Traveling from Irving to San Antonio covers 301.6 miles and typically takes about 4 hours and 24 minutes behind the wheel. This journey keeps you within the Great Plains region for the entire trip, making it a straightforward transition between two major Texas hubs. Because the transit time is relatively manageable, you can easily complete this drive in a single day without needing an overnight stop. Budgeting roughly $45 for fuel should cover your needs for the trip. Since the route relies on local roads rather than major interstates, it offers a different pace than your typical Texas highway commute.
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
139.8 miles from Irving, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 30m into the drive
.
Step-by-step road directions between Irving, TX and San Antonio, 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
5.3 mi·5 min·South Walton Walker Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto Loop 12
1.4 mi·1 min·South Walton Walker Boulevard
Toward Loop 12 SouthUse the slight left lane.
9
Turn slight right onto Duncanville Road
3.2 mi·6 min·Duncanville Road
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto West Interstate 20
0.2 mi·21 sec·West Interstate 20
Use the left lane.
11
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward I 20 East
12
Merge onto I 20
4.6 mi·4 min·Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·44 sec
Exit 467BToward I 35E South: WacoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 35E
81 mi·1 hr 22 min·South R L Thornton Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on I 35; US 77
6.6 mi·7 min·North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 35
38 mi·39 min·Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
56 mi·58 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290
50 mi·54 min·Purple Heart Trail
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton StreetUse the slight left lane.
19
Continue on I 35
1.7 mi·1 min·Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Continue on I 35
12 mi·12 min·Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Continue on I 35
10.0 mi·11 min·North Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
6.4 mi·8 min·North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35 SouthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
0.6 mi·41 sec·North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35 South: Lower Level, LaredoUse the slight left lane.
24
Take the exit
0.1 mi·16 sec
Exit 157AToward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro AvenueUse the slight right lane.
25
Turn straight onto East Elmira Street
526 ft·17 sec·East Elmira Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
26
Turn left onto North Main Avenue
0.2 mi·18 sec·North Main Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
27
Enter roundabout onto Navarro Street
159 ft·3 sec·Navarro Street
28
Continue on Navarro Street
111 ft·2 sec·Navarro Street
29
Keep slight right at fork onto North Main Avenue
0.4 mi·51 sec·North Main Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
30
Turn right onto West Travis Street
222 ft·10 sec·West Travis Street
31
Turn left onto North Flores Street
0.2 mi·20 sec·North Flores Street
32
Continue on Military Plaza
392 ft·15 sec·Military Plaza
33
Turn left onto Dolorosa Street
327 ft·8 sec·Dolorosa Street
34
Arrive at destination
Dolorosa Street
Trip Plan
Given the turn-intensive nature of the 301.6-mile route, prioritize a departure time that avoids local rush-hour congestion to keep your drive time closer to the 4-hour and 24-minute estimate. Plan for at least one stop to stretch your legs, as the constant navigation required on local roads can be more fatiguing than highway driving. Keep your $45 fuel budget handy, but consider filling up before leaving Irving to avoid hunting for stations while navigating local turn-heavy sections. Since this is a one-day trip, the main advantage is your flexibility; you have the freedom to choose your own pace without the pressure of a multi-day itinerary. Because there are no long highway stretches, stay alert for frequent traffic signals and changing speed limits as you transition between local road segments.
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 139.8 miles from Irving, TX, or about 2h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.6 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 62 miles or 1h 10m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 139.8 miles or 2h 30m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Antonio, 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 279.7 miles and 5h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 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 Purple Heart Trail for about 99.6 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 22
5 decision points cluster between mile 7.2 and 278.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
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
7
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
8
198.1 mi into trip|~3h 31m 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
277.9 mi into trip|~5h 1m in|I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
8
278.5 mi into trip|~5h 1m in
Take the exit toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro Avenue
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 157A
Toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.26 one way
$84.53 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg98 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$46.26
$92.52
premium
$4.54
$49.94
$99.88
diesel
$5.61
$61.75
$123.51
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 97.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
83.9
1
$29.37
$13.43
Efficient EV
69.9
0
$24.47
$11.19
EV Truck/SUV
111.9
1
$39.16
$17.90
Gas CO2
98 kg
EV CO2
33 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 Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Irving, TX
Late night
in Irving on Tuesday
Local time
3:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
San Antonio, TX
Late night
in San Antonio on Tuesday
Local time
3:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
90°F
Partly Sunny
SSE 10 mph0% chanceLive 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
6 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
5h 4m 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.
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 96.4
Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
Free
near mile 279.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. You will navigate through city infrastructure using West 2nd Street, East Irving Boulevard, and South Loop 12 to make your way out of the area. With a 0% highway share, this route avoids the high-speed, long-distance stretches often found on cross-country treks. The longest uninterrupted stretch on West 2nd Street is 0 miles, confirming that you will be navigating frequent intersections and turns throughout the journey. This personality makes the drive feel more like a series of connected local segments than one singular fast-paced road.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
34 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 99.6 mi on Purple Heart Trail.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 279.7 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 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 198.1 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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
San Antonio is the second largest city in the state of Texas and the 7th largest in the United States. It's the 24th largest metropolitan area in the country. Visited by more than 31 million annual visitors, San Antonio is a beautiful city at the axis of three different geological terrains: Hill Country, South Texas Plains and Prairie and Lakes. There's a lot to do in this city: fine art museums, historical missions and plenty of amusement parks in addition to great dining and lots of drinking. The culture and people are vibrant and interesting. San Antonio's downtown is one of the most lively in the nation.
Top landmarks
•Alamo Mission in San Antonio — historic place in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
•San Antonio Missions National Historical Park — historic district in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
•Fort Sam Houston — military base in San Antonio, Texas
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 4m. Total distance: 279.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 99.6 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 San Antonio, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 198.1 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.1 hours each way, a round trip means 10.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at San Antonio, TX before the return drive.
