Trip from McKinney, TX to Donna, TX

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

Drive Time

9h 44m

Distance

557.9 mi

898 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$76

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min

4 AM

9h 35m ★

6 AM

9h 44m

8 AM

10h 2m

10 AM

9h 50m

12 PM

9h 48m

3 PM

9h 51m

5 PM

10h 1m

8 PM

9h 39m

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

Best Time

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city in Collin County, Texas, United States

McKinney, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Donna, TX

Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE

Trip Overview

McKinney, TX to Donna, TX is 557.9 miles and takes about 9h 44m via South R L Thornton Freeway, TX 130 Toll, and South Nueces Street, with a fuel budget near $83 and an overnight stay recommended. This long-haul drive spans across Texas, starting in the Great Plains region and ending in the same region. Given the nearly 10-hour driving time, it's best split over two days to avoid excessive fatigue. Plan for a significant amount of time on the road, as this route covers a substantial distance within the state.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

278.9 miles from McKinney, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 45m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
South R L Thornton Freeway	89.9 mi	1h 32m
TX 130 Toll	86.1 mi	1h 19m
South Nueces Street	66.2 mi	1h 10m
I 37	60.5 mi	1h 1m
Falfurrias Expressway	55.8 mi	58m
Purple Heart Trail	37.9 mi	39m
I 10	32.5 mi	33m
Central Expressway	29.2 mi	31m

Longest stretch: South R L Thornton Freeway — 89.9 mi, about 1h 32m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 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

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

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 McKinney, TX and Donna, TX.

Start on North Tennessee Street

119 ft · 12 sec · North Tennessee Street

Turn left onto East Virginia Street

1.4 mi · 3 min · East Virginia Street

Turn left onto South Central Expressway

0.6 mi · 52 sec · South Central Expressway

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 42 sec

Toward US 75 South, TX 121 South Use the left lane.

Merge onto US 75; TX 121

29 mi · 31 min · Central Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

501 ft · 12 sec

Exit 284C Toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway Use the slight left lane.

Continue on North Central Expressway

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Central Expressway

Use the left / straight lanes.

Turn right onto Elm Street

304 ft · 10 sec · Elm Street

Turn left onto North Pearl Expressway

0.2 mi · 28 sec · North Pearl Expressway

Use the straight lane.

Turn right onto Young Street

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Young Street

Turn left onto South Harwood Street

315 ft · 8 sec · South Harwood Street

Use the left lane.

Turn right onto Canton Street

0.4 mi · 47 sec · Canton Street

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 38 sec

Toward I 30 West

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 14 sec

Toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Waco, Denton

Keep slight left at fork

221 ft · 5 sec

Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 30 sec

Toward I 35E South: Waco Use the left / right lanes.

Continue on I 35E

0.5 mi · 44 sec · South R L Thornton Freeway

Continue on I 35E

89 mi · 1 hr 31 min · South R L Thornton Freeway

Exit 426 Toward Dallas Zoo 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

26 mi · 26 min · I 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 55 sec

Exit 265 Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio Use the slight right lane.

Continue on TX 130 Toll

86 mi · 1 hr 19 min · TX 130 Toll

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min

Toward I 10 West: San Antonio Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 10; TX 130

11 mi · 11 min · I 10; TX 130

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

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.

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.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 410

1.4 mi · 1 min · Connally Loop

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 410; TX 130

6.7 mi · 7 min · Connally Loop

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Exit 41 Toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min

Toward I 37 South: Corpus Christi Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 37

60 mi · 1 hr 1 min · I 37

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit onto US 281 South

15 mi · 19 min · US 281 South

Toward US 281 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto US 281

66 mi · 1 hr 10 min · South Nueces Street

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

9.5 mi · 10 min · I 69C; US 281

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

56 mi · 58 min · Falfurrias Expressway

Use the straight / right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

18 mi · 20 min · I 69C; US 281

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 2 East; US 83 East

0.5 mi · 33 sec · I 2 East; US 83 East

Continue on I 2; US 83

6.5 mi · 7 min · I 2; US 83

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec

Exit 154 Toward Spur 433: Main Street Use the slight right lane.

Turn straight onto East Expressway 83

0.5 mi · 58 sec · East Expressway 83

Turn right onto Spur 433

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Main Street

Turn left onto US 83 Bus

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Hooks Avenue

Use the left lane.

Turn right onto South 11th Street

22 ft · 0 sec · South 11th Street

Arrive at destination

South 11th Street

Trip Plan

For this 557.9-mile drive, splitting it into two days is highly recommended to ensure a safe and comfortable trip. Aim to leave McKinney in the morning, covering roughly half the distance on day one. Consider stopping for the night around the halfway point, ensuring you have ample time for your second day of driving. With 2 recommended stops, you can break up the 9h 44m duration effectively. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially on the longer highway stretches, and budget around $83 for fuel costs. The shift from highway to surface streets near Donna means you'll want to be more alert for traffic signals and local road conditions in your final approach.

