Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Hamlin, TX to Austin, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 2m
Distance
262.4 mi
422 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$36
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 49m
★
6 AM
5h 2m
8 AM
5h 29m
10 AM
5h 12m
12 PM
5h 9m
3 PM
5h 13m
5 PM
5h 28m
8 PM
4h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hamlin, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Austin, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Hamlin to Austin is 262.4 miles and takes about 5 hours 2 minutes via US 183, US 83, and South US Highway 183, with a fuel budget near $40 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip primarily stays within the Great Plains region of Texas, offering a straightforward drive. With a recommended one-day duration and a focus on highways, it's a practical option for getting between these two points efficiently. You'll find the journey is mostly highway, making it a good choice if you're looking for a direct route without many detours.
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
131.2 miles from Hamlin, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 33m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 183 | 44.5 mi | 49m |
| US 83 | 42.2 mi | 47m |
| South US Highway 183 | 35.3 mi | 38m |
| Commercial Avenue | 32.5 mi | 35m |
| US Highway 84 East | 29.2 mi | 33m |
| US 67 | 21.5 mi | 24m |
| US Highway 83 West | 16.5 mi | 24m |
| 183A Toll Road | 14.3 mi | 14m |
Longest stretch:
US 183
— 44.5 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hamlin, TX and Austin, TX.
1
Start on US 83
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Central Avenue
2
Continue on US 83
16 mi
·
24 min
·
US Highway 83 West
3
Continue on US 83; US 277
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
West Court Plaza
4
Turn slight right onto US 83; US 277
32 mi
·
35 min
·
Commercial Avenue
5
Continue on US 83; US 84
42 mi
·
47 min
·
US 83; US 84
6
Continue on US 84; US 283; TX 206
0.6 mi
·
46 sec
·
US 84; US 283; TX 206
7
Turn left onto US 84; US 283
11 mi
·
12 min
·
US 84; US 283
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on US 67; US 84
21 mi
·
24 min
·
US 67; US 84
9
Turn right onto US 84; US 183
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Garmon Drive
10
Continue on US 84; US 183
29 mi
·
33 min
·
US Highway 84 East
11
Turn right onto US 183; TX 16
22 mi
·
25 min
·
US 183; TX 16
12
Continue on US 183; US 190
15 mi
·
15 min
·
US 183; US 190
13
Merge onto US 183; US 190; US 281
260 ft
·
4 sec
·
North US Highway 281
14
Continue on US 183; US 190; US 281
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
North Key Avenue
15
Continue on US 183
35 mi
·
38 min
·
South US Highway 183
16
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
this road
17
Keep slight left at fork onto 183A Toll
14 mi
·
14 min
·
183A Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on US 183
7.5 mi
·
8 min
·
US 183
19
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward Loop 1: Mopac Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward Loop 1 South: Mopac Boulevard South
Use the slight right lane.
21
Merge onto Loop 1
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Mopac Expressway
22
Take the exit
423 ft
·
10 sec
Toward Express 1 Toll
Use the slight left lane.
23
Merge onto Express 1 Toll
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Express 1 Toll
24
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward West 5th Street
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
26
Turn straight onto West 5th Street
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
West 5th Street
Use the straight lane.
27
Arrive at destination
East 5th Street
Trip Plan
Given the 5-hour drive time, starting your journey from Hamlin in the morning is advisable to ensure you arrive in Austin with plenty of daylight. There's one recommended stop, so plan for a break around the halfway point to stretch your legs and refuel if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longest stretch of 44.5 miles on US 183, as services can be spaced out in this region. This is a manageable one-day drive, so you have flexibility in your departure time.
