Origin
Live Oak, TX
Afternoon in Live Oak on Sunday
Local time
2:17 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Live Oak, TX to Austin, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
66.7 mi
107 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Live Oak, TX
Phil Evenden
Austin, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Planning a trip from Live Oak to Austin? This 66.7-mile drive will take you about 1 hour and 15 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily be on the Purple Heart Trail and North Pan Am Expressway before merging onto Interstate Highway 35. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $10, this route is budget-friendly. The journey is entirely within Texas, moving from the Great Plains region to another part of the Great Plains. You won't need to worry about overnight stays, allowing for maximum flexibility.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 58.6 mi | 1h 3m |
| North Pan Am Expressway | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| Interstate Highway 35 | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Interstate 35 North | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East 6th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Congress Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Judson Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East 5th Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 58.6 mi, about 1h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Live Oak, TX and Austin, TX.
1
Start on I 35
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
2
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 170
Toward Judson Road
Use the slight right lane.
3
Turn straight onto Interstate 35 North
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Interstate 35 North
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Turn left onto Judson Road
249 ft
·
12 sec
·
Judson Road
5
Turn left onto Interstate 35 North
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Interstate 35 North
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 35 North
7
Merge onto I 35
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 35
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 35
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 35
47 mi
·
50 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 234C
Toward 6th - 12th Streets
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn left onto East 6th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East 6th Street
13
Turn left onto Congress Avenue
357 ft
·
17 sec
·
Congress Avenue
14
Turn left onto East 5th Street
28 ft
·
0 sec
·
East 5th Street
Use the left lane.
15
Arrive at destination
East 5th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.3 miles from Live Oak, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 66.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward Judson Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 170
Toward Judson Road
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Judson Road
Turn left onto Judson Road
Navigation decision point
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway
Merge onto I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
65.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward 6th - 12th Streets
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 234C
Toward 6th - 12th Streets
7
66.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
East 5th Street
Turn left onto East 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.08 one way
$20.16 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $11.03 | $22.06 |
| premium | $4.54 | $11.91 | $23.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.73 | $29.45 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20 | 0 | $7.00 | $3.20 |
| Efficient EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.84 | $2.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.7 | 0 | $9.34 | $4.27 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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.
Destination
Austin, TX
Afternoon in Austin on Sunday
Local time
2:17 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Partly Cloudy
SSE 5 to 10 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 16 at 8:59PM CDT until April 17 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 16 at 8:56PM CDT until April 17 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Lubbock TX
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
4 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
1h 15m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive presents a 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, meaning you'll encounter more intersections and changes in direction than a straightforward interstate cruise. While only 10% of the route is on highways, the longest uninterrupted stretch covers an impressive 58.6 miles along the Purple Heart Trail. Expect a dynamic driving experience, shifting between local roads and expressway segments. The character of the drive will evolve as you navigate through various local road systems before reaching your destination.
Only 10% 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: 58.6 mi on Purple Heart Trail.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 66.7 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (Judson Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 1h 15m. Total distance: 66.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (10%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 58.6 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (Judson Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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