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.

Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 278.9 miles from McKinney, TX, or about 4h 45m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89.9 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 123 miles or 2h 12m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 278.9 miles or 4h 45m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 278.9 miles or 4h 45m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 8h 37m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving McKinney, 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.

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from McKinney, TX

Aim for roughly 279 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Donna, TX

Aim for roughly 279 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 123 miles from McKinney, TX.

This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.

Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on South R L Thornton Freeway for about 89.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in and county seat of Ellis County, Texas, United States

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Waxahachie, TX

184 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

San Antonio, TX

368 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in San Antonio, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

San Antonio, TX

279 mi · about 4.9h in

A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 279 miles or 4.9 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Waxahachie, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 123 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

San Antonio, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 278.9 miles from McKinney, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before South R L Thornton Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 89.9 miles.

Overnight split

2.4 mi from route

Pilot Travel Center

2.5 mi from route

Cultural Activities Center

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

Early stretch 1 mi from route ~3 min detour

Temple, Texas

Hours: 8:30 am–4 pm

+12547739926

Visit website

Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour

McKinney, Texas

Hours: 9 am–4 pm

+19725625566

Visit website

Gibson Park

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~9 min detour

Home stretch 3.4 mi from route ~9 min detour

Weslaco, Texas

Hours: 7 am–9 pm

+19564473407

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 35

5 decision points cluster between mile 31.5 and 322.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

31.5 mi into trip | ~36m in

Take the exit toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Exit 284C Toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway

33.6 mi into trip | ~40m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco

33.7 mi into trip | ~40m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E South: Waco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / right lanes. Toward I 35E South: Waco

194.9 mi into trip | ~3h 27m in

Take the exit toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 265 Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio

322.9 mi into trip | ~5h 30m in

Take the exit toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi

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 41 Toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$76.41 one way

$152.83 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 195 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$85.35	$170.71
premium	$4.23	$92.80	$185.60
diesel	$4.80	$105.34	$210.68

Estimated Tolls: $2.44

Central Expressway (30.5 mi) $2.44

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

$76

Tolls

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$209–$319

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 195.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $59 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	167.4	2	$58.58	$26.78
Efficient EV	139.5	1	$48.82	$22.32
EV Truck/SUV	223.2	2	$78.11	$35.71

Gas CO2

195 kg

EV CO2

65 kg (67% less)

Plan for 2 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 16, 2026

Origin

McKinney, TX

Morning in McKinney on Sunday

Local time

7:58 AM

CDT

Current temp

89°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 10 mph 40% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 4:21PM CDT until July 16 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 4:19PM CDT until July 16 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Destination

Donna, TX

Morning in Donna on Sunday

Local time

7:58 AM

CDT

Current temp

96°F

Mostly Sunny

SE 17 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 4:21PM CDT until July 16 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 4:19PM CDT until July 16 at 8:00PM 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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

7 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

9h 44m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

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...

3 mi from route ~8 min detour Free near mile 327

View on nps.gov

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...

8 mi from route ~21 min detour Free near mile 115.4

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

This route is predominantly highway driving, with 79% of the total mileage on highways. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch of highway at 89.9 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway. The majority of the drive involves cruising on well-maintained roads, but as you approach your destination, expect a shift from highway speeds to surface streets. This transition means you'll see more frequent intersections and potentially slower traffic as you get closer to Donna.

79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 89.9 mi on South R L Thornton Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South R L Thornton Freeway and TX 130 Toll. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 31.5 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 35 significant decision points across 557.9 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 31.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

755 ft 74 ft

Total Climb

541 ft

Total Descent

1,078 ft

Highest Point

755 ft

~199.2 mi in

Elevation Range

681 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between McKinney, TX and Donna, TX, road signs point toward Downtown, Denton, Waco, Dallas Zoo and Corpus Christi.

Downtown

31.5 mi in | ~36m

Denton

33.5 mi in | ~40m

Waco

33.6 mi in | ~40m

Dallas Zoo

34.6 mi in | ~41m | via I 35E

Corpus Christi

322.9 mi in | ~5h 30m

About the Cities

Starting in McKinney, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1848

McKinney is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas.

Arriving in Donna, TX

Full guide →

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 89.9 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 279 miles on day one.

Expect about $2.44 in tolls one way, starting with Central Expressway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

Yes — we found about 55 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 Donna, 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 2 meaningful breaks. There are 55 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 9.7 hours each way, a round trip means 19.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Donna, TX before the return drive.

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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