Trip from Irving, TX to Raymondville, TX

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

Drive Time

8h 53m

Distance

485 mi

781 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$66

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min

4 AM

8h 46m ★

6 AM

8h 54m

8 AM

9h 10m

10 AM

9h 0m

12 PM

8h 58m

3 PM

9h 0m

5 PM

9h 9m

8 PM

8h 49m

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

Best Time

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Irving, TX

Wikimedia Commons

city in and county seat of Willacy County, Texas, United States

Raymondville, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Irving, TX to Raymondville, TX is 485 miles and takes about 8h 53m via South R L Thornton Freeway, U.S. Highway 77, and TX 130 Toll, with a fuel budget near $77 and enough daylight to finish in a day, though it's best split over two days. This drive stays within the Great Plains region, offering a generally straightforward path south through Texas. You'll spend a good portion of your time on highways, so it's a practical choice if you want to cover ground efficiently. Consider this route if you're looking for a direct connection between these two Texas locations without complex navigation.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

242.5 miles from Irving, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 16m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
South R L Thornton Freeway	80.5 mi	1h 22m
U.S. Highway 77	69.4 mi	1h 18m
TX 130 Toll	58.5 mi	54m
TX 80	51.2 mi	56m
South US Highway 181	40.2 mi	45m
Purple Heart Trail	37.9 mi	39m
I 69E	31.3 mi	33m
I 35	26.5 mi	26m

Longest stretch: South R L Thornton Freeway — 80.5 mi, about 1h 22m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 20 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~2,987 veh/hr typical · worst 3,782

Quietest

2 AM

~483 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.2×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 51 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 Raymondville, TX.

Start on North Ohio Street

436 ft · 24 sec · North Ohio Street

Turn left onto West 2nd Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · West 2nd Street

Turn straight onto TX 356

0.9 mi · 1 min · East Irving Boulevard

Turn slight right

393 ft · 17 sec

Turn slight right onto South Loop 12

187 ft · 3 sec · South Loop 12

Take the ramp

410 ft · 10 sec

Toward Loop 12 South

Merge onto Loop 12

5.3 mi · 5 min · South Walton Walker Boulevard

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto Loop 12

1.4 mi · 1 min · South Walton Walker Boulevard

Toward Loop 12 South Use the slight left lane.

Turn slight right onto Duncanville Road

3.2 mi · 6 min · Duncanville Road

Use the left lane.

Turn left onto West Interstate 20

0.2 mi · 21 sec · West Interstate 20

Use the left lane.

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 35 sec

Toward I 20 East

Merge onto I 20

4.6 mi · 4 min · Lyndon B Johnson Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 44 sec

Exit 467B Toward I 35E South: Waco Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 35E

81 mi · 1 hr 22 min · South R L Thornton Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35; US 77

6.6 mi · 7 min · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

38 mi · 39 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

26 mi · 26 min · I 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 55 sec

Exit 265 Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio Use the slight right lane.

Continue on TX 130 Toll

59 mi · 54 min · TX 130 Toll

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec

Exit 470 Toward US 183 South: Lockhart Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on US 183

0.5 mi · 35 sec · United States Highway 183

Continue on US 183

4.9 mi · 8 min · North Colorado Street

Continue on US 183

10 mi · 11 min · US 183

Continue on US 183

4.2 mi · 6 min · North Magnolia Avenue

Continue on TX 80

51 mi · 56 min · TX 80

Turn slight left onto FM 792

8.4 mi · 10 min · Farm-to-Market Road 792

Continue on TX 72; TX 239

0.8 mi · 1 min · East Main Street

Turn left onto US 181

1.2 mi · 1 min · South Sunset Strip Drive

Continue on US 181

40 mi · 45 min · South US Highway 181

Continue on US 181

0.8 mi · 55 sec · North 8th Street

Continue on US 181

16 mi · 18 min · US Highway 181 South

Take the exit onto US 181

0.3 mi · 45 sec · US 181

Keep slight right at fork onto US 181

213 ft · 5 sec · US Route 181

Turn straight onto US 181

0.7 mi · 1 min · US Highway 181

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 46 sec

Merge onto US 77

12 mi · 13 min · US 77

Take the exit onto US 77

0.1 mi · 13 sec · US 77

Toward I 37, US 77, I 69E

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 47 sec

Merge onto I 37; US 77; I 69E

2.5 mi · 2 min · I 37; US 77; I 69E

Use the straight lane.

Take the exit onto I 69E; US 77

31 mi · 33 min · I 69E; US 77

Toward I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, Brownsville Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto US 77

61 mi · 1 hr 9 min · U.S. Highway 77

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69E; US 77

8.1 mi · 8 min · U.S. Highway 77

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec

Exit 48 Toward TX 186: Raymondville, Port Mansfield Use the straight / right lanes.

Turn straight onto Interstate 69E Frontage Road

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Interstate 69E Frontage Road

Turn right onto TX 186

0.8 mi · 1 min · East Hidalgo Avenue

Turn left onto US 77 Business

149 ft · 4 sec · South 7th Street

Turn right

142 ft · 10 sec

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Since this drive is just under 9 hours, it's definitely manageable in a single day, but breaking it into two days will make for a much more relaxed experience. If you opt for an overnight stop, plan to drive about half the distance on day one. Given the nearly 9-hour duration, leaving early in the morning is recommended to maximize daylight. With only 2 planned stops, ensure you're fueling up strategically; keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially on the highway stretches where services might be further apart. The TX 130 Toll is a good option for bypassing traffic, so factor in any toll costs.

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.

Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 242.5 miles from Irving, TX, or about 4h 16m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.5 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 107 miles or 1h 56m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 242.5 miles or 4h 16m in

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

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 242.5 miles or 4h 16m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 7h 45m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Raymondville, 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.

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Irving, TX

Aim for roughly 243 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Raymondville, TX

Aim for roughly 243 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 107 miles from Irving, TX.

This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.

Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on South R L Thornton Freeway for about 80.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Overnight candidate

San Antonio, TX

243 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in San Antonio, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

San Antonio, TX

243 mi · about 4.4h in

A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 243 miles or 4.4 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Waxahachie, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 107 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

San Antonio, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 242.5 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 South R L Thornton Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 80.5 miles.

Overnight split

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour

Kingsville, Texas

Hours: 8 am–10 pm

+13612218705

Visit website

NTER - The Great Escape

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

First break 2 mi from route ~5 min detour

Waxahachie, Texas

Hours: 5–9 pm

+12149801053

Visit website

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 28

5 decision points cluster between mile 7.2 and 483.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7.2 mi into trip | ~9m in | Loop 12 / South Walton Walker Boulevard

Keep slight left at fork onto Loop 12 / South Walton Walker Boulevard toward Loop 12 South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward Loop 12 South

16.8 mi into trip | ~23m in

Take the exit toward I 35E South: Waco

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 467B Toward I 35E South: Waco

168.8 mi into trip | ~3h in

Take the exit toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 265 Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio

228 mi into trip | ~3h 56m in

Take the exit toward US 183 South: Lockhart

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 470 Toward US 183 South: Lockhart

483.7 mi into trip | ~8h 51m in

Take the exit toward TX 186: Raymondville, Port Mansfield

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

Use the straight / right lanes. Exit 48 Toward TX 186: Raymondville, Port Mansfield

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$66.43 one way

$132.86 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 170 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$74.20	$148.40
premium	$4.23	$80.67	$161.35
diesel	$4.80	$91.58	$183.15

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$66

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$196–$306

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 169.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $51 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	145.5	1	$50.93	$23.28
Efficient EV	121.3	1	$42.44	$19.40
EV Truck/SUV	194	2	$67.90	$31.04

Gas CO2

170 kg

EV CO2

57 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 16, 2026

Origin

Irving, TX

Morning in Irving on Sunday

Local time

9:00 AM

CDT

Current temp

75°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 5 to 10 mph 48% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 16 at 6:07PM CDT until July 16 at 6:45PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 6:07PM CDT by NWS Fort Worth TX

Destination

Raymondville, TX

Morning in Raymondville on Sunday

Local time

9:00 AM

CDT

Current temp

95°F

Partly Sunny

SE 17 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 16 at 6:07PM CDT until July 16 at 6:45PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 6:07PM CDT by NWS Fort Worth 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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

20 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

8h 53m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

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...

5 mi from route ~12 min detour Free near mile 100.3

View on nps.gov

Padre Island National Seashore

National Seashore

Protecting sixty-six miles of wild coastline along the Gulf of America, the narrow barrier island is home to one of the last intact coastal prairie habitats in the United States. Along the hypersaline...

28 mi from route ~69 min detour $25 near mile 451.5

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

With 85% of this route on highways, expect extended periods of consistent driving. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 80.5 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway, indicating significant opportunities for steady cruising. You'll transition from highway driving to other road types as you approach your destination, with surface roads making up the remaining 15% of the trip. Be prepared for merging traffic and potentially more frequent exits as you move away from the major freeways.

85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

48 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 80.5 mi on South R L Thornton Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South R L Thornton Freeway and U.S. Highway 77. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.2 miles in near Loop 12 / South Walton Walker Boulevard.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 28 significant decision points across 485 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 7.2 miles (Loop 12 / South Walton Walker Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 168.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

769 ft 6 ft

Total Climb

571 ft

Total Descent

1,023 ft

Highest Point

769 ft

~173.2 mi in

Elevation Range

764 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

On the drive from Irving, TX to Raymondville, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Brownsville along the way.

Brownsville

383 mi in | ~6h 59m | via I 69E; US 77

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

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 80.5 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 243 miles on day one.

Yes — we found about 33 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 Raymondville, 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 2 meaningful breaks. There are 33 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument and Padre Island National Seashore. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 8.9 hours each way, a round trip means 17.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Raymondville, TX before the return drive.

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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Explore more options from Irving, TX or browse trips ending in Raymondville, TX.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.

Trip from Irving, TX to Raymondville, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-35

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Overnight Options

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Quality Services Towing & Tires

Bell County Northbound Rest Area

Love's Travel Stop

Hill County Northbound Rest Area

Pilot Travel Center

Kenedy County Rest Area

Flying J Travel Center

Walburg Travel Center & Food Court

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Petro Stopping Centers

Buc-ee's

Service Plaza

QuikTrip

QuikTrip

Circle K

Ascent Travel Center

Flying J Travel Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Hill County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Road Ranger

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

QuikTrip

Buc-ee's

TA

Service Plaza

QuikTrip

Bell County Southbound Rest Area

San Patricio County Northbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Dick Kleberg Park

NTER - The Great Escape

Doris D Miller Park

Izzy Bounce`

Ripley's Believe It or Not!

Louis Tussaud's Palace of Wax

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Irving, TX

Raymondville, TX

Same local time

20 degrees warmer at arrival

8h 53m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Waco Mammoth National Monument

Padre Island National Seashore

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Irving, TX

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Should I split this drive into multiple days?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Are there national parks near this route?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

Continue From Raymondville, TX