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 131.2 miles from Hamlin, TX, or about 2h 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 44.5 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 58 miles or 1h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 131.2 miles or 2h 33m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Austin, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hamlin, 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 Hamlin, TX
This is one driving day of about 262.4 miles and 5h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 miles from Hamlin, 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 US 183 for about 44.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
131 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 58 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 131.2 miles from Hamlin, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Rest Area US-84 US-283
0 mi from route
San Saba Picnic Area
0 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.9 mi from route
Austin Bat Tours
4.4
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the end, right off the route
Home stretch
0.2 mi from route
~1 min detour
Austin, Texas
Hours: 9 am–10 pm
Visit websiteLakeline Park
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, right off the route
Home stretch
0.9 mi from route
~2 min detour
Cedar Park, Texas
+15124015500
Visit websiteBotanical Gates of Paradise
4.1
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
1.7 mi from route
~4 min detour
Austin, Texas
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
Paramount Theatre
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, ~9 min detour
First break
3.5 mi from route
~9 min detour
Abilene, Texas
+13256769620
Visit websiteAdamson-Spalding Storybook Garden
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
First break
3.4 mi from route
~8 min detour
Abilene, Texas
Visit website12th Armored Division Memorial
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, ~9 min detour
First break
3.6 mi from route
~9 min detour
Abilene, Texas
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+13256776515
Visit websiteBarton Creek Greenbelt
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, ~11 min detour
Home stretch
4.4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Austin, Texas
Hours: 5 am–10 pm
+15129746700
Visit websiteThe Discovery Center & Truth Bookstore
4.4
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the start, ~10 min detour
First break
4.2 mi from route
~10 min detour
Abilene, Texas
Hours: 1–5 pm
+13256735050
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 231 and 260.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
231 mi into trip
|
~4h 25m in
|
183A Toll / 183A Toll Road
Keep slight left at fork onto 183A Toll / 183A Toll Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
252.8 mi into trip
|
~4h 48m in
Take the exit toward Loop 1: Mopac Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Loop 1: Mopac Boulevard
7
253.2 mi into trip
|
~4h 49m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Loop 1 South: Mopac Boulevard South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Loop 1 South: Mopac Boulevard South
6
256 mi into trip
|
~4h 52m in
Take the exit toward Express 1 Toll
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Express 1 Toll
7
260.6 mi into trip
|
~4h 58m in
Keep slight left at fork toward West 5th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward West 5th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.94 one way
$71.88 round trip
$3.48/gal
25.4 MPG avg
92 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.89 | $40.15 | $80.29 |
| premium | $4.23 | $43.65 | $87.29 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $49.55 | $99.09 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.00
183A Toll Road
(14.3 mi)
$1.00
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
$36
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 91.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 78.7 | 0 | $27.55 | $12.60 |
| Efficient EV | 65.6 | 0 | $22.96 | $10.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 105 | 1 | $36.74 | $16.79 |
Gas CO2
92 kg
EV CO2
31 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.
Origin
Hamlin, TX
Late night in Hamlin on Monday
Local time
5:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSE 5 to 10 mph
16% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 18 at 2:32AM CDT by NWS Corpus Christi TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 18 at 2:32AM CDT by NWS Corpus Christi TX
Destination
Austin, TX
Late night in Austin on Monday
Local time
5:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 5 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 18 at 2:32AM CDT by NWS Corpus Christi TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 18 at 2:32AM CDT by NWS Corpus Christi TX
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
5 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
5h 2m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is largely a highway-focused drive, with 78% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a fairly consistent driving pace for much of the trip. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 44.5 miles on US 183. Expect a straightforward experience on well-maintained roads, though the landscape will remain consistent for extended periods as you traverse the Great Plains.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 44.5 mi on US 183.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 183 and US 83. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 231 miles in near 183A Toll / 183A Toll Road.
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 12 significant decision points across 262.4 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 231 miles (183A Toll / 183A Toll Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 252.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 253.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,959 ft
487 ft
Total Climb
316 ft
Total Descent
1,550 ft
Highest Point
1,959 ft
~56.2 mi in
Elevation Range
1,472 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Hamlin, TX
Full guide →Founded 1907
Arriving in Austin, TX
Full guide →“City of the Violet Crown” · Founded 1835
Austin is a city of about 1,054,000 (2026) surpassing Fort Worth to become the 4th most populous city in Texas. It is on the southeast edge of the Hill Country region of Texas, making it the fourth-largest city in the state and the 11th-largest in the country. It is the capital of Texas and a college town, and also a center of an alternative culture away from the major cities on the US coasts, though the city is rapidly gentrifying with its rising popularity. Austin's attitude is commonly emblazoned about town on T-shirts and bumper stickers that read: "Keep Austin Weird." Austin is also marketed as the Live Music Capital of the World due to the large number of venues.
Top landmarks
- • Texas State Capitol — capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Texas
- • Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum — presidential library and museum for U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson in Austin,...
- • Texas State Cemetery — historic cemetery in Austin, Texas, USA
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 5h 2m. Total distance: 262.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 44.5 miles on US 183. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.00 in tolls one way, starting with 183A Toll Road. 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 4 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 Austin, 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 4 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 231 miles (183A Toll / 183A Toll Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 252.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 253.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.0 hours each way, a round trip means 10.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Austin, TX before the return drive.
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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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