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Trip from Irving, TX to Livingston, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 2m

Distance

225.7 mi

363 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$31

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
3h 49m ★
6 AM
4h 2m
8 AM
4h 28m
10 AM
4h 11m
12 PM
4h 9m
3 PM
4h 13m
5 PM
4h 27m
8 PM
3h 55m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Irving, TX, TX

Irving, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Livingston, TX, TX

Livingston, TX

Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE

Trip Overview

Irving, TX to Livingston, TX is 225.7 miles and takes about 4h 2m via Julius Schepps Freeway, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Texas, beginning in the Great Plains region and ending in the same area. You'll spend most of your time on highways, making for a straightforward drive. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, this route is well-suited for a single day of travel. Plan your departure to maximize daylight hours for the 225.7-mile trip.

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

112.8 miles from Irving, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 59m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Julius Schepps Freeway 167 mi 2h 49m
Phelps Drive 42.5 mi 49m
Tom Landry Freeway 6.3 mi 7m
South Walton Walker Boulevard 2.8 mi 3m
11th Street 1.9 mi 3m
US 190 1 mi 1m
East Irving Boulevard 0.9 mi 1m
East R L Thornton Freeway 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Julius Schepps Freeway — 167 mi, about 2h 49m

Traffic on I-45

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 28 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~1,927 veh/hr typical · worst 2,389

Quietest

2 AM

~288 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.7×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 45 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Irving, TX and Livingston, TX.

1

Start on North Ohio Street

436 ft · 24 sec · North Ohio Street
2

Turn left onto West 2nd Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · West 2nd Street
3

Turn straight onto TX 356

0.9 mi · 1 min · East Irving Boulevard
4

Turn slight right

393 ft · 17 sec
5

Turn slight right onto South Loop 12

187 ft · 3 sec · South Loop 12
6

Take the ramp

410 ft · 10 sec
Toward Loop 12 South
7

Merge onto Loop 12

2.8 mi · 3 min · South Walton Walker Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 30: Dallas, Fort Worth Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 44 sec
Toward I 30 East: Dallas Use the slight right lane.
10

Merge onto I 30

6.3 mi · 7 min · Tom Landry Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 30; US 67

0.8 mi · 1 min · East R L Thornton Freeway
12

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 45 sec
Exit 46 Toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney Use the slight right lane.
13

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 54 sec
Toward I 45 South: Houston Use the slight right lane.
14

Merge onto I 45

1.6 mi · 1 min · Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
15

Keep slight left at fork onto I 45

165 mi · 2 hr 47 min · Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Take the exit onto US 190

1.0 mi · 1 min · US 190
Toward Texas 30, US 190 East: 11th Street
17

Turn left onto US 190; TX 30

1.9 mi · 3 min · 11th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
18

Continue on US 190; TX 30

42 mi · 49 min · Phelps Drive
19

Turn left onto US 59 Business

11 ft · 0 sec · North Washington Avenue
20

Arrive at destination

US 59 Business

Trip Plan

Consider leaving Irving early in the morning to avoid the heaviest traffic and ensure you have ample daylight for the 4h 2m drive. With only 225.7 miles, you have flexibility, but planning for one stop around the halfway mark is sensible. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you approach Livingston, TX, as the longest stretch without a major town could be over 100 miles. The estimated fuel cost of $33 should help you budget for gas stops along the way. This route is designed to be completed in a single day, so focus on a smooth, uninterrupted travel experience.

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 112.8 miles from Irving, TX, or about 1h 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 167 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 50 miles or 56m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 112.8 miles or 1h 59m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 15m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Livingston, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Irving, 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 Irving, TX

This is one driving day of about 225.7 miles and 4h 2m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 50 miles from Irving, 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 Julius Schepps Freeway for about 167 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Seven Points, TX, TX

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Seven Points, TX

113 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

Waxahachie, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 50 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Seven Points, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 112.8 miles from Irving, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Julius Schepps Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 167 miles.

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.

