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Trip from Lakeway, TX to Austin, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

32m

Distance

19.4 mi

31 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 30m ★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m

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

Downtown Lakeway, TX, TX

Lakeway, TX

Danny Meneses

Downtown Austin, TX, TX

Austin, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are traveling from Lakeway to Austin, you are looking at a quick 19.4-mile trek that typically takes about 32 minutes to complete. This trip stays entirely within the Great Plains region of Texas, making it a straightforward excursion that easily fits into a single day. With a fuel budget of just $3, it is an incredibly affordable commute between the two locations. Because the duration is so short, you certainly do not need to worry about overnight arrangements. Whether you are heading into the city for business or leisure, this route offers a practical and efficient connection.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Bee Caves Road 10.3 mi 15m
Ranch Road 620 South 2.9 mi 4m
Lohmans Crossing Road 1.9 mi 4m
West 5th Street 1.6 mi 3m
Bee Cave Road 1 mi 1m
South Mopac Expressway 0.6 mi <1m
West Highway 71 0.6 mi 1m
South Mopac Service Road 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Bee Caves Road — 10.3 mi, about 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lakeway, TX and Austin, TX.

1

Start on this road

112 ft · 13 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto Lohmans Crossing Road

1.9 mi · 4 min · Lohmans Crossing Road
3

Turn right onto RM 620

2.9 mi · 4 min · Ranch Road 620 South
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
4

Turn left onto TX 71

0.6 mi · 1 min · West Highway 71
Use the left lane.
5

Turn left onto RM 2244

8.0 mi · 11 min · Bee Caves Road
Use the left lane.
6

Continue on RM 2244

1.0 mi · 1 min · Bee Cave Road
7

Continue on RM 2244

2.3 mi · 4 min · Bee Caves Road
8

Turn left onto South Mopac Service Road

0.2 mi · 16 sec · South Mopac Service Road
Use the left lane.
9

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 17 sec
Toward Loop 1 North
10

Merge onto Loop 1

0.6 mi · 42 sec · South Mopac Expressway
11

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 12 sec
Toward 5th Street, Lake Austin Boulevard, Cesar Chavez Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 14 sec
Toward West 5th Street, Lake Austin Boulevard Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork

120 ft · 2 sec
Toward 5th Street Use the slight right lane.
14

Turn straight onto West 5th Street

1.6 mi · 3 min · West 5th Street
Use the straight lane.
15

Arrive at destination

East 5th Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.9 and 17.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
1.9 mi into trip | ~4m in | RM 620 / Ranch Road 620 South

Turn right onto RM 620 / Ranch Road 620 South

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
16.6 mi into trip | ~27m in | South Mopac Service Road

Turn left onto South Mopac Service Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
7
17.5 mi into trip | ~28m in

Take the exit toward 5th Street, Lake Austin Boulevard, Cesar Chavez Street

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. Toward 5th Street, Lake Austin Boulevard, Cesar...
9
17.7 mi into trip | ~28m in

Keep slight left at fork toward West 5th Street, Lake Austin Boulevard

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward West 5th Street, Lake Austin Boulevard
8
17.8 mi into trip | ~28m in

Keep slight right at fork toward 5th Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward 5th Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.93 one way

$5.86 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $3.21 $6.42
premium $4.54 $3.46 $6.93
diesel $5.61 $4.28 $8.57

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 6.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5.8 0 $2.04 $0.93
Efficient EV 4.9 0 $1.70 $0.78
EV Truck/SUV 7.8 0 $2.72 $1.24

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (71% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Lakeway, TX

Late night in Lakeway on Tuesday

Local time

5:34 AM

CDT

Current temp

87°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Austin, TX

Late night in Austin on Tuesday

Local time

5:34 AM

CDT

Current temp

89°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

32m 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?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. You will navigate a mix of roads including Lohmans Crossing Road, Ranch Road 620 South, and Bee Caves Road. Only about 6% of this journey involves highway travel, meaning you will spend the vast majority of your time on local surfaces. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 10.3-mile segment on Bee Caves Road. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this route keeps you engaged with constant changes in direction as you transition from Lakeway toward Austin.

Only 6% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.3 mi on Bee Caves Road.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.9 miles in near RM 620 / Ranch Road 620 South.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 19.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.9 miles (RM 620 / Ranch Road 620 South): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.6 miles (South Mopac Service Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.5 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.

On the drive from Lakeway, TX to Austin, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Loop 1 North along the way.

Loop 1 North

16.8 mi in | ~27m

About the Cities

Starting in Lakeway, TX

Full guide →

Lakeway is a city in the Hill Country region of Texas. It is just outside of Austin.

Arriving in Austin, TX

Full guide →

“City of the Violet Crown” · Founded 1835

Austin is a city of about 1,054,000 (2026) surpassing Fort Worth to become the 4th most populous city in Texas. It is on the southeast edge of the Hill Country region of Texas, making it the fourth-largest city in the state and the 11th-largest in the country. It is the capital of Texas and a college town, and also a center of an alternative culture away from the major cities on the US coasts, though the city is rapidly gentrifying with its rising popularity. Austin's attitude is commonly emblazoned about town on T-shirts and bumper stickers that read: "Keep Austin Weird." Austin is also marketed as the Live Music Capital of the World due to the large number of venues.

Top landmarks

  • Texas State Capitol — capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Texas
  • Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum — presidential library and museum for U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson in Austin,...
  • Texas State Cemetery — historic cemetery in Austin, Texas, USA

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 32m. Total distance: 19.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

32m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 10.3 miles on Bee Caves Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Austin, 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 1.9 miles (RM 620 / Ranch Road 620 South): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.6 miles (South Mopac Service Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.5 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 Austin, 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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Explore more options from Lakeway, TX or browse trips ending in Austin, TX.

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