Trip from Giddings, TX to McKinney, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 16m

Distance

227.5 mi

366 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$31

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 3m ★

6 AM

4h 16m

8 AM

4h 43m

10 AM

4h 26m

12 PM

4h 23m

3 PM

4h 27m

5 PM

4h 42m

8 PM

4h 9m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Giddings, TX

Wikimedia Commons

city in Collin County, Texas, United States

McKinney, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Giddings to McKinney is 227.5 miles and takes about 4h 16m via I 35E, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Texas, moving from the Great Plains region of Giddings into the Great Plains region of McKinney. It's a largely straightforward trip, mostly on highways but with a significant portion on surface streets as you approach your destination. With a total travel time under five hours, it's a very manageable one-day excursion. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to connect these two Texas towns.

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

113.8 miles from Giddings, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 13m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 35E	56.2 mi	58m
North Travis Avenue	48.6 mi	55m
North Main Street	47 mi	56m
Purple Heart Trail	33 mi	33m
North Central Expressway	26.6 mi	28m
South Jack Kultgen Expressway	3.8 mi	4m
US 77	3.8 mi	4m
South Tennessee Street	1.1 mi	2m

Longest stretch: I 35E — 56.2 mi, about 58m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~4,837 veh/hr typical · worst 5,660

Quietest

2 AM

~666 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

7.3×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 43 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Giddings, TX and McKinney, TX.

Start on US 290

301 ft · 11 sec · East Austin Street

Turn right onto US 77

47 mi · 56 min · North Main Street

At end of road, turn left onto US 77; US 190; TX 36

3.6 mi · 4 min · US 77; US 190; TX 36

Turn right onto US 77

49 mi · 55 min · North Travis Avenue

Use the right lane.

Enter roundabout onto Circle Road

215 ft · 11 sec · Circle Road

Continue on Circle Road

0.4 mi · 54 sec · Circle Road

Turn straight onto South Jack Kultgen Expressway

0.5 mi · 58 sec · South Jack Kultgen Expressway

Take the ramp

444 ft · 10 sec

Toward I 35 North, US 77 North

Continue on US 77

0.3 mi · 34 sec · US 77

Merge onto I 35; US 77

3.3 mi · 3 min · South Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35; US 77

33 mi · 33 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E

56 mi · 58 min · I 35E

Toward I 35E: Dallas Use the slight right lane.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 41 sec

Exit 427A Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin Street Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight left at fork

422 ft · 5 sec

Toward I 35E North, I 30 West: Denton, Fort Worth, Texarkana

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 32 sec

Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Convention Center

Keep slight left at fork

385 ft · 6 sec

Toward I 30 East: Texarkana

Continue on I 30; US 67

0.8 mi · 1 min · East R L Thornton Freeway

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 45 sec

Exit 46 Toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min

Toward US 75 North: McKinney Use the slight left lane.

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 26 sec

Toward US 75 North: McKinney, Bryan Street East

Merge onto US 75

0.7 mi · 49 sec · Julius Schepps Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on US 75

27 mi · 28 min · North Central Expressway

Use the straight / right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 21 sec

Exit 38C Toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min

Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto Spur 399

0.9 mi · 1 min · Spur 399

Continue on TX 5

1.0 mi · 1 min · South McDonald Street

Turn slight left

281 ft · 10 sec

Continue on South Tennessee Street

1.1 mi · 2 min · South Tennessee Street

Arrive at destination

North Tennessee Street

Trip Plan

Given the drive's duration of just over 4 hours, leaving Giddings in the morning should allow you to reach McKinney with plenty of daylight to spare. While the drive is short enough for one day, you'll want to be mindful of the transition from highway to surface roads, which can add time depending on traffic, especially as you enter the McKinney area. The longest stretch without a planned stop is 56.2 miles on I 35E, so plan your fuel and restroom breaks accordingly before you hit that segment. Your estimated fuel cost is around $33, which is quite reasonable for a trip of this distance.