Navarro County Northbound Rest Area

0 mi from route

Love's Travel Stop

0.1 mi from route

Love's Travel Stop

0.1 mi from route

Navarro County Southbound Rest Area

0.1 mi from route

Buc-ee's

0.1 mi from route

Love's Travel Stop

0.1 mi from route

Road Ranger

0.1 mi from route

TA Express

0.1 mi from route

Pilot Travel Center

0.2 mi from route

Walker County Southbound Rest Area

0.2 mi from route

Walker County Northbound Rest Area

0.2 mi from route

Pilot Travel Center

0.2 mi from route

TA Express

0.2 mi from route

Buc-ee's

0.2 mi from route

QuikTrip

0.2 mi from route

QuikTrip

0.2 mi from route

QuikTrip

0.9 mi from route

Flying J Travel Center

1.4 mi from route

Service Plaza

1.4 mi from route

TA

1.6 mi from route

QuikTrip

2.5 mi from route

City Park

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

First break 2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour

Dallas, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+19724823055

Visit website

Ripley's Believe It or Not!

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour

Grand Prairie, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+19722632391

Visit website

Louis Tussaud's Palace of Wax

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour

Grand Prairie, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+19722632391

Visit website

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 4.7 and 15 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
4.7 mi into trip | ~6m in

Take the exit toward I 30: Dallas, Fort Worth

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 30: Dallas, Fort Worth
7
5.2 mi into trip | ~8m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 30 East: Dallas

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 30 East: Dallas
8
12.5 mi into trip | ~17m in

Take the exit toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney

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 46 Toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney
7
13 mi into trip | ~18m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 45 South: Houston

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 45 South: Houston
6
15 mi into trip | ~20m in | I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$30.91 one way

$61.83 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 79 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $3.89 $34.53 $69.06
premium $4.23 $37.54 $75.09
diesel $4.80 $42.62 $85.23

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$31

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$56–$81

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 79 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 67.7 0 $23.70 $10.83
Efficient EV 56.4 0 $19.75 $9.03
EV Truck/SUV 90.3 1 $31.60 $14.44

Gas CO2

79 kg

EV CO2

26 kg (67% 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.

Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026

Origin

Irving, TX

Late night in Irving on Monday

Local time

5:59 AM

CDT

Current temp

97°F

Mostly Sunny

SSW 10 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 12:27PM CDT until July 20 at 3:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 9:55AM CDT until July 19 at 11:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Destination

Livingston, TX

Late night in Livingston on Monday

Local time

5:59 AM

CDT

Current temp

95°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 5 mph 17% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 12:27PM CDT until July 20 at 3:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 9:55AM CDT until July 19 at 11:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio 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

2 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

4h 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 drive is predominantly highway, with 78% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 167 miles on the Julius Schepps Freeway before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a concentrated area of exits and potential merging traffic during the initial urban portions. The latter part of the drive will likely feel more open as you move away from the initial highway segments.

78% 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: 167 mi on Julius Schepps Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Julius Schepps Freeway and Phelps Drive. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.7 miles in.

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 13 significant decision points across 225.7 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 4.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

510 ft 145 ft

Total Climb

364 ft

Total Descent

679 ft

Highest Point

510 ft

~48.4 mi in

Elevation Range

365 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Irving, TX and Livingston, TX, road signs point toward Mckinney and Texas 30.

Mckinney

12.5 mi in | ~17m

Texas 30

180.4 mi in | ~3h 8m | via US 190

About the Cities

Starting in Irving, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1903

Irving is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. Part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Irving has experienced exponential growth over the past fifty years, and is home to a multitude of attractions of all types, from modern art to major sporting events. Founded in 1902 out of the remnants of the small community of Kit, Irving is now a bustling city of approximately 197,000 residents. Rather like Dallas, it is divided into a highly affluent northern half and less affluent but highly diverse southern half. It is bounded to the east by the northern fork (Elm Fork) of the Trinity River and to the northwest by the sprawling D/FW International Airport.

Top landmarks

  • Ruth Paine Home — house in Irving, Texas, United States

Arriving in Livingston, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1902

Top landmarks

  • Polk County Courthouse and 1905 Courthouse Annex — building in Livingston, Polk 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 4h 2m. Total distance: 225.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 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 167 miles on Julius Schepps Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 21 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 Livingston, 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 21 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

The main spots that need attention: at 4.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Livingston, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.

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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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