Trip from Jourdanton, TX to Plano, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 56m
Distance
342.7 mi
552 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$47
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jourdanton, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Plano, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Embarking on a 342.7-mile journey from Jourdanton, TX to Plano, TX, this drive is estimated to take just under 6 hours, making it a feasible day trip. You'll primarily navigate on the Purple Heart Trail, Pickle Parkway, and I-35E, with 60% of the drive being on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $52. Both your origin and destination are within the Great Plains region, suggesting a drive through consistent prairie landscapes. This route offers a straightforward, mixed driving experience that can be comfortably completed in a single day.
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
171.3 miles from Jourdanton, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 55m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 97.7 mi | 1h 39m |
| Pickle Parkway | 86 mi | 1h 19m |
| I 35E | 56.2 mi | 58m |
| I 37 | 23.2 mi | 23m |
| 90th Infantry Division Highway | 21.7 mi | 22m |
| North Central Expressway | 16.6 mi | 18m |
| I 10 | 10.9 mi | 10m |
| Connally Loop | 7 mi | 7m |
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,007 veh/hr typical · worst 4,783
Quietest
2 AM
~579 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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 Jourdanton, TX and Plano, TX.
Start on TX 16
Turn right onto TX 97
Turn left onto US 281; TX 97
Continue on US 281; TX 97
Turn right onto TX 97
Turn left onto I-37 Frontage Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 37
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 410; TX 130
Take the exit onto TX 130
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 130
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 130
Merge onto I 10; US 90; TX 130
Continue on I 10; TX 130
Take the exit
Continue on TX 130 Toll
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 35
Continue on I 35
Continue on I 35; US 77
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on I 30; US 67
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto US 75
Continue on US 75
Take the exit
Turn straight onto North Central Expressway
Turn right onto East 15th Street
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 5-hour and 56-minute duration, starting your drive from Jourdanton early in the morning is advisable to maximize daylight and allow for flexibility. With only one recommended stop, you can choose to break up the 342.7 miles as needed, perhaps after the longest stretch of 97.7 miles on the Purple Heart Trail. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially on the highway segments, and budget approximately $52 for gas. This route is well-suited for a single-day adventure, so enjoy the open road and the change of scenery as you head north.
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.
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 75 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 171.3 miles or 2h 55m 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 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Plano, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
Open the route before leaving Jourdanton, 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 Jourdanton, TX
This is one driving day of about 342.7 miles and 5h 56m.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
171 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
A short stop after about 75 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 171.3 miles from Jourdanton, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 97.7 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.
Picnic Area
Road Ranger
Flying J Travel Plaza
Pilot Travel Center
Hill County Southbound Rest Area
Picnic Area
Flying J Travel Center
Love's Travel Stop
Flying J Travel Center
Pilot Travel Center
Love's Travel Stop
TA
Petro Stopping Centers
Buc-ee's
Service Plaza
QuikTrip
QuikTrip
QuikTrip
QuikTrip
QuikTrip
Circle K
Petro Stopping Centers
Ascent Travel Center
Bell County Northbound Rest Area
Jud's Travel Center
Pilot Travel Center
Bell County Southbound Rest Area
QuikTrip
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
Road Ranger
Pilot Travel Center
Love's Travel Stop
Love's Travel Stop
QuikTrip
Buc-ee's
TA
Service Plaza
Love's Travel Stop
SoPac Trail Rest Area
Service Plaza
Pilot Travel Center
Dark Hour Haunted House
Near the end, right off the route
Plano, Texas
+14692980556
Visit website11th Hour Escape
Near the end, right off the route
Plano, Texas
Hours: 12–5:30 pm
+14692095978
Visit websiteCultural Activities Center
Around the midpoint, short detour
Temple, Texas
Hours: 8:30 am–4 pm
+12547739926
Visit websiteHeritage Farmstead Museum
Near the end, short detour
Plano, Texas
Hours: Closed
+19728810140
Visit websiteNTER - The Great Escape
Near the end, short detour
Waxahachie, Texas
Hours: 5–9 pm
+12149801053
Visit websiteCity Park
Near the end, ~11 min detour
Dallas, Texas
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+19724823055
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 295 decision points cluster between mile 32.7 and 321.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 410, TX 130, US 281 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 410 North, TX 130 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit onto TX 130 toward I 10, US 90, TX 130: San Antonio, Houston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$46.94 one way
$93.88 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.89 | $52.43 | $104.86 |
| premium | $4.23 | $57.00 | $114.01 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $64.71 | $129.42 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.32
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 119.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 102.8 | 1 | $35.98 | $16.45 |
| Efficient EV | 85.7 | 0 | $29.99 | $13.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 137.1 | 1 | $47.98 | $21.93 |
Gas CO2
120 kg
EV CO2
40 kg (67% 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.
Origin
Jourdanton, TX
Evening in Jourdanton on Monday
Local time
6:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
92°F
Partly Sunny
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 7:12AM CDT until July 17 at 10:15AM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 7:00AM CDT until July 17 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
Destination
Plano, TX
Evening in Plano on Monday
Local time
6:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
91°F
Mostly Sunny
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 7:12AM CDT until July 17 at 10:15AM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 7:00AM CDT until July 17 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
96°F
Troy, TX
171 mi in
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
1 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
5h 56m 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.
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
National Historical Park
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...
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This route presents a mixed driving profile, balancing efficient highway travel with other road types. You'll experience a 60% highway share, including stretches on I-35E, which can be quite fast-paced. The longest uninterrupted stretch measures 97.7 miles on the Purple Heart Trail, offering a significant period of consistent travel. As you progress, expect the road character to shift between open highway and potentially more varied local road conditions, providing a dynamic driving experience over the 342.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 32.7 miles in.
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 29 significant decision points across 342.7 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 32.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.3 miles (TX 130): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,011 ft
Total Descent
804 ft
Highest Point
870 ft
~171.3 mi in
Elevation Range
414 ft
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 Jourdanton, TX and Plano, TX, road signs point toward Houston, Seguin, Austin, Waco, Fort Worth and Texarkana - among others.
Houston
Seguin
Austin
Waco
Fort Worth
Texarkana
Convention Center
Mckinney
Bryan Street East
About the Cities
Starting in Jourdanton, TX
Full guide →Founded 1909
Jourdanton is a small rural town in South Texas.
Top landmarks
- • Atascosa County Courthouse — building in Jourdanton, Atascosa County, Texas
Arriving in Plano, TX
Full guide →Founded 1873
Plano is a city of 285,000 people (2020) in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex region of Texas and is north of Dallas. It is home to the headquarters of several large corporations.
Top landmarks
- • Heritage Farmstead Museum — building in Texas, United States
- • Plano Station, Texas Electric Railway — historic place in Plano, Collin 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 5h 56m. Total distance: 342.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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