Origin
Irving, TX
Afternoon in Irving on Tuesday
Local time
1:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Irving, TX to McKinney, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
38.2 mi
62 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McKinney, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Irving, TX to McKinney, TX is 38.2 miles and takes about 46 minutes via North Central Expressway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Great Plains region of Texas. Expect a straightforward commute experience, largely on major freeways, making it a simple point-to-point trip. It’s ideal for a quick relocation or a day trip without extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Central Expressway | 16.8 mi | 18m |
| South Walton Walker Boulevard | 4.5 mi | 4m |
| Lyndon B Johnson Freeway | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| North Stemmons Freeway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| South Tennessee Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South McDonald Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Spur 399 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
North Central Expressway
— 16.8 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Irving, TX and McKinney, 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
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
East Irving Boulevard
4
Continue on TX 356
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
East 6th Street
5
Turn straight onto TX 356
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
East State Highway 356
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn left onto South Loop 12
414 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Loop 12
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward Loop 12 North
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Merge onto Loop 12
4.5 mi
·
4 min
·
South Walton Walker Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 35E
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Stemmons Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 440B
Toward I 635 East
Use the right lane.
11
Merge onto I 635
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 635
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway
Use the right lane.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 19A
Toward US 75 North, US 75 South: McKinney, Dallas
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 75 North: McKinney
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto US 75
17 mi
·
18 min
·
North Central Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 38C
Toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Use the slight right lane.
18
Merge onto Spur 399
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Spur 399
19
Continue on TX 5
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South McDonald Street
20
Turn slight left
281 ft
·
10 sec
21
Continue on South Tennessee Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South Tennessee Street
22
Arrive at destination
North Tennessee Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.1 miles from Irving, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 34.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
South Loop 12
Turn left onto South Loop 12
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
8.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward I 635 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 440B
Toward I 635 East
8
16.1 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward US 75 North, US 75 South: McKinney, Dallas
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.
Exit 19A
Toward US 75 North, US 75 South: McKinney, Dall...
7
16.4 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 75 North: McKinney
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward US 75 North: McKinney
8
34.1 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
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.
Exit 38C
Toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.55 one way
$11.10 round trip
$3.69/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $6.12 | $12.23 |
| premium | $4.41 | $6.64 | $13.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.43 | $16.87 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.35
Central Expressway
(16.8 mi)
$1.35
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.01 | $1.83 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.34 | $1.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.35 | $2.44 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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
McKinney, TX
Afternoon in McKinney on Tuesday
Local time
1:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
79°F
Addison, TX
19 mi in
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
46m 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?
About 69% of this 38.2-mile route is on highways, with the longest single stretch covering 16.8 miles on North Central Expressway. You'll likely notice significant exit density as you transition from highway driving to surface streets closer to your destination. The profile is mostly highway, suggesting a relatively consistent driving experience for the majority of the trip.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.8 mi on North Central Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North Central Expressway and South Walton Walker Boulevard. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near South Loop 12.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 38.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (South Loop 12): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 McKinney, TX, road signs point toward Dallas and Srt South.
Dallas
16.1 mi in
|
~19m
Srt South
34.1 mi in
|
~39m
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 McKinney, TX
Full guide →Founded 1848
McKinney is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of 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 46m. Total distance: 38.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.8 miles on North Central Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.35 in tolls one way, starting with Central Expressway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 McKinney, 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 1.8 miles (South Loop 12): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at McKinney, 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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