Trip from Montopolis, TX to Sunnyvale, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

3h 47m

Distance

214.2 mi

345 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$29

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min

4 AM

3h 34m ★

6 AM

3h 47m

8 AM

4h 12m

10 AM

3h 56m

12 PM

3h 53m

3 PM

3h 57m

5 PM

4h 11m

8 PM

3h 39m

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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Montopolis, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Sunnyvale, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Trip Overview

Montopolis, TX to Sunnyvale, TX is 214.2 miles and takes about 3h 47m via Purple Heart Trail and I 35E, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region, traversing Texas for its entirety. Expect a mixed driving experience, combining highway cruising with surface road sections. It's a straightforward drive, suitable for a single-day trip, offering a practical way to cover the distance between these two Texas locations.

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

107.1 miles from Montopolis, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 53m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Purple Heart Trail	122.8 mi	2h 6m
I 35E	47.5 mi	49m
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway	18.7 mi	20m
Bergstrom Expressway	7 mi	6m
South Jack Kultgen Expressway	6.6 mi	7m
US 80	2.5 mi	2m
US 183	2.1 mi	2m
US Highway 183 South	1.1 mi	1m

Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 122.8 mi, about 2h 6m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 60 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

5 PM

~3,520 veh/hr typical · worst 4,159

Quietest

2 AM

~559 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.3×

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 Montopolis, TX and Sunnyvale, TX.

Start on this road

219 ft · 5 sec · this road

Toward 183 Toll South: Lockhart

Merge onto 183 Toll

0.8 mi · 47 sec · Bergstrom Expressway

Continue on US 183

1.0 mi · 1 min · Bastrop Highway

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Take the exit

136 ft · 10 sec

Use the left lane.

Turn sharp left onto US 183

1.1 mi · 1 min · US Highway 183 South

Continue on 183 Toll

6.2 mi · 6 min · Bergstrom Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on US 183

2.1 mi · 2 min · US 183

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

475 ft · 11 sec

Toward I 35, Loop 275: Waco, Lamar Boulevard Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 26 sec

Toward I 35 South, Loop 275: Lamar Boulevard

Turn straight onto East Anderson Lane

0.6 mi · 1 min · East Anderson Lane

Turn right onto North Interstate 35

1.0 mi · 1 min · North Interstate 35

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 17 sec

Toward I 35 North

Merge onto I 35

90 mi · 1 hr 33 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

6.6 mi · 7 min · South Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35; US 77

33 mi · 33 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E

47 mi · 49 min · I 35E

Toward I 35E: Dallas Use the slight right lane.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 57 sec

Exit 418B Toward I 20 East: Shreveport Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto I 20

12 mi · 12 min · Lyndon B Johnson Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 635

6.8 mi · 7 min · Lyndon B Johnson Freeway

Exit 480 Toward I 635 North: Mesquite, Garland Use the straight / right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec

Exit 6B Toward US 80 East: Terrell Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto US 80

2.5 mi · 2 min · US 80

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 39 sec

Toward TX 352: Collins Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto East US Highway 80

0.7 mi · 1 min · East US Highway 80

Turn left onto TX 352

0.7 mi · 1 min · South Collins Road

Use the straight lane.

Enter roundabout onto North Collins Road

150 ft · 4 sec · North Collins Road

Continue on North Collins Road

0.2 mi · 26 sec · North Collins Road

Turn right onto Raider Drive

124 ft · 5 sec · Raider Drive

Turn right

119 ft · 8 sec

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Given the 3h 47m estimated drive time, starting in the morning is advisable to allow for flexibility and avoid arriving too late. With only one recommended stop, you have plenty of room to be spontaneous if you see something that catches your eye, or you can push through with minimal interruption. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before heading into longer stretches; the estimated $31 fuel cost suggests planning for at least one fill-up. This is a manageable drive for one day, so you can adjust your departure time based on your morning's activities in Montopolis.

