Road Ranger
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Killeen, TX to Uvalde, 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
4h 18m
Distance
244.5 mi
394 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$33
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 6m
★
6 AM
4h 19m
8 AM
4h 45m
10 AM
4h 28m
12 PM
4h 25m
3 PM
4h 29m
5 PM
4h 44m
8 PM
4h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Killeen, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Uvalde, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Embarking from Killeen, TX, to Uvalde, TX, you'll cover 244.5 miles, a journey estimated to take about 4 hours and 18 minutes. This drive is primarily focused on highways, with 83% of the route utilizing them, making it a very manageable one-day trip. The estimated fuel cost is around $37, and you'll encounter just one recommended stop along the way. This route offers a straightforward drive through the Great Plains region of Texas, perfect for those looking for an efficient transit rather than an extensive exploration. You'll spend most of your time on TX 130 Toll and US Highway 90 West.
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
122.3 miles from Killeen, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 1m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| TX 130 Toll | 86.1 mi | 1h 19m |
| US Highway 90 West | 37.7 mi | 43m |
| South Fort Hood Street | 33.8 mi | 37m |
| I 10 | 32.5 mi | 33m |
| West US Highway 90 | 25.4 mi | 28m |
| Cleto Rodriguez Freeway | 12.5 mi | 14m |
| Jose Lopez Freeway | 8.4 mi | 9m |
| East Main Street | 3.2 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
TX 130 Toll
— 86.1 mi, about 1h 19m
Traffic on I-10
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 36 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,919 veh/hr typical · worst 3,597
Quietest
2 AM
~345 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 52 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 Killeen, TX and Uvalde, TX.
1
Start on this road
74 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
83 ft
·
8 sec
3
Turn right onto US 190 Bus
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Veterans Memorial Boulevard
4
Turn left onto TX 195
34 mi
·
37 min
·
South Fort Hood Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
6
Continue on North Interstate 35
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
North Interstate 35
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
8
Continue on TX 130 Toll
86 mi
·
1 hr 19 min
·
TX 130 Toll
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 10 West: San Antonio
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 10; TX 130
11 mi
·
11 min
·
I 10; TX 130
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 10; US 90; TX 130
9.4 mi
·
9 min
·
I 10; US 90; TX 130
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130
12 mi
·
12 min
·
I 10; US 90; TX 130
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130
0.8 mi
·
51 sec
·
90th Infantry Division Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 10; US 90
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Jose Lopez Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on US 90
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Cleto Rodriguez Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on US 90
25 mi
·
28 min
·
West US Highway 90
17
Continue on US 90
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
19th Street
18
Continue on US 90
38 mi
·
43 min
·
US Highway 90 West
19
Continue on US 90
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
East Main Street
20
Turn right onto US 83
31 ft
·
0 sec
·
North Getty Street
21
Arrive at destination
US 83
Trip Plan
For this 4-hour and 18-minute drive, starting in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight and ensure you reach Uvalde with ample time. With only one recommended stop and 83% of the route on highways, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. Plan your fuel stops accordingly; the estimated cost is $37, but it's always wise to top off before setting out. A key tip for this route: be aware that US Highway 90 West can have varying speed limits and occasional local traffic as you approach Uvalde, so stay alert during the final leg.
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 122.3 miles from Killeen, TX, or about 2h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.1 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 54 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 122.3 miles or 2h 1m 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 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Uvalde, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Killeen, 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 Killeen, TX
This is one driving day of about 244.5 miles and 4h 18m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 54 miles from Killeen, 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 TX 130 Toll for about 86.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
122 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 54 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 122.3 miles from Killeen, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before TX 130 Toll if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 86.1 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.
