This 151.8-mile drive from Frisco, TX to Garland, TX is a manageable one-day trip, taking just under 3 hours to complete. The route primarily utilizes major freeways and highways, making it a straightforward journey through the Great Plains region of Texas. With an estimated fuel cost of $23, this drive is budget-friendly for a single day's adventure. You'll experience a highway-focused profile for most of the trip, with only one designated stop typically needed. This route is ideal for those looking for an efficient drive between these two North Texas cities.
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
75.9 miles from Frisco, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 32m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Martin Luther King Jr Freeway
83 mi
1h 23m
West Princeton Drive
24 mi
28m
US Highway 259 North
16.5 mi
24m
Sam Rayburn Tollway
6.9 mi
7m
US 380
3.9 mi
5m
East University Drive
3.3 mi
4m
Lebanon Road
2.9 mi
5m
FM 1701
2.1 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Martin Luther King Jr Freeway
— 83 mi, about 1h 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frisco, TX and Garland, TX.
1
Start on Main Street
87 ft·9 sec·Main Street
2
Turn left onto 5th Street
0.3 mi·45 sec·5th Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on Parkwood Boulevard
1.8 mi·3 min·Parkwood Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto Lebanon Road
2.9 mi·5 min·Lebanon Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Coit Road
0.3 mi·41 sec·Coit Road
6
Turn left onto TX 121
0.7 mi·1 min·State Highway 121
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward SRT Toll NorthUse the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Merge onto SRT
6.9 mi·7 min·Sam Rayburn Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on Spur 399
1.2 mi·1 min·Spur 399
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on TX 5
1.4 mi·2 min·South McDonald Street
11
Turn right onto Elm Street
1.2 mi·2 min·Elm Street
12
At end of road, turn left onto South Airport Drive
0.9 mi·1 min·South Airport Drive
13
Turn right onto US 380
3.3 mi·4 min·East University Drive
14
Continue on US 380
24 mi·28 min·West Princeton Drive
15
Take the exit onto US 380
3.9 mi·5 min·US 380
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left
0.3 mi·40 sec
Use the left lane.
17
Turn straight onto I-30 Frontage Road
0.3 mi·36 sec·I-30 Frontage Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
18
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·16 sec
19
Merge onto I 30; US 67
83 mi·1 hr 23 min·Martin Luther King Jr Freeway
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Toward US 259: De Kalb, Daingerfield
21
Turn left onto US 259
17 mi·24 min·US Highway 259 North
22
Turn left onto FM 1701
2.1 mi·4 min·FM 1701
23
Arrive at destination
FM 1701
Trip Plan
Given the 2 hour and 59-minute duration, leaving Frisco in the morning is recommended to maximize your daylight in Garland. With only one stop needed, you can easily complete this journey in a single day without feeling rushed. The longest stretch of 83 miles on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway means you can settle in for a good portion of the drive. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the estimated cost is $23, and plan your refueling accordingly before hitting the longer highway segments.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 75.9 miles from Frisco, TX, or about 1h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 83 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 33 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 75.9 miles or 1h 32m 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 21m
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 Frisco, 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 Frisco, TX
This is one driving day of about 151.8 miles and 2h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Frisco, 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 Martin Luther King Jr Freeway for about 83 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 49.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|5th Street
Turn left onto 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
5.3 mi into trip|~10m in|TX 121 / State Highway 121
Turn left onto TX 121 / State Highway 121
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
6 mi into trip|~11m in
Take the ramp toward SRT Toll North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward SRT Toll North
5
6.3 mi into trip|~12m in|SRT / Sam Rayburn Tollway
Merge onto SRT / Sam Rayburn Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
49.2 mi into trip|~1h 4m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.94 one way
$45.87 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg53 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$25.11
$50.21
premium
$4.54
$27.10
$54.21
diesel
$5.61
$33.52
$67.03
Estimated Tolls: $0.55
Sam Rayburn Tollway
(6.9 mi)$0.55
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
45.5
0
$15.94
$7.29
Efficient EV
38
0
$13.28
$6.07
EV Truck/SUV
60.7
0
$21.25
$9.72
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 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
Frisco, TX
Late night
in Frisco on Sunday
Local time
2:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Garland, TX
Late night
in Garland on Sunday
Local time
2:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
83°F
Greenville, TX
76 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
3 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
2h 59m 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 highway-focused drive for approximately 70% of this route. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch at 83 miles. While mostly high-speed, the initial legs on West Princeton Drive offer a brief transition before merging onto US Highway 259 North. The overall character is one of efficient travel, prioritizing getting you from point A to point B with minimal fuss, rather than winding scenic byways.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 83 mi on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway and West Princeton Drive. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 5th Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 151.8 miles you will encounter 16 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 (5th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles (TX 121 / State Highway 121): Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles: 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 Frisco, TX to Garland, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Daingerfield along the way.
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 2h 59m. Total distance: 151.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 83 miles on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.55 in tolls one way, starting with Sam Rayburn Tollway. 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (5th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles (TX 121 / State Highway 121): Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Garland, TX before heading back.
