Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 26m
Distance
248.7 mi
400 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$36
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fort Worth, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Schertz, TX
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Fort Worth, TX to Schertz, TX covers 248.7 miles and takes about 4h 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Purple Heart Trail, South Freeway, I 35 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 96.5 miles on Purple Heart Trail. At current regular gas prices, budget about $36.08 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
124.4 miles from Fort Worth, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 9m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 96.5 mi | 1h 43m |
| South Freeway | 82.3 mi | 1h 25m |
| I 35 | 55.8 mi | 58m |
| North Jack Kultgen Expressway | 6.6 mi | 7m |
| Natural Bridge Caverns Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Interstate Highway 35 | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| John E Peterson Boulevard | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Interstate 35 North | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 108 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~3,465 veh/hr typical · worst 4,225
Quietest
2 AM
~591 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Worth, TX and Schertz, TX.
Start on South Freeway
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 35W
Continue on I 35; US 77
Continue on I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290
Continue on I 35
Continue on I 35
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Interstate 35 North
Turn left onto FM 3009
Turn right onto FM 78
Turn left onto 1st Street
Arrive at 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.
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 55 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 124.4 miles or 2h 9m 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 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Schertz, TX than in the middle of the route.
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 248.7 miles and 4h 26m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
124 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.
A short stop after about 55 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 124.4 miles from Fort Worth, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 96.5 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 243.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 35W South
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 35W / South Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Cibolo Valley Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$36.08 one way
$72.16 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.08 | $39.98 | $79.96 |
| premium | $4.43 | $43.40 | $86.79 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $54.82 | $109.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 74.6 | 0 | $26.11 | $11.94 |
| Efficient EV | 62.2 | 0 | $21.76 | $9.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 99.5 | 1 | $34.82 | $15.92 |
Gas CO2
87 kg
EV CO2
29 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Fort Worth on Friday
Local time
5:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Clear
Destination
Late night in Schertz on Friday
Local time
5:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Mostly Clear
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
National Historical Park
Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
248.7 mi in 4h 26m — 59% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Purple Heart Trail.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
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 248.7 miles you will encounter 6 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: near the start: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (I 35W / South Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 127.1 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
822 ft
Total Descent
760 ft
Highest Point
824 ft
~142.1 mi in
Elevation Range
342 ft
“Panther city” · Founded 1849
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
Founded 1843
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 26m. Total distance: 248.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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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