Medina County Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Circle K
0.1 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.1 mi from route
Jud's Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.3 mi from route
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
0.7 mi from route
Great Escape of Central Texas
4.9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
3.1 mi from route
~8 min detour
Killeen, Texas
Hours: 3:30–9:30 pm
+12546802686
Visit websiteSan Antonio Botanical Garden
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, short detour
Final third
3.2 mi from route
~8 min detour
San Antonio, Texas
Hours: 8 am–6 pm
+12105361400
Visit websiteUS Army Medical Department Museum
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, short detour
Final third
3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Fort Sam Houston, Texas
+12102216358
Visit websiteLions Club Park
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
3.3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Killeen, Texas
Hours: 5 am–10 pm
+12545016390
Visit websiteThe DoSeum
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour
Final third
3.7 mi from route
~9 min detour
San Antonio, Texas
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+12102124453
Visit websiteSan Antonio Museum of Art
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour
Final third
3.9 mi from route
~10 min detour
Moderately
San Antonio, Texas
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+12109788100
Visit websiteSan Antonio Fire Museum
4.9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour
Final third
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
San Antonio, Texas
Hours: 10 am–3:30 pm
+12103907236
Visit websiteSan Antonio River Lock & Dam
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour
Final third
4.1 mi from route
~10 min detour
San Antonio, Texas
Hours: 9 am–10 pm
+12102271373
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 154.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
TX 195 / South Fort Hood Street
Turn left onto TX 195 / South Fort Hood Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
121.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 59m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 West: San Antonio
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 10 West: San Antonio
6
142.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 21m in
|
I 10; US 90; TX 130
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
154.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 34m in
|
I 10; US 90; TX 130 / 90th Infantry Division Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130 / 90th Infantry Division Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.49 one way
$66.98 round trip
$3.48/gal
25.4 MPG avg
86 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.89 | $37.41 | $74.81 |
| premium | $4.23 | $40.67 | $81.34 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $46.17 | $92.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 85.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 73.4 | 0 | $25.67 | $11.74 |
| Efficient EV | 61.1 | 0 | $21.39 | $9.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 97.8 | 1 | $34.23 | $15.65 |
Gas CO2
86 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (66% 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.
Origin
Killeen, TX
Evening in Killeen on Monday
Local time
6:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Mostly Sunny
S 10 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 18 at 8:07AM CDT until July 18 at 11:15AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 18 at 7:59AM CDT until July 20 at 3:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Destination
Uvalde, TX
Evening in Uvalde on Monday
Local time
6:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
92°F
Partly Sunny
SE 10 mph
2% chance
Live forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 18 at 8:07AM CDT until July 18 at 11:15AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 18 at 7:59AM CDT until July 20 at 3:00AM 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 18m 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...
6 mi from route
~16 min detour
Free
near mile 160.2
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This road trip is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with over 80% of your time spent on major roadways. Expect to encounter TX 130 Toll and US Highway 90 West for the bulk of your journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 86.1 miles on TX 130 Toll, offering a chance to settle in. While largely highway, the initial portion will involve South Fort Hood Street. The overall feel is one of steady progress, with minimal complex turns or changes in road type.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 86.1 mi on TX 130 Toll.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on TX 130 Toll and US Highway 90 West. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 244.5 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (TX 195 / South Fort Hood Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 121.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
982 ft
441 ft
Total Climb
809 ft
Total Descent
725 ft
Highest Point
982 ft
~192.1 mi in
Elevation Range
541 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Killeen, TX
Full guide →Founded 1872
Killeen is a city in the Central Hill Country of Texas. It is home to U.S. Army installation Fort Cavasos, one of the largest military bases in the world.
Top landmarks
- • Killeen High School — historic place in Killeen, Bell County, Texas
Arriving in Uvalde, TX
Full guide →Uvalde is a city in the Hill Country River Region of Texas.
Top landmarks
- • Grand Opera House — historic place in Uvalde, Uvalde County, Texas
- • John Nance Garner House — building in Uvalde, Uvalde County, Texas
- • Uvalde Downtown Historic District — historic district in Uvalde, Uvalde 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 18m. Total distance: 244.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 86.1 miles on TX 130 Toll. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 15 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 Uvalde, 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 15 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (TX 195 / South Fort Hood Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 121.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Uvalde, 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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