This 141.7-mile drive from Garland, TX to Forney, TX is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 2 hours and 43 minutes. With 94% of the journey on highways, it's a straightforward drive primarily utilizing I-30 and US Highway 259 South. The estimated fuel cost for this route is around $21. Given its relatively short distance and highway focus, this trip offers flexibility for departure and stop timing. Both Garland and Forney are situated within the Great Plains region, so expect consistent, open-road scenery throughout your travels.
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
70.9 miles from Garland, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 22m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 30
110 mi
1h 50m
US Highway 259 South
16.3 mi
24m
FM 740
3.6 mi
5m
Ridge Road
2.7 mi
5m
FM 1701
2.1 mi
5m
Laurence Drive
1.8 mi
3m
Clements Drive
1.1 mi
1m
Bois D'Arc
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 30
— 110 mi, about 1h 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Garland, TX and Forney, TX.
1
Start on FM 1701
2.1 mi·5 min·FM 1701
2
At end of road, turn right onto US 259
16 mi·24 min·US Highway 259 South
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·56 sec
4
Merge onto I 30
110 mi·1 hr 50 min·I 30
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Exit 67Toward FM 740: Ridge RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Turn straight onto East Interstate 30
0.5 mi·1 min·East Interstate 30
7
Turn left onto FM 740
2.7 mi·5 min·Ridge Road
8
Continue on FM 740
1.3 mi·2 min·Laurence Drive
9
Continue on FM 740
0.5 mi·1 min·Laurence Drive
10
Turn left onto FM 740
1.0 mi·1 min·Bois D'Arc
11
Continue on FM 740
3.6 mi·5 min·FM 740
12
Turn right onto FM 460
1.1 mi·1 min·Clements Drive
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto West US Highway 80
0.8 mi·1 min·West US Highway 80
14
Turn slight right
371 ft·16 sec
15
Continue on FM 688
0.9 mi·2 min·West Broad Street
16
Turn right onto FM 740
0.1 mi·20 sec·North Bois d'Arc Street
17
Turn right onto West Main Street
52 ft·2 sec·West Main Street
18
Arrive at destination
West Main Street
Trip Plan
For this 2-hour and 43-minute drive, leaving Garland, TX in the morning or mid-afternoon will help you avoid peak traffic. With only one recommended stop and a 110-mile stretch on I-30, you can plan your breaks strategically. Consider filling up your fuel tank before departing Garland, as the $21 fuel cost is based on the entire 141.7 miles. Since this is a manageable day trip, you have the flexibility to depart when it suits you best, but be mindful of the limited number of fuel stops indicated.
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 70.9 miles from Garland, TX, or about 1h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 110 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 31 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 70.9 miles or 1h 22m 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 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Forney, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Garland, 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 Garland, TX
This is one driving day of about 141.7 miles and 2h 43m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 miles from Garland, 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 I 30 for about 110 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.1 and 141.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.1 mi into trip|~5m in|US 259 / US Highway 259 South
At end of road, turn right onto US 259 / US Highway 259 South
Navigation decision point
5
18.9 mi into trip|~30m in|I 30
Merge onto I 30
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
128.8 mi into trip|~2h 21m in
Take the exit toward FM 740: Ridge Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 67
Toward FM 740: Ridge Road
6
138.7 mi into trip|~2h 37m in|FM 460 / Clements Drive
Turn right onto FM 460 / Clements Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
141.7 mi into trip|~2h 43m in|West Main Street
Turn right onto West Main Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.41 one way
$42.82 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg50 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$23.44
$46.87
premium
$4.54
$25.30
$50.60
diesel
$5.61
$31.29
$62.57
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 49.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
42.5
0
$14.88
$6.80
Efficient EV
35.4
0
$12.40
$5.67
EV Truck/SUV
56.7
0
$19.84
$9.07
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 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 17, 2026
Origin
Garland, TX
Late night
in Garland on Sunday
Local time
2:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Partly Sunny
S 15 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued April 17 at 5:31PM CDT until April 18 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Houston/Galveston TX
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 2:03PM CDT until April 18 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Norman OK
Destination
Forney, TX
Late night
in Forney on Sunday
Local time
2:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
83°F
Greenville, TX
71 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
25 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 43m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive, with 94% of the 141.7 miles spent on major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 110 miles on I-30, offering a chance to settle into a steady pace. While much of the drive will be on high-speed interstates, the inclusion of FM 740 suggests a potential shift to more local roads closer to your destination. This mix means you'll experience both efficient travel and a more intimate connection with the Texas landscape.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 110 mi on I 30.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 30 and US Highway 259 South. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.1 miles in near US 259 / US Highway 259 South.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 43m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (US 259 / US Highway 259 South): Navigation decision point; at 18.9 miles (I 30): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 128.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
The longest stretch is about 110 miles on I 30. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: at 2.1 miles (US 259 / US Highway 259 South): Navigation decision point; at 18.9 miles (I 30): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 128.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Forney, TX before heading back.
