This 117.4-mile drive from Grand Prairie, TX to Paris, TX is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 2 hours and 11 minutes. With 98% of the journey on highways, you'll be covering most of the distance on major roads like the East R L Thornton Freeway and TX 24. The estimated fuel cost for this leg is around $18, making it a budget-friendly option. You'll be traveling within the Great Plains region for the entire trip, so expect consistent terrain. This route is ideal for those looking for a straightforward and efficient journey between these two Texas cities.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
58.7 miles from Grand Prairie, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 6m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
East R L Thornton Freeway
55.6 mi
1h
TX 24
48.2 mi
53m
Tom Landry Freeway
10.9 mi
12m
South Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
North Belt Line Road
0.6 mi
1m
East Interstate 30
0.4 mi
<1m
Small Hill Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Northeast 5th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
East R L Thornton Freeway
— 55.6 mi, about 1h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grand Prairie, TX and Paris, TX.
1
Start on this road
219 ft·18 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto Northeast 5th Street
0.2 mi·36 sec·Northeast 5th Street
3
Turn right onto Small Hill Street
0.2 mi·33 sec·Small Hill Street
4
Turn left onto North Belt Line Road
0.6 mi·1 min·North Belt Line Road
5
Turn right
176 ft·6 sec
6
Turn straight onto East Interstate 30
0.4 mi·31 sec·East Interstate 30
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·15 sec
Toward I 30 East
8
Merge onto I 30
11 mi·12 min·Tom Landry Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 30; US 67
7.5 mi·9 min·East R L Thornton Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30; US 67
48 mi·51 min·East R L Thornton Freeway
Toward I 30 East: TexarkanaUse the straight / right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi·12 sec
Exit 101Toward TX 24, FM 1737: Commerce, Paris
12
Continue on TX 24
48 mi·53 min·TX 24
Toward TX 24: Commerce, Paris
13
Turn left onto TX 19; TX 24
516 ft·10 sec·East Hearne Avenue
14
Turn right onto TX 19; TX 24
0.7 mi·1 min·South Main Street
15
Turn right onto US 82 Business; US 271 Business
280 ft·10 sec·Clarksville Street
16
Turn left onto 1st Street Southeast
113 ft·5 sec·1st Street Southeast
17
Arrive at destination
1st Street Southeast
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short 2-hour duration and 117.4-mile distance, this trip offers excellent flexibility. You can depart Grand Prairie anytime, but leaving in the morning will give you ample time to explore Paris upon arrival. With no designated stops, you can easily incorporate breaks as needed, perhaps stopping for fuel around the 55.6-mile mark on the East R L Thornton Freeway if your tank is getting low. The $18 fuel cost is a good estimate, but always check current prices. This is a straightforward highway drive, so focus on maintaining your speed and enjoying the direct path to Paris.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 58.7 miles from Grand Prairie, TX, or about 1h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.6 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 26 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 58.7 miles or 1h 6m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Paris, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Grand Prairie, 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 Grand Prairie, TX
This is one driving day of about 117.4 miles and 2h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Grand Prairie, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on East R L Thornton Freeway for about 55.6 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 0.2 and 117.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Small Hill Street
Turn right onto Small Hill Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.6 mi into trip|~3m in|I 30 / Tom Landry Freeway
Merge onto I 30 / Tom Landry Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
20 mi into trip|~25m in|I 30; US 67 / East R L Thornton Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30; US 67 / East R L Thornton Freeway toward I 30 East: Texarkana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana
6
68.1 mi into trip|~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward TX 24, FM 1737: Commerce, Paris
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 101
Toward TX 24, FM 1737: Commerce, Paris
5
117.3 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|1st Street Southeast
Turn left onto 1st Street Southeast
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.74 one way
$35.48 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$19.42
$38.83
premium
$4.54
$20.96
$41.92
diesel
$5.61
$25.92
$51.84
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.2
0
$12.33
$5.64
Efficient EV
29.4
0
$10.27
$4.70
EV Truck/SUV
47
0
$16.44
$7.51
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 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 20, 2026
Origin
Grand Prairie, TX
Late night
in Grand Prairie on Tuesday
Local time
4:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Paris, TX
Late night
in Paris on Tuesday
Local time
4:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
78°F
Greenville, TX
59 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
6 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 11m 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 predominantly highway-focused drive for this 117.4-mile trip, with a significant 98% of the route being on major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 55.6 miles on the East R L Thornton Freeway. This means you'll spend the majority of your 2-hour and 11-minute travel time on high-speed, continuous driving. While the Tom Landry Freeway and TX 24 offer variation, the overall character is one of efficient travel rather than winding scenic exploration.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 55.6 mi on East R L Thornton Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on East R L Thornton Freeway and TX 24. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Small Hill 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 117.4 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 0.2 miles (Small Hill Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (I 30 / Tom Landry Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles (I 30; US 67 / East R L Thornton Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Grand Prairie, TX to Paris, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Fm 1737: Commerce along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 11m. Total distance: 117.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 55.6 miles on East R L Thornton Freeway. 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 0.2 miles (Small Hill Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (I 30 / Tom Landry Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles (I 30; US 67 / East R L Thornton Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Paris, TX before heading back.
