Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
12.9 mi
21 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Houston, TX
Trace Hudson
Pasadena, TX
Wikimedia Commons
If you are looking for a quick and straightforward transit between Houston and Pasadena, this 15.8-mile journey is your best bet. Expect the drive to take roughly 23 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip that requires no overnight stops. Since both cities are located within the Great Plains region of Texas, you won't encounter any major shifts in landscape or terrain. With a total fuel cost of only $2, this is an incredibly economical route to navigate. Because there are no required stops along the way, you can easily complete the trip in one efficient push. It serves as a practical, no-nonsense connection for those needing to move between these two points quickly.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation Boulevard | 5.1 mi | 8m |
| TX 225 | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| South Shaver Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Broadway Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Franklin Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Pasadena Freeway Frontage Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| La Porte Freeway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Harrisburg Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Houston, TX and Pasadena, TX.
Start on Louisiana Street
Turn right onto Franklin Street
Turn slight left onto Navigation Boulevard
Enter roundabout onto Navigation Boulevard
Continue on Navigation Boulevard
Turn left onto Harrisburg Boulevard
Continue on Broadway Street
Turn left onto La Porte Freeway
Take the ramp onto TX 225
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Pasadena Freeway Frontage Road
Turn right onto South Shaver Street
Turn left onto Southmore Avenue
Turn left onto South Main Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 12.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Franklin Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto La Porte Freeway
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Shaver Street, Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn right onto South Shaver Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto South Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$1.95 one way
$3.90 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $2.13 | $4.27 |
| premium | $4.54 | $2.30 | $4.61 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.85 | $5.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.35 | $0.62 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.13 | $0.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.81 | $0.83 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Houston on Saturday
Local time
11:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Night in Pasadena on Saturday
Local time
11:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Forget about monotonous highway cruising on this trip, as the route consists entirely of local roads with zero percent highway travel. You will navigate a turn-heavy path that relies on Franklin Street, Navigation Boulevard, and Harrisburg Boulevard to get you to your destination. Because the drive is strictly local, there are no long, uninterrupted stretches; in fact, the longest stretch you will encounter is 0 miles on Franklin Street. You should anticipate a stop-and-go experience that requires your full attention at intersections. This is a technical, city-focused drive that demands a bit more engagement behind the wheel than a standard interstate commute.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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.
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 12.9 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): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.2 miles (La Porte Freeway): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
“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
Pasadena is in the North Barrier Coast of Texas.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 12.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Houston, TX or browse trips ending in Pasadena, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.
