Hubbard, TX to Austin, TX is 130.6 miles and takes about 2 hours 22 minutes via I 35 and State Highway 31, with a fuel budget near $20 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive primarily stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward journey from one Texas locale to another. It's a short enough trip to complete comfortably in a single day, making it ideal for a quick getaway or a transition between destinations. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to get from central Texas to the vibrant capital city without extensive detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
65.3 miles from Hubbard, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 11m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
55.8 mi
58m
Purple Heart Trail
40.3 mi
42m
State Highway 31
17.2 mi
17m
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
6.2 mi
7m
Hubbard Bypass
3.5 mi
3m
Bellmead Drive
2.6 mi
4m
East US Highway 84
2.5 mi
2m
North Magnolia Avenue
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 55.8 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hubbard, TX and Austin, TX.
1
Start on TX 31 Bus
81 ft·9 sec·Northeast 4th Street
2
Turn left onto TX 171
0.7 mi·1 min·North Magnolia Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·29 sec
4
Merge onto TX 31
3.5 mi·3 min·Hubbard Bypass
5
Continue on TX 31
17 mi·17 min·State Highway 31
6
Continue on US 84
2.5 mi·2 min·East US Highway 84
7
Continue on US 84
2.6 mi·4 min·Bellmead Drive
8
Turn straight onto US 84
0.4 mi·1 min·East Waco Drive
9
Turn left onto North Jack Kultgen Expressway
519 ft·12 sec·North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward I 35 South, US 77 South
11
Merge onto I 35; US 77
6.1 mi·6 min·North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 35
38 mi·39 min·Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
56 mi·58 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290
2.4 mi·3 min·Purple Heart Trail
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton StreetUse the slight left lane.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Exit 234BToward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson UniversityUse the slight right lane.
16
Turn straight onto North Interstate 35
0.2 mi·27 sec·North Interstate 35
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn right onto East 6th Street
0.5 mi·1 min·East 6th Street
Use the right lane.
18
Turn left onto Congress Avenue
357 ft·17 sec·Congress Avenue
19
Turn left onto East 5th Street
28 ft·0 sec·East 5th Street
Use the left lane.
20
Arrive at destination
East 5th Street
Trip Plan
Given the 2 hour 22 minute drive time, leaving Hubbard, TX in the morning or early afternoon is your best bet to arrive in Austin with plenty of daylight. With only 130.6 miles, you won't need to split this into multiple days, offering flexibility in your departure time. Factor in the estimated $20 fuel cost for your planning. Since the longest stretch is 55.8 miles on I 35, keep an eye on your fuel gauge before embarking on that segment, as services can sometimes be spaced out on interstates.
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 65.3 miles from Hubbard, TX, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.8 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 29 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 65.3 miles or 1h 11m 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 55m
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 Hubbard, 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 Hubbard, TX
This is one driving day of about 130.6 miles and 2h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Hubbard, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 35 for about 55.8 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 71.4 and 130.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
71.4 mi into trip|~1h 18m in|I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
127.2 mi into trip|~2h 16m in|I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
8
129.6 mi into trip|~2h 19m in
Take the exit toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 234B
Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson Univer...
6
130 mi into trip|~2h 20m in|East 6th Street
Turn right onto East 6th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
130.6 mi into trip|~2h 22m in|East 5th Street
Turn left onto East 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.73 one way
$39.47 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg46 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$21.60
$43.20
premium
$4.54
$23.32
$46.64
diesel
$5.61
$28.83
$57.67
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 45.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
39.2
0
$13.71
$6.27
Efficient EV
32.7
0
$11.43
$5.22
EV Truck/SUV
52.2
0
$18.28
$8.36
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (67% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Hubbard, TX
Late night
in Hubbard on Sunday
Local time
1:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Austin, TX
Late night
in Austin on Sunday
Local time
1:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
4 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
2h 22m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Waco Mammoth National Monument
National Monument
Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation's first and...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 28.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is largely highway-focused, with 63% of the route utilizing major highways like I 35 and State Highway 31. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 55.8 miles on I 35, indicating a significant portion of the journey will be on faster, more direct roads. Expect a profile that favors efficient travel over winding scenic byways. While the majority is highway, the inclusion of State Highway 31 and Purple Heart Trail suggests some variation in road type as you approach your destination.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 55.8 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and Purple Heart Trail. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 71.4 miles in near I 35.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 130.6 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 71.4 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 127.2 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 129.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 22m. Total distance: 130.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 55.8 miles on I 35. 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 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 71.4 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 127.2 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 129.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Austin, TX before heading back.
