Trip from Missouri City, TX to San Antonio, TX

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

Drive Time

3h 29m

Distance

195.5 mi

315 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$30

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min

4 AM

3h 17m ★

6 AM

3h 29m

8 AM

3h 54m

10 AM

3h 38m

12 PM

3h 35m

3 PM

3h 39m

5 PM

3h 52m

8 PM

3h 22m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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city in Fort Bend and Harris counties, Texas, United States

Missouri City, TX

Wikimedia Commons

San Antonio, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 195.5-mile drive from Missouri City, TX, to San Antonio, TX, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in a single day. You'll spend about 3 hours and 29 minutes on the road, with a projected fuel cost of around $30. The route is primarily highway-focused, making it efficient for travelers looking to reach their destination without many detours. Given the manageable distance and duration, this trip is ideal as a day trip, allowing you to maximize your time in San Antonio. Both locations are situated within the Great Plains region, so expect a consistent landscape throughout your journey.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

97.7 miles from Missouri City, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 44m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Katy Freeway	161.7 mi	2h 45m
I 10	12 mi	12m
West Sam Houston Tollway South	7 mi	7m
East Commerce Street	4.3 mi	7m
South Sam Houston Parkway West	2.4 mi	3m
South Sam Houston Tollway West	1.7 mi	1m
Jose Lopez Freeway	1.6 mi	1m
90th Infantry Division Highway	0.8 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: Katy Freeway — 161.7 mi, about 2h 45m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Missouri City, TX and San Antonio, TX.

Start on this road

33 ft · 2 sec · this road

Turn right

0.4 mi · 39 sec

Merge onto US 90 Alt

0.6 mi · 49 sec · Main Street

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec

Toward Beltway 8, Sam Houston Tollway

Turn left

127 ft · 5 sec

Use the left lane.

Turn left onto BW 8

0.5 mi · 56 sec · South Sam Houston Parkway West

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 55 sec

Toward SHT Toll North

Merge onto SHT

1.7 mi · 1 min · South Sam Houston Tollway West

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on BW 8

1.9 mi · 2 min · South Sam Houston Parkway West

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on SHT

7.0 mi · 7 min · West Sam Houston Tollway South

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec

Toward I 10 West, I 10 East: San Antonio, Downtown Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight left at fork

1.0 mi · 2 min

Toward I 10 West: San Antonio Use the slight left lane.

Merge onto I 10; US 90

162 mi · 2 hr 45 min · Katy Freeway

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 left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130

0.8 mi · 51 sec · 90th Infantry Division Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 10; US 90

1.6 mi · 1 min · Jose Lopez Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 19 sec

Exit 579 Toward Commerce Street, Houston Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto Interstate 10 East

0.3 mi · 38 sec · Interstate 10 East

Turn right onto East Houston Street

0.2 mi · 20 sec · East Houston Street

Turn slight left onto East Commerce Street

4.3 mi · 7 min · East Commerce Street

Turn left onto Military Plaza

392 ft · 15 sec · Military Plaza

Turn left onto Dolorosa Street

327 ft · 8 sec · Dolorosa Street

Arrive at destination

Dolorosa Street

Trip Plan

To make the most of this 195.5-mile journey, consider an early morning departure from Missouri City to avoid potential traffic, especially as you merge onto the Katy Freeway and I-10. With a total driving time of under 3.5 hours, you have the flexibility to take your time, but planning for just one stop is likely sufficient. The fuel cost is estimated at $30, so ensure your tank is full before you depart. A practical tip for this route: keep an eye on the West Sam Houston Tollway South as it can have variable traffic patterns.

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 97.7 miles from Missouri City, TX, or about 1h 44m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 161.7 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 43 miles or 48m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 97.7 miles or 1h 44m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 48m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Missouri City, 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 Missouri City, TX

This is one driving day of about 195.5 miles and 3h 29m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from Missouri City, 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 Katy Freeway for about 161.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in Colorado County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Columbus, TX

98 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.

