Origin
Friendswood, TX
Late night in Friendswood on Sunday
Local time
2:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Friendswood, TX to Houston, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
23.2 mi
37 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Friendswood, TX
Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE
Houston, TX
Trace Hudson
Trip Overview
Traveling from Friendswood to Houston is a straightforward 23.2-mile journey that typically takes about 33 minutes. Since both cities are located within the Great Plains region of Texas, you will experience a consistent landscape throughout your trip. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you can easily complete the drive without needing an overnight stay. With a fuel budget of just $3, this is an extremely economical commute. It is a practical, no-nonsense trip that gets you from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Gulf Freeway | 17 mi | 19m |
| Friendswood Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| East Edgewood Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Gulf Freeway Frontage Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Friendswood Drive | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Louisiana Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Rusk Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Memorial Drive Frontage Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Gulf Freeway
— 17 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Friendswood, TX and Houston, TX.
1
Start on FM 518
32 ft
·
6 sec
·
South Friendswood Drive
2
Continue on FM 518
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
South Friendswood Drive
3
Turn right onto FM 2351
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East Edgewood Avenue
4
Continue on FM 2351
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Friendswood Road
5
Continue on FM 2351
310 ft
·
11 sec
·
Clear Lake City Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Turn left onto Gulf Freeway Frontage Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Gulf Freeway Frontage Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 45 North
8
Merge onto I 45
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Gulf Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 47B
Toward Houston Avenue, Memorial Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
444 ft
·
14 sec
Toward Memorial Drive
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto Memorial Drive Frontage Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Memorial Drive Frontage Road
12
Continue on Rusk Street
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
Rusk Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto Louisiana Street
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Louisiana Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Arrive at destination
Louisiana Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 3.8 and 22.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Gulf Freeway Frontage Road
Turn left onto Gulf Freeway Frontage Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
5.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 45 / Gulf Freeway
Merge onto I 45 / Gulf Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
22.1 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward Houston Avenue, Memorial Drive
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 47B
Toward Houston Avenue, Memorial Drive
8
22.4 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Memorial Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Memorial Drive
6
22.9 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
Louisiana Street
Turn left onto Louisiana Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.51 one way
$7.01 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $3.84 | $7.67 |
| premium | $4.54 | $4.14 | $8.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.12 | $10.24 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7 | 0 | $2.44 | $1.11 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.03 | $0.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.25 | $1.48 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Destination
Houston, TX
Late night in Houston on Sunday
Local time
2:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 5 to 10 mph
8% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 18 at 2:50AM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 18 at 2:47AM CDT until April 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
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
8 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
32m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features zero highway miles. You will navigate via South Friendswood Drive, East Edgewood Avenue, and Friendswood Road to reach your destination. Because there is no highway share, you won't encounter long, uninterrupted stretches of road; in fact, the longest stretch on South Friendswood Drive is 0 miles. Be prepared for frequent adjustments and turns as you transition through the local road network.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17 mi on Gulf Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Gulf Freeway and Friendswood Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.8 miles in near Gulf Freeway Frontage Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 23.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.8 miles (Gulf Freeway Frontage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles (I 45 / Gulf Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.1 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
50 ft
21 ft
Total Climb
54 ft
Total Descent
47 ft
Highest Point
50 ft
~13.3 mi in
Elevation Range
29 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Friendswood, TX
Full guide →Founded 1960
Arriving in Houston, TX
Full guide →“Space City” · Founded 1836
Houston is a sprawling port city in Southeastern Texas. An oil boom and continuing international immigration has brought explosive growth to the city, and it is now the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States and the most diverse large city since 2021. While at first glance, the city appears to be a 9-5 central business district surrounded by a sea of suburbs and strip malls, there are many hidden gems to be discovered.
Top landmarks
- • Museum of Fine Arts, Houston — art museum in Houston, Texas
- • Astrodome — historic place in Houston, Harris County, Texas
- • Rothko Chapel — building in Houston, Harris County, 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 32m. Total distance: 23.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17 miles on Gulf Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Houston, 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 3.8 miles (Gulf Freeway Frontage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles (I 45 / Gulf Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Houston, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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