Trip from Lindsay, TX to Austin, TX

Pin this trip

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

Drive Time

4h 31m

Distance

256.6 mi

413 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$35

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 18m ★

6 AM

4h 31m

8 AM

4h 58m

10 AM

4h 41m

12 PM

4h 38m

3 PM

4h 42m

5 PM

4h 57m

8 PM

4h 23m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

Lindsay, TX

Gera Cejas

Austin, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Lindsay, TX to Austin, TX is 256.6 miles and takes about 4h 31m via I 35, with a fuel budget near $37 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward drive through Texas. With a recommended one-day duration, it's a manageable distance for most drivers. The route is primarily highway, making it a practical choice for getting from point A to point B efficiently.

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

128.3 miles from Lindsay, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 14m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 35	85 mi	1h 28m
North South Freeway	84.6 mi	1h 27m
Purple Heart Trail	40.3 mi	42m
I 35W	17.2 mi	18m
I 35W TEXpress	16.7 mi	16m
North Jack Kultgen Expressway	6.6 mi	7m
J M Lindsay Boulevard	3.5 mi	4m
North Interstate 35	1 mi	1m

Longest stretch: I 35 — 85 mi, about 1h 28m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 50 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

3 PM

~3,420 veh/hr typical · worst 4,120

Quietest

2 AM

~567 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6×

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 Lindsay, TX and Austin, TX.

Start on FM 1199

0.2 mi · 34 sec · Main Street

Continue on FM 1199

0.1 mi · 24 sec · Walnut Street

Turn left onto FM 1199; FM 3108

0.3 mi · 43 sec · Hickory Drive

Turn right onto US 82

3.5 mi · 4 min · J M Lindsay Boulevard

Turn right onto North Interstate 35

0.8 mi · 1 min · North Interstate 35

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 24 sec

Merge onto I 35

29 mi · 29 min · I 35

Use the slight right lane.

Take the exit onto I 35W

17 mi · 18 min · I 35W

Exit 467 Toward I 35W South, FM 1515: Fort Worth Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W Express

17 mi · 16 min · I 35W TEXpress

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Merge onto I 35W

85 mi · 1 hr 27 min · North South 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

56 mi · 58 min · I 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290

2.4 mi · 3 min · Purple Heart Trail

Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street Use the slight left lane.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec

Exit 234B Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University Use the slight right lane.

Turn straight onto North Interstate 35

0.2 mi · 27 sec · North Interstate 35

Use the straight / right lanes.

Turn right onto East 6th Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · East 6th Street

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto Congress Avenue

357 ft · 17 sec · Congress Avenue

Turn left onto East 5th Street

28 ft · 0 sec · East 5th Street

Use the left lane.

Arrive at destination

East 5th Street

Trip Plan

Given the 4h 31m estimated drive time, starting in the morning is your best bet to avoid late-day traffic, especially as you get closer to Austin. With only one stop recommended, you have flexibility to take breaks as needed, perhaps around the 85-mile mark on I 35. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the $37 estimate is based on current prices and distances. This is a route where you can comfortably complete the drive in a single day, allowing for easy scheduling.

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 128.3 miles from Lindsay, TX, or about 2h 14m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 85 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 56 miles or 1h in

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

Halfway reset

Around 128.3 miles or 2h 14m 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 40m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Austin, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Lindsay, 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 Lindsay, TX

This is one driving day of about 256.6 miles and 4h 31m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Lindsay, 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 I 35 for about 85 miles.

Where to Stop

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

town in Ellis County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Italy, TX

128 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

Keller, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 56 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Italy, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 128.3 miles from Lindsay, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, ~11 min detour

Final third 4.3 mi from route ~11 min detour

Salado, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+12549478634

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 34.3 and 256.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

34.3 mi into trip | ~37m in | I 35W

Take the exit onto I 35W toward I 35W South, FM 1515: Fort Worth

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. Exit 467 Toward I 35W South, FM 1515: Fort Worth

51.5 mi into trip | ~55m in | I 35W Express / I 35W TEXpress

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W Express / I 35W TEXpress

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

253.2 mi into trip | ~4h 25m 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

255.6 mi into trip | ~4h 28m in

Take the exit toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University

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 234B Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson Univer...

256.6 mi into trip | ~4h 31m in | East 5th Street

Turn left onto East 5th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$35.15 one way

$70.29 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 90 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$39.26	$78.52
premium	$4.23	$42.68	$85.36
diesel	$4.80	$48.45	$96.90

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$35

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$60–$85

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 89.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	77	0	$26.94	$12.32
Efficient EV	64.2	0	$22.45	$10.26
EV Truck/SUV	102.6	1	$35.92	$16.42

Gas CO2

90 kg

EV CO2

30 kg (67% 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.

Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026

Origin

Lindsay, TX

Late night in Lindsay on Sunday

Local time

1:59 AM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Partly Cloudy

S 10 mph 4% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 3:19AM CDT until July 22 at 7:46AM CDT by NWS Corpus Christi TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 3:19AM CDT until July 21 at 3:48AM CDT by NWS Corpus Christi TX

Destination

Austin, TX

Late night in Austin on Sunday

Local time

1:59 AM

CDT

Current temp

77°F

Mostly Cloudy

S 5 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 3:19AM CDT until July 22 at 7:46AM CDT by NWS Corpus Christi TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 3:19AM CDT until July 21 at 3:48AM CDT by NWS Corpus Christi TX

77°F

Italy, TX

128 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

3 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

4h 31m 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...

5 mi from route ~12 min detour Free near mile 150.4

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is mostly highway, with 82% of the 256.6 miles on major roads like I 35 and North South Freeway. You'll experience a longest stretch of 85 miles on I 35 before encountering more varied road conditions. Expect a steady cruising pace for the majority of the trip, with the potential for more frequent exits as you approach the Austin area.

82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 85 mi on I 35.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and North South Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 34.3 miles in near I 35W.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 256.6 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 34.3 miles (I 35W): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 51.5 miles (I 35W Express / I 35W TEXpress): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 253.2 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

874 ft 487 ft

Total Climb

810 ft

Total Descent

1,118 ft

Highest Point

874 ft

~219.9 mi in

Elevation Range

387 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 Lindsay, TX to Austin, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Fm 1515: Fort Worth along the way.

Fm 1515: Fort Worth

34.3 mi in | ~37m | via I 35W

About the Cities

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 4h 31m. Total distance: 256.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 85 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 27 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 Austin, 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 27 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

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

Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Austin, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Lindsay, TX or browse trips ending in Austin, TX.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.

Trip from Lindsay, TX to Austin, 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

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Bell County Northbound Rest Area

TA

Hill County Northbound Rest Area

Love's Travel Stop

Flying J Travel Center

Walburg Travel Center & Food Court

Buc-ee's

Buc-ee's

QuikTrip

QuikTrip

QuikTrip

QuikTrip

Love's Travel Stop

Flying J Travel Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Pilot Travel Center

Hill County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Road Ranger

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Buc-ee's

TA

Service Plaza

Bell County Southbound Rest Area

Service Plaza

Road Ranger

Austin Bat Tours

Botanical Gates of Paradise

Tornado Terry's Family Amusement Center

Forest Park Miniature Railroad

Barton Creek Greenbelt

Cultural Activities Center

Explorium Denton Children's Museum a Program of Denton County Friends of The Family.

Village of Salado Visitors Center

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Lindsay, TX

Austin, TX

Same local time

3 degrees warmer at arrival

4h 31m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Waco Mammoth National Monument

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Arriving in Austin, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

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 Austin, TX

More from Lindsay, TX

More trips to Austin, TX