Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.5 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 45 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 10.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.

On the drive from Forney, TX to McKinney, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Srt South along the way.

Srt South

40.9 mi in | ~47m

About the Cities

Arriving in McKinney, TX

Full guide →

McKinney is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas.

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 54m. Total distance: 45 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

54m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 16.8 miles on North Central Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $1.35 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.

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 McKinney, 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 10.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at McKinney, 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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