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 107.1 miles from Montopolis, TX, or about 1h 53m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 122.8 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 47 miles or 50m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 107.1 miles or 1h 53m 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 3m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Montopolis, 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 Montopolis, TX

This is one driving day of about 214.2 miles and 3h 47m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Montopolis, 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 Purple Heart Trail for about 122.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Waco, TX

107 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

Jarrell, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 47 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Waco, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 107.1 miles from Montopolis, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, right off the route

Halfway reset 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour

Waco, Texas

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Pioneer Farms

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

First break 1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 10 am–2 pm

+15128371215

Visit website

Cultural Activities Center

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Early stretch 1.4 mi from route ~4 min detour

Temple, Texas

Hours: 8:30 am–4 pm

+12547739926

Visit website

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, ~11 min detour

Early stretch 4.4 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 21

5 decision points cluster between mile 11.3 and 202.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

11.3 mi into trip | ~12m in

Take the exit toward I 35, Loop 275: Waco, Lamar Boulevard

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 35, Loop 275: Waco, Lamar Boulevard

11.4 mi into trip | ~12m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 35 South, Loop 275: Lamar Boulevard

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 35 South, Loop 275: Lamar Boulevard

142.8 mi into trip | ~2h 29m in | I 35E

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E toward I 35E: Dallas

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 35E: Dallas

190.3 mi into trip | ~3h 18m in

Take the exit toward I 20 East: Shreveport

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 418B Toward I 20 East: Shreveport

202.7 mi into trip | ~3h 32m in | I 635 / Lyndon B Johnson Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 635 / Lyndon B Johnson Freeway toward I 635 North: Mesquite, Garland

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

Use the straight / right lanes. Exit 480 Toward I 635 North: Mesquite, Garland

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$29.34 one way

$58.68 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 75 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$32.77	$65.54
premium	$4.23	$35.63	$71.26
diesel	$4.80	$40.45	$80.89

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$29

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$54–$79

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 74.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	64.3	0	$22.49	$10.28
Efficient EV	53.6	0	$18.74	$8.57
EV Truck/SUV	85.7	1	$29.99	$13.71

Gas CO2

75 kg

EV CO2

25 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.

Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026

Origin

Montopolis, TX

Late night in Montopolis on Monday

Local time

1:40 AM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Partly Cloudy

SSE 5 to 10 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 17 at 6:44PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 17 at 6:41PM CDT until July 17 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Destination

Sunnyvale, TX

Late night in Sunnyvale on Monday

Local time

1:40 AM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Mostly Cloudy

S 5 to 10 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 17 at 6:44PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 17 at 6:41PM CDT until July 17 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa 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.

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

2 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

3h 47m 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.

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...

4 mi from route ~10 min detour Free near mile 110.8

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 features 41% highway driving, meaning you'll spend a significant portion on interstates like I 35E. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 122.8 miles on the Purple Heart Trail, which likely offers a more consistent cruising experience before transitioning to other roads. You'll notice a change in driving environment as you move between the faster highway segments and the mixed highway & surface profile roads, potentially encountering more frequent exits and varying speed limits.

41% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.

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

Longest single stretch: 122.8 mi on Purple Heart Trail.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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 11.3 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 21 significant decision points across 214.2 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 11.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 142.8 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

893 ft 381 ft

Total Climb

890 ft

Total Descent

866 ft

Highest Point

893 ft

~45.9 mi in

Elevation Range

511 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Montopolis, TX and Sunnyvale, TX, road signs point toward Loop 275: Waco and Garland.

Loop 275: Waco

11.3 mi in | ~12m

Garland

202.7 mi in | ~3h 32m | via I 635

About the Cities

Arriving in Sunnyvale, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1953

Sunnyvale is a city in the South Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, in California. Sunnyvale was ranked the 5th safest city in the United States in its size category for 2004.

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 47m. Total distance: 214.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 122.8 miles on Purple Heart Trail. 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 Sunnyvale, 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 3.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Sunnyvale, 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.

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Explore more options from Montopolis, TX or browse trips ending in Sunnyvale, TX.

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Trip from Montopolis, TX to Sunnyvale, 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

Hill County Northbound Rest Area

TA

Flying J Travel Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Hill County Southbound Rest Area

Service Plaza

Service Plaza

Flying J Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Petro Stopping Centers

Buc-ee's

Service Plaza

QuikTrip

Flying J Travel Center

Bell County Northbound Rest Area

Bell County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Walburg Travel Center & Food Court

Road Ranger

Love's Travel Stop

Buc-ee's

TA

Service Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

QuikTrip

Doris D Miller Park

Pioneer Farms

Cultural Activities Center

Austin Bat Tours

Xcape Adventures

Toybrary Austin

Village of Salado Visitors Center

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Montopolis, TX

Sunnyvale, TX

Same local time

2 degrees cooler at arrival

3h 47m 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 Sunnyvale, 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

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