Popular next leg

Columbus, TX to San Antonio, TX

123.1 mi · 2h 9m

Pacing Suggestions

Sugar Land, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Columbus, TX

Meal break

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 195.5

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

+12102271373

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 12.8 and 190.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

12.8 mi into trip | ~16m in

Take the exit toward I 10 West, I 10 East: San Antonio, Downtown

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 10 West, I 10 East: San Antonio, Downt...

13.2 mi into trip | ~17m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 West: San Antonio

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 10 West: San Antonio

175.9 mi into trip | ~3h 4m in | I 10; US 90; TX 130

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

188 mi into trip | ~3h 17m in | I 10; US 90; TX 130 / 90th Infantry Division Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130 / 90th Infantry Division Highway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

190.3 mi into trip | ~3h 20m in

Take the exit toward Commerce Street, Houston 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. Exit 579 Toward Commerce Street, Houston Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$29.54 one way

$59.08 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 68 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.20	$32.33	$64.67
premium	$4.54	$34.91	$69.81
diesel	$5.61	$43.16	$86.33

Estimated Tolls: $0.70

Sam Houston Tollway (8.7 mi) $0.70

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

$30

Tolls

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$55–$80

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 68.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	58.7	$20.53	$9.38
Efficient EV	48.9	$17.11	$7.82
EV Truck/SUV	78.2	$27.37	$12.51

Gas CO2

68 kg

EV CO2

23 kg (66% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Missouri City, TX

Morning in Missouri City on Sunday

Local time

7:09 AM

CDT

Current temp

69°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

San Antonio, TX

Morning in San Antonio on Sunday

Local time

7:09 AM

CDT

Current temp

77°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

77°F

Columbus, TX

98 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

8 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

3h 29m 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.

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...

9 mi from route ~22 min detour Free near mile 195.5

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive, with 91% of the route utilizing major freeways. The Katy Freeway will be your main companion for a significant portion, featuring the longest uninterrupted stretch of 161.7 miles. This means you'll experience consistent speeds and minimal interruptions for much of the journey. The character of the drive is largely defined by its highway nature, offering a direct and efficient path across the Texas landscape. You'll primarily be navigating on the Katy Freeway and I-10.

91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 161.7 mi on Katy Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Katy Freeway and I 10. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 12.8 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

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 16 significant decision points across 195.5 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 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 175.9 miles (I 10; US 90; TX 130): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Missouri City, TX to San Antonio, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown along the way.

Downtown

12.8 mi in | ~16m

About the Cities

Starting in Missouri City, TX

Full guide →

Arriving in San Antonio, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1718

San Antonio is the second largest city in the state of Texas and the 7th largest in the United States. It's the 24th largest metropolitan area in the country. Visited by more than 31 million annual visitors, San Antonio is a beautiful city at the axis of three different geological terrains: Hill Country, South Texas Plains and Prairie and Lakes. There's a lot to do in this city: fine art museums, historical missions and plenty of amusement parks in addition to great dining and lots of drinking. The culture and people are vibrant and interesting. San Antonio's downtown is one of the most lively in the nation.

Top landmarks

• Alamo Mission in San Antonio — historic place in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
• San Antonio Missions National Historical Park — historic district in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
• Fort Sam Houston — military base in San Antonio, 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 3h 29m. Total distance: 195.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 161.7 miles on Katy Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.70 in tolls one way, starting with Sam Houston 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.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

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 San Antonio, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

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

Possible but tiring. At 3.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.0 hours — manageable with a long break at San Antonio, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Missouri City, TX or browse trips ending in San Antonio, TX.

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Trip from Missouri City, TX to San Antonio, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Nearby Places

Spanish Governor's Palace

GO RIO San Antonio River Cruises

San Antonio | The Saga

Hemisfair

San Antonio Fire Museum

The Amazing Mirror Maze

SEA LIFE San Antonio

San Antonio River Lock & Dam

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Missouri City, TX

San Antonio, TX

Same local time

8 degrees warmer at arrival

3h 29m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Missouri City, TX

Arriving in San Antonio, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

How do I pay the tolls on this route?

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 San Antonio, TX

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