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Trip from Houston, TX to Livingston, TX

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 24m

Distance

73.2 mi

118 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 18m ★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m

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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Downtown houston-tx

Houston, TX

Trace Hudson

Downtown Livingston, TX, TX

Livingston, TX

Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE

Trip Overview

This straightforward 73.2-mile drive from Houston, TX to Livingston, TX takes approximately 1 hour and 24 minutes. It's an ideal day trip, easily completed in a single outing without the need for an overnight stop. The majority of the journey, 94%, is on highways, making it a quick and efficient transit between these two points within the Great Plains region. With an estimated fuel cost of around $11, this route is budget-friendly for a short excursion. You'll primarily be on the Eastex Freeway and I-69, so expect a highway-focused experience.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Eastex Freeway 37 mi 43m
I-69 30.8 mi 32m
Pan American Drive 1.3 mi 1m
I 69 0.7 mi <1m
South Washington Avenue 0.6 mi <1m
East Freeway 0.5 mi <1m
San Jacinto Street 0.4 mi <1m
Franklin Street 0.3 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Eastex Freeway — 37 mi, about 43m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Houston, TX and Livingston, 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

0.5 mi · 38 sec · East Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 770C Toward I 69 North, US 59 North: Cleveland Use the slight left / straight lanes.
8

Merge onto I 69; US 59

37 mi · 43 min · Eastex Freeway
Use the straight lane.
9

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69; US 59

0.7 mi · 44 sec · I 69; US 59
10

Continue on I-69; US 59

31 mi · 32 min · I-69; US 59
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 1 min
12

Continue on US 59 Business

1.3 mi · 1 min · Pan American Drive
13

Continue on US 59 Business

0.6 mi · 56 sec · South Washington Avenue
14

Arrive at destination

US 59 Business

Where to Stop

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

city in Montgomery County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Patton Village, TX

37 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

Aldine, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Patton Village, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 36.6 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 8

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 2.4 — 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.
8
1.6 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the exit toward I 69 North, US 59 North: Cleveland

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

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Exit 770C Toward I 69 North, US 59 North: Cleveland
5
2.4 mi into trip | ~4m in | I 69; US 59 / Eastex Freeway

Merge onto I 69; US 59 / Eastex Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.06 one way

$22.12 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 26 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $12.11 $24.21
premium $4.54 $13.07 $26.14
diesel $5.61 $16.16 $32.32

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 25.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 22 0 $7.69 $3.51
Efficient EV 18.3 0 $6.41 $2.93
EV Truck/SUV 29.3 0 $10.25 $4.68

Gas CO2

26 kg

EV CO2

9 kg (65% 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 17, 2026

Origin

Houston, TX

Late night in Houston on Sunday

Local time

2:30 AM

CDT

Current temp

86°F

Partly Sunny

SE 10 to 15 mph 5% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 17 at 7:31AM CDT until April 17 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 7:25AM CDT until April 18 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX

Destination

Livingston, TX

Late night in Livingston on Sunday

Local time

2:30 AM

CDT

Current temp

60°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

26 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

1h 24m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a highway-focused drive for most of this 73.2-mile trip, with a substantial 94% of the route utilizing major roadways like the Eastex Freeway and I-69. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 37 miles on the Eastex Freeway, offering a consistent pace. This isn't a winding scenic byway; it's a direct route designed for efficient travel. The road character remains largely consistent, maintaining a high-speed environment for the bulk of the journey, making it predictable for planning your driving time.

94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37 mi on Eastex Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Eastex Freeway and I-69. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Franklin Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 73.2 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 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 1h 24m. Total distance: 73.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 37 miles on Eastex Freeway. 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 Livingston, TX before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

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 Livingston, 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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