Origin
Houston, TX
Late night in Houston on Sunday
Local time
2:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Houston, TX to Ames, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
45.5 mi
73 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Houston, TX
Trace Hudson
Ames, TX
Thomas balabaud
Trip Overview
Houston, TX to Ames, TX is 45.5 miles and takes about 55m via Crosby Freeway and US-90 West, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Great Plains region, making it a straightforward hop between two points in Texas. The drive is primarily highway-focused, so expect a relatively quick journey with minimal fuss. It's a good option if you need to get from one place to the other efficiently without a lot of driving time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Crosby Freeway | 17.5 mi | 20m |
| United States Highway 90 West | 15 mi | 17m |
| East Freeway | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| Beaumont Highway | 5 mi | 5m |
| US Highway 90 | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| San Jacinto Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Franklin Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Louisiana Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Crosby Freeway
— 17.5 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Houston, TX and Ames, TX.
1
Start on Louisiana Street
474 ft
·
19 sec
·
Louisiana Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
2
Turn right onto Franklin Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Franklin Street
3
Turn left onto San Jacinto Street
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
San Jacinto Street
4
Turn straight onto Rothwell Street
348 ft
·
7 sec
·
Rothwell Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward US 59 East, I 10 East
6
Merge onto I 10; US 90
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
East Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Crosby Freeway
Toward US 90 East: Liberty
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Turn straight onto US 90
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Crosby Freeway
Toward US 90 East
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward US 90
10
Continue on US 90
9.2 mi
·
10 min
·
Crosby Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on US 90
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Crosby Freeway
12
Continue on US 90
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Beaumont Highway
13
Continue on US 90
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US Highway 90
14
Continue on US 90
15 mi
·
17 min
·
United States Highway 90 West
15
Turn left onto FM 160
98 ft
·
2 sec
·
Martin L King Street North
Use the left lane.
16
Arrive at destination
FM 160
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.8 miles from Houston, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 45.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Franklin Street
Turn right onto Franklin Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward US 59 East, I 10 East
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 59 East, I 10 East
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 10; US 90 / East Freeway
Merge onto I 10; US 90 / East Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
6.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
US 90 / Crosby Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90 / Crosby Freeway toward US 90 East: Liberty
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward US 90 East: Liberty
6
45.5 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
FM 160 / Martin L King Street North
Turn left onto FM 160 / Martin L King Street North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.88 one way
$13.75 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $7.53 | $15.05 |
| premium | $4.54 | $8.12 | $16.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.05 | $20.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.78 | $2.18 |
| Efficient EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.98 | $1.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.37 | $2.91 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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.
Destination
Ames, TX
Late night in Ames on Sunday
Local time
2:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
18 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
55m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 86% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll encounter the Crosby Freeway and United States Highway 90 West for the bulk of your travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 17.5 miles on the Crosby Freeway. Expect consistent speed and straightforward navigation for most of the 45.5 miles. The road character remains largely consistent, emphasizing efficiency over scenic detours.
86% 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: 17.5 mi on Crosby Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Crosby Freeway and United States Highway 90 West. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Franklin Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 55m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Franklin Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles (I 10; US 90 / East Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Houston, TX
Full guide →“Space City” · Founded 1836
Houston is a sprawling port city in Southeastern Texas. An oil boom and continuing international immigration has brought explosive growth to the city, and it is now the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States and the most diverse large city since 2021. While at first glance, the city appears to be a 9-5 central business district surrounded by a sea of suburbs and strip malls, there are many hidden gems to be discovered.
Top landmarks
- • Museum of Fine Arts, Houston — art museum in Houston, Texas
- • Astrodome — historic place in Houston, Harris County, Texas
- • Rothko Chapel — building in Houston, Harris County, 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 55m. Total distance: 45.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.5 miles on Crosby Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Franklin Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles (I 10; US 90 / East Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ames, TX before heading back.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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