Origin
McKinney, TX
Morning in McKinney on Tuesday
Local time
9:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from McKinney, TX to Fort Worth, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
59.4 mi
96 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McKinney, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Fort Worth, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from McKinney to Fort Worth covers approximately 59.5 miles across the Great Plains region of Texas. You can expect the journey to take about 59 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel budget of roughly $9, this route is highly efficient for those looking to traverse the area quickly. Because the drive is short and direct, you have total flexibility in your scheduling. Both your starting point and destination remain within the Great Plains, ensuring a consistent geographic feel throughout your transit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sam Rayburn Tollway | 23.8 mi | 25m |
| TX 121 | 21.9 mi | 24m |
| Airport Freeway | 7.2 mi | 8m |
| South McDonald Street | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| North South Freeway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Spur 399 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| US 287 Bus | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Sam Rayburn Tollway
— 23.8 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between McKinney, TX and Fort Worth, TX.
1
Start on North Tennessee Street
119 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Tennessee Street
2
Turn left onto East Virginia Street
228 ft
·
13 sec
·
East Virginia Street
3
Turn left onto North Kentucky Street
236 ft
·
15 sec
·
North Kentucky Street
4
Turn left onto East Louisiana Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
East Louisiana Street
5
Turn right onto TX 5
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
South McDonald Street
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on Spur 399
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Spur 399
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on SRT
20 mi
·
21 min
·
Sam Rayburn Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on TX 121
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
TX 121
9
Continue on SRT
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Sam Rayburn Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on TX 121
6.9 mi
·
7 min
·
TX 121
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 121
14 mi
·
15 min
·
TX 121
Toward TX 121 South: Forth Worth, Arlington, Grand Praire
Use the left / right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 121
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Airport Freeway
Exit 25A
Toward TX 121 South: Downtown, Fort Worth
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on TX 121
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Airport Freeway
Exit 24B
Toward TX 121 South: Downtown, Ft Worth
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 35W South, US 287 South, US 377 South: Waco
Use the slight left lane.
15
Merge onto I 35W; US 287; US 377
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North South Freeway
16
Take the exit onto US 287 Bus
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 287 Bus
Exit 49B
Toward US 287 Business: Rosedale Street, Allen Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
17
Continue on South Freeway
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
South Freeway
Use the left / straight lanes.
18
Arrive at destination
South Freeway
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.7 miles from McKinney, 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 0.3 and 58.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
TX 5 / South McDonald Street
Turn right onto TX 5 / South McDonald Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
35.7 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
TX 121
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 121 toward TX 121 South: Forth Worth, Arlington, Grand Praire
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward TX 121 South: Forth Worth, Arlington, Gr...
9
49.3 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
TX 121 / Airport Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 121 / Airport Freeway toward TX 121 South: Downtown, Fort Worth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 25A
Toward TX 121 South: Downtown, Fort Worth
8
56.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35W South, US 287 South, US 377 South: Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35W South, US 287 South, US 377 South:...
8
58.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
US 287 Bus
Take the exit onto US 287 Bus toward US 287 Business: Rosedale Street, Allen Avenue
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 49B
Toward US 287 Business: Rosedale Street, Allen...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.98 one way
$17.95 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $9.82 | $19.65 |
| premium | $4.54 | $10.61 | $21.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.11 | $26.23 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.91
Sam Rayburn Tollway
(23.8 mi)
$1.91
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$2
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.24 | $2.85 |
| Efficient EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.20 | $2.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.8 | 0 | $8.32 | $3.80 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (67% 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
Fort Worth, TX
Morning in Fort Worth on Tuesday
Local time
9:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
S 15 mph
20% chance
Live forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 3:29PM CDT until April 14 at 3:45PM CDT by NWS Norman OK
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 14 at 3:26PM CDT until April 14 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo 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
1 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
1h 9m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that avoids major highways entirely, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will navigate via East Virginia Street, North Kentucky Street, and East Davis Street rather than high-speed interstates. Because this is a local transit, there is no long-distance highway cruising; in fact, the longest stretch on East Virginia Street is 0 miles of uninterrupted driving. Be prepared for frequent turns and a steady pace that reflects a local commute rather than an open-road excursion. This road personality demands your full attention as you transition between city streets.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.8 mi on Sam Rayburn Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near TX 5 / South McDonald Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.4 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 0.3 miles (TX 5 / South McDonald Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 35.7 miles (TX 121): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.3 miles (TX 121 / Airport Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
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 Fort Worth, TX, road signs point toward Arlington, Grand Praire and Ft Worth.
Arlington
35.7 mi in
|
~40m
|
via TX 121
Grand Praire
35.7 mi in
|
~40m
|
via TX 121
Ft Worth
49.6 mi in
|
~56m
|
via TX 121
About the Cities
Starting in McKinney, TX
Full guide →Founded 1848
McKinney is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas.
Arriving in Fort Worth, TX
Full guide →“Panther city” · Founded 1849
Fort Worth is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of approximately 1,020,000, it is Texas' 5th largest city. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, which has a population exceeding 6 million. Sometimes referred to as Cowtown, it is by far closer to its cowboy roots than neighboring Dallas. This article also covers North Richland Hills, a neighboring community.
Top landmarks
- • Amon Carter Museum of American Art — art museum in Fort Worth, Texas
- • Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth — art museum
- • St. Patrick Cathedral in Fort Worth — church located in Fort Worth, 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 1h 9m. Total distance: 59.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.8 miles on Sam Rayburn Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.91 in tolls one way, starting with Sam Rayburn Tollway. 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.
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 Fort Worth, 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 0.3 miles (TX 5 / South McDonald Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 35.7 miles (TX 121): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.3 miles (TX 121 / Airport Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Fort Worth, 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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