Spanning 184.4 miles across the Great Plains of Texas, this journey from Fort Worth to Garland is best suited for a single-day trip. You should anticipate a travel time of approximately 2 hours and 53 minutes, depending on local traffic flow. With a fuel budget of about $27, the trip is an economical option for those looking to navigate between these two cities. Because you will be traveling entirely on local roads, you have the flexibility to complete the drive in one go without needing an overnight stay. Since both the origin and destination are located within the Great Plains region, the landscape remains consistent throughout your travel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
91.9 miles from Fort Worth, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 43m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
East R L Thornton Freeway
132.6 mi
2h 17m
Tom Landry Freeway
30 mi
35m
US Highway 259 North
16.5 mi
24m
FM 1701
2.1 mi
4m
South Freeway
1.1 mi
1m
US 287 Bus
0.2 mi
<1m
Epps Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Elmwood Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
East R L Thornton Freeway
— 132.6 mi, about 2h 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Worth, TX and Garland, TX.
1
Start on South Freeway
54 ft·2 sec·South Freeway
2
Turn right onto Elmwood Avenue
475 ft·23 sec·Elmwood Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto Epps Street
0.1 mi·27 sec·Epps Street
4
Continue on East Maddox Avenue
412 ft·20 sec·East Maddox Avenue
5
At end of road, turn right onto South Freeway
321 ft·13 sec·South Freeway
6
Turn left onto East Allen Avenue
210 ft·13 sec·East Allen Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Turn left onto South Freeway
0.5 mi·56 sec·South Freeway
Use the straight / left lanes.
8
Take the ramp onto US 287 Bus
0.2 mi·29 sec·US 287 Bus
Toward I 35W North
9
Merge onto I 35W; US 287 Bus
0.4 mi·28 sec·South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 51CToward I 30 East: DallasUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 30
30 mi·35 min·Tom Landry Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 30; US 67
7.5 mi·9 min·East R L Thornton Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30; US 67
125 mi·2 hr 8 min·East R L Thornton Freeway
Toward I 30 East: TexarkanaUse the straight / right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Toward US 259: De Kalb, Daingerfield
15
Turn left onto US 259
17 mi·24 min·US Highway 259 North
16
Turn left onto FM 1701
2.1 mi·4 min·FM 1701
17
Arrive at destination
FM 1701
Trip Plan
Given that this is a 184.4-mile local drive, aim to depart during off-peak hours to avoid the inevitable congestion found on surface streets. You should plan for one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and refresh, as the turn-heavy nature of the route can become tiring over nearly three hours. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge before you head out, ensuring you have the $27 budgeted for gas ready for a mid-trip fill-up if necessary. Since you are not restricted by highway exits, feel free to adjust your pace and take breaks whenever you find a convenient spot along these local roads. Always double-check your navigation apps before leaving, as local street routes can change unexpectedly compared to fixed interstate paths.
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 91.9 miles from Fort Worth, TX, or about 1h 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 132.6 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 40 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 91.9 miles or 1h 43m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Garland, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fort Worth, 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 Fort Worth, TX
This is one driving day of about 183.8 miles and 3h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from Fort Worth, 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 East R L Thornton Freeway for about 132.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
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 0.1 and 39.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Epps Street
At end of road, turn right onto Epps Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|South Freeway
At end of road, turn right onto South Freeway
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
7
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|East Allen Avenue
Turn left onto East Allen Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
1.6 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the exit toward I 30 East: Dallas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 51C
Toward I 30 East: Dallas
7
39.8 mi into trip|~49m in|I 30; US 67 / East R L Thornton Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30; US 67 / East R L Thornton Freeway toward I 30 East: Texarkana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.77 one way
$55.55 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg64 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$30.40
$60.80
premium
$4.54
$32.82
$65.63
diesel
$5.61
$40.58
$81.16
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 64.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
55.1
0
$19.30
$8.82
Efficient EV
46
0
$16.08
$7.35
EV Truck/SUV
73.5
0
$25.73
$11.76
Gas CO2
64 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (66% 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
Fort Worth, TX
Night
in Fort Worth on Saturday
Local time
9:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Garland, TX
Night
in Garland on Saturday
Local time
9:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Nevada, TX
92 mi in
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
17 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
3h 28m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy, local driving experience rather than a high-speed interstate commute. You will spend 0% of your time on highways, relying instead on surface streets like Elmwood Avenue, Epps Street, and East Maddox Avenue to reach your destination. Because there is no highway travel, you will not encounter any long, uninterrupted stretches of road; the longest stretch on Elmwood Avenue is 0 miles. This route requires constant attention to navigation and local traffic patterns. You will find that the drive demands more active steering and focus than a typical highway cruise, making it a unique way to transition between these two Texas hubs.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 132.6 mi on East R L Thornton Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on East R L Thornton Freeway and Tom Landry Freeway. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Epps Street.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 183.8 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Epps Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (South Freeway): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.4 miles (East Allen Avenue): 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 Fort Worth, TX to Garland, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Daingerfield along the way.
Fort Worth is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of approximately 1,020,000, it is Texas' 5th largest city. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, which has a population exceeding 6 million. Sometimes referred to as Cowtown, it is by far closer to its cowboy roots than neighboring Dallas. This article also covers North Richland Hills, a neighboring community.
Top landmarks
•Amon Carter Museum of American Art — art museum in Fort Worth, Texas
•Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth — art museum
•St. Patrick Cathedral in Fort Worth — church located in Fort Worth, Texas
Garland is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area in the State of Texas. Mike Judge, the creator of Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill, used to live in Garland, as well as some other small towns around Texas. So, yeah. Don't be shocked if you take a wrong turn through a downscale neighborhood and see someone barbecuing hot dogs using one of those things that turns your truck's air filter into a grill. On the other hand, Garland's north side is a palacial monument to suburban living in all its McMansioned, strip malling, Starbucks-sipping glory. Garland is basically an unprepossessing, pleasant place. While it's hard to get too excited about much that happens in Garland, it is just so darned pleasant.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 28m. Total distance: 183.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (99%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 132.6 miles on East R L Thornton Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Garland, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Epps Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (South Freeway): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.4 miles (East Allen Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Garland, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.