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 113.8 miles from Giddings, TX, or about 2h 13m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 56.2 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 50 miles or 1h in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 113.8 miles or 2h 13m 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 28m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near McKinney, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Giddings, 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 Giddings, TX

This is one driving day of about 227.5 miles and 4h 16m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 50 miles from Giddings, 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 35E for about 56.2 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

town in Ellis County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Italy, TX

114 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Troy, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 50 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Troy, TX

2.3 mi from route

Pilot Travel Center

2.5 mi from route

City Park

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.1 mi from route

Dallas, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+19724823055

Visit website

5 of 18

5 decision points cluster between mile 136.9 and 223.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

136.9 mi into trip | ~2h 36m in | I 35E

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E toward I 35E: Dallas

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 35E: Dallas

193.1 mi into trip | ~3h 34m in

Take the exit toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 427A Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Bouleva...

194.8 mi into trip | ~3h 37m in

Take the exit toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 46 Toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney

195.2 mi into trip | ~3h 38m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 75 North: McKinney

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward US 75 North: McKinney

223.4 mi into trip | ~4h 9m in

Take the exit toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway

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 38C Toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$31.16 one way

$62.32 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 80 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$34.81	$69.61
premium	$4.23	$37.84	$75.68
diesel	$4.80	$42.96	$85.91

Estimated Tolls: $2.13

Central Expressway (26.6 mi) $2.13

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

$31

Tolls

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$58–$83

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 79.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	68.3	0	$23.89	$10.92
Efficient EV	56.9	0	$19.91	$9.10
EV Truck/SUV	91	1	$31.85	$14.56

Gas CO2

80 kg

EV CO2

27 kg (66% 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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026

Origin

Giddings, TX

Night in Giddings on Monday

Local time

9:46 PM

CDT

Current temp

93°F

Mostly Sunny

S 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 12:27PM CDT until July 20 at 3:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 9:55AM CDT until July 19 at 11:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Destination

McKinney, TX

Night in McKinney on Monday

Local time

9:46 PM

CDT

Current temp

96°F

Mostly Sunny

SSW 10 to 15 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 12:27PM CDT until July 20 at 3:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 9:55AM CDT until July 19 at 11:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

100°F

Italy, TX

114 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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

4h 16m on the road

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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Waco Mammoth National Monument

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...

5 mi from route ~12 min detour Free near mile 102

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

About 40% of this 227.5-mile route is on highways, specifically I 35E for the longest stretch of 56.2 miles. You'll transition from highway driving to surface roads, with North Travis Avenue and North Main Street being key parts of the latter half of the drive. Expect a mixed driving experience with periods of cruising and then navigating more urban environments with frequent intersections as you get closer to McKinney.

40% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.

29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 56.2 mi on I 35E.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 136.9 miles in near I 35E.

Driving Effort 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 227.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 136.9 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 193.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 194.8 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

675 ft 312 ft

Total Climb

594 ft

Total Descent

474 ft

Highest Point

675 ft

~146.3 mi in

Elevation Range

364 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Giddings, TX and McKinney, TX, road signs point toward Fort Worth, Texarkana, Convention Center and Bryan Street East.

Fort Worth

193.5 mi in | ~3h 35m

Texarkana

193.5 mi in | ~3h 35m

Convention Center

193.5 mi in | ~3h 35m

Bryan Street East

195.7 mi in | ~3h 39m

About the Cities

Starting in Giddings, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1871

Top landmarks

• Lee County Courthouse — courthouse in Texas, United States

Arriving in McKinney, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1848

McKinney is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of 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 4h 16m. Total distance: 227.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 56.2 miles on I 35E. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $2.13 in tolls one way, starting with Central Expressway. 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 — we found about 19 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 McKinney, 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. There are 19 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.5 hours — manageable with a long break at McKinney, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.

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, 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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Explore more options from Giddings, TX or browse trips ending in McKinney, TX.

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Trip from Giddings, TX to McKinney, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-35

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Hill County Northbound Rest Area

Rest Area

Hill County Southbound Rest Area

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Petro Stopping Centers

Service Plaza

QuikTrip

Road Ranger

Buc-ee's

TA

Love's Travel Stop

QuikTrip

290 Travel Plaza

Flying J Travel Center

Minuteman Press

SoPac Trail Rest Area

Service Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

City Park

Dark Hour Haunted House

11th Hour Escape

Heritage Farmstead Museum

Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary

Doris D Miller Park

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Giddings, TX

McKinney, TX

Same local time

3 degrees warmer at arrival

4h 16m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Waco Mammoth National Monument

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Giddings, TX

Arriving in McKinney, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

How do I pay the tolls on this route?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Are there national parks near this route?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

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