Gilmer, TX to Arlington, TX is 145 miles and takes about 2h 39m via I 20 and TX 155, with a fuel budget near $22 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This highway-focused drive primarily uses I 20, making for a straightforward journey across the Great Plains region of Texas. With only one recommended stop and a highway share of 93%, this route is designed for efficiency, allowing you to reach your destination without much fuss. It’s a practical option if you need to get from East Texas to the Dallas-Fort Worth area relatively quickly.
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
72.5 miles from Gilmer, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 17m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 20
68.3 mi
1h 8m
TX 155
23.8 mi
27m
US 80
18.9 mi
20m
Tom Landry Freeway
16.9 mi
19m
East R L Thornton Freeway
7.6 mi
9m
Spur 557
4.4 mi
4m
North Center Street
1.8 mi
4m
South Wood Street
1.1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 68.3 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gilmer, TX and Arlington, TX.
1
Start on TX 154
101 ft·9 sec·East Marshall Street
2
Turn left onto US 271; TX 155
1.1 mi·1 min·South Wood Street
3
Turn straight onto TX 155
13 mi·15 min·TX 155
4
Turn right onto US 80; TX 155
0.9 mi·1 min·West Broadway Street
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto TX 155
10 mi·12 min·TX 155
Use the left lane.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi·49 sec
Toward West I 20
7
Merge onto I 20
68 mi·1 hr 8 min·I 20
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto Spur 557
4.4 mi·4 min·Spur 557
Exit 499AToward DallasUse the slight right lane.
9
Continue on US 80
19 mi·20 min·US 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 30; US 67
7.6 mi·9 min·East R L Thornton Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 30
17 mi·19 min·Tom Landry Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 28BToward FM 157: Collins StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn straight onto Wet N Wild Way
0.5 mi·59 sec·Wet N Wild Way
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto North Center Street
1.8 mi·4 min·North Center Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Turn right onto West Abram Street
297 ft·8 sec·West Abram Street
16
Arrive at destination
West Abram Street
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of 2h 39m and a distance of 145 miles, this trip is easily achievable in a single day. You can depart anytime that suits your schedule, but an early start might allow for a more relaxed pace. With only one recommended stop and a high highway share, you won't need to plan for extensive breaks. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the longest stretch without a major exit is 68.3 miles on I 20; ensure you're fueled up before that segment. The estimated fuel cost is around $22, so budget accordingly.
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 72.5 miles from Gilmer, TX, or about 1h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 68.3 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 32 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 72.5 miles or 1h 17m 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 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arlington, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Gilmer, 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 Gilmer, TX
This is one driving day of about 145 miles and 2h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from Gilmer, 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 20 for about 68.3 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 14.6 and 142.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
14.6 mi into trip|~16m in|US 80; TX 155 / West Broadway Street
Turn right onto US 80; TX 155 / West Broadway Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
15.4 mi into trip|~17m in|TX 155
Turn left onto TX 155
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
25.8 mi into trip|~30m in
Take the exit toward West I 20
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward West I 20
8
94.5 mi into trip|~1h 39m in|Spur 557
Keep slight right at fork onto Spur 557 toward Dallas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 499A
Toward Dallas
7
142.3 mi into trip|~2h 33m in
Take the exit toward FM 157: Collins Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 28B
Toward FM 157: Collins Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.91 one way
$43.82 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg51 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$23.98
$47.96
premium
$4.54
$25.89
$51.78
diesel
$5.61
$32.01
$64.03
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
43.5
0
$15.23
$6.96
Efficient EV
36.3
0
$12.69
$5.80
EV Truck/SUV
58
0
$20.30
$9.28
Gas CO2
51 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (67% 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 20, 2026
Origin
Gilmer, TX
Late night
in Gilmer on Tuesday
Local time
3:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Arlington, TX
Late night
in Arlington on Tuesday
Local time
3:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 39m 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?
This drive is predominantly on highways, with a 93% highway share, so expect a consistent pace for most of your journey. You'll experience a longest stretch of 68.3 miles on I 20, offering a good opportunity to settle in and cover ground efficiently. While the route is largely highway-focused, incorporating TX 155 and US 80 means you'll encounter some variations in road type and speed limits as you transition between major arteries. It’s a straightforward driving experience that prioritizes getting you there.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 68.3 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and TX 155. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 14.6 miles in near US 80; TX 155 / West Broadway Street.
Driving Effort6/10
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 145 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 14.6 miles (US 80; TX 155 / West Broadway Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.4 miles (TX 155): Lane positioning matters here; at 25.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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 Gilmer, TX to Arlington, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Dallas along the way.
Arlington is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex metropolitan area, in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of almost 400,000 (2019), it is Texas' seventh largest, and the third largest in the Metroplex. Arlington is south of the sprawling DFW International Airport.
Top landmarks
•Six Flags Over Texas — amusement park
•Mini Mine Train — Steel roller coaster
•Arlington Museum of Art — art museum in Texas, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 39m. Total distance: 145 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 68.3 miles on I 20. 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 Arlington, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 14.6 miles (US 80; TX 155 / West Broadway Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.4 miles (TX 155): Lane positioning matters here; at 25.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Arlington, TX before heading back.
