Trip from Mount Vernon, TX to Austin, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 23, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 15m

Distance

297.6 mi

479 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$45

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

5h 2m ★

6 AM

5h 15m

8 AM

5h 42m

10 AM

5h 25m

12 PM

5h 22m

3 PM

5h 26m

5 PM

5h 41m

8 PM

5h 7m

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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Mount Vernon, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Austin, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 297.6-mile journey from Mount Vernon, TX, to Austin, TX, is designed for a single day of travel, taking approximately 5 hours and 15 minutes. You'll primarily navigate major interstates, with 86% of the drive on highways, making it a straightforward, highway-focused experience. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $45. Given its manageable length and interstate routing, this route is well-suited as a day trip, allowing for flexibility in your departure and arrival times. You'll be traveling across the Great Plains region of Texas for the entirety of this drive.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

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

Midpoint

148.8 miles from Mount Vernon, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 38m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 30	100 mi	1h 44m
South R L Thornton Freeway	89.9 mi	1h 32m
I 35	55.8 mi	58m
Purple Heart Trail	40.3 mi	42m
North Jack Kultgen Expressway	6.6 mi	7m
State Highway 37 South	1.8 mi	3m
East Main Street	0.6 mi	1m
East 6th Street	0.5 mi	1m

Longest stretch: I 30 — 100 mi, about 1h 44m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 76 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~4,101 veh/hr typical · worst 4,859

Quietest

2 AM

~667 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.1×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 104 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 Mount Vernon, TX and Austin, TX.

Start on US 67

0.6 mi · 1 min · East Main Street

Turn left onto US 67; TX 37

1.8 mi · 3 min · State Highway 37 South

Turn right onto West Interstate 30

0.3 mi · 49 sec · West Interstate 30

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 20 sec

Merge onto I 30

100 mi · 1 hr 44 min · I 30

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min

Exit 46A Toward I 35E: Denton, Waco Use the straight / slight right lanes.

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

56 mi · 58 min · I 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290

2.4 mi · 3 min · Purple Heart Trail

Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street Use the slight left lane.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec

Exit 234B Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University Use the slight right lane.

Turn straight onto North Interstate 35

0.2 mi · 27 sec · North Interstate 35

Use the straight / right lanes.

Turn right onto East 6th Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · East 6th Street

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto Congress Avenue

357 ft · 17 sec · Congress Avenue

Turn left onto East 5th Street

28 ft · 0 sec · East 5th Street

Use the left lane.

Arrive at destination

East 5th Street

Trip Plan

To make the most of this 5-hour, 15-minute drive, consider an early morning departure from Mount Vernon to bypass potential traffic as you approach Austin. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost of about $45, this trip is easily manageable in a single day. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 100 miles on I-30, so plan your fuel and rest breaks accordingly before you embark on that segment. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you get closer to Austin, where services can sometimes be more spread out between exits.

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 148.8 miles from Mount Vernon, TX, or about 2h 38m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 100 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 65 miles or 1h 10m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 148.8 miles or 2h 38m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 17m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Mount Vernon, 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 Mount Vernon, TX

This is one driving day of about 297.6 miles and 5h 15m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 65 miles from Mount Vernon, 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 I 30 for about 100 miles.

Where to Stop

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

town in Ellis County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Italy, TX

149 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

Nevada, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 65 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Italy, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 148.8 miles from Mount Vernon, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

Visit website

NTER - The Great Escape

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 1.8 mi from route ~4 min detour

Waxahachie, Texas

Hours: 5–9 pm

+12149801053

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 102.9 and 296.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

102.9 mi into trip | ~1h 50m in

Take the exit toward I 35E: Denton, Waco

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 46A Toward I 35E: Denton, Waco

103.6 mi into trip | ~1h 51m 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

103.7 mi into trip | ~1h 51m 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

294.3 mi into trip | ~5h 10m in | I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street

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

Use the slight left lane. Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street

296.7 mi into trip | ~5h 13m in

Take the exit toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University

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 234B Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson Univer...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$44.68 one way

$89.35 round trip

$3.81/gal 25.4 MPG avg 104 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.22	$49.43	$98.86
premium	$4.57	$53.49	$106.97
diesel	$6.28	$73.53	$147.07

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$45

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$70–$95

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 104.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.

Driving Electric?

About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	89.3	1	$31.25	$14.28
Efficient EV	74.4	0	$26.04	$11.90
EV Truck/SUV	119	1	$41.66	$19.05

Gas CO2

104 kg

EV CO2

35 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 Oct 19, 2026

Origin

Mount Vernon, TX

Afternoon in Mount Vernon on Friday

Local time

1:09 PM

CDT

Current temp

78°F

Sunny

SE 0 to 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Destination

Austin, TX

Afternoon in Austin on Friday

Local time

1:09 PM

CDT

Current temp

53°F

Mostly Cloudy

0 mph 0% chance Live forecast

58°F

Italy, TX

149 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

25 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

5h 15m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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 ~11 min detour Free near mile 195

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-driven experience on this route, with I-30 and I-35 forming the backbone of your journey. The highway share is high at 86%, meaning you'll spend most of your time on fast-paced interstates. You'll encounter one significant stretch of 100 miles on I-30 without needing to exit, offering a consistent driving pace. The South R L Thornton Freeway also plays a role in navigating urban areas. This drive offers a consistent feel, largely characterized by interstate travel rather than winding backroads.

86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 100 mi on I 30.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 30 and South R L Thornton Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 102.9 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 297.6 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 102.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 103.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 103.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

884 ft 429 ft

Total Climb

766 ft

Total Descent

773 ft

Highest Point

884 ft

~255.1 mi in

Elevation Range

455 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Mount Vernon, TX and Austin, TX, road signs point toward Waco, Denton and Dallas Zoo.

Waco

102.9 mi in | ~1h 50m

Denton

103.5 mi in | ~1h 51m

Dallas Zoo

104.6 mi in | ~1h 52m | via I 35E

About the Cities

Starting in Mount Vernon, TX

Full guide →

Top landmarks

• Franklin County Courthouse and Jail — building in Mt. Vernon, Franklin County, Texas

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 5h 15m. Total distance: 297.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 100 miles on I 30. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 36 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 Austin, 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 36 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.

Not recommended in a single day. At 5.3 hours each way, a round trip means 10.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Austin, 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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Explore more options from Mount Vernon, TX or browse trips ending in Austin, TX.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.

Trip from Mount Vernon, TX to Austin, 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

Bell County Northbound Rest Area

Hill County Northbound Rest Area

Hopkins County Eastbound Rest Area

Flying J Travel Center

Walburg Travel Center & Food Court

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Pilot Travel Center

Petro Stopping Centers

Buc-ee's

Service Plaza

Buc-ee's

QuikTrip

QuikTrip

Ascent Travel Center

Flying J Travel Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Hill County Southbound Rest Area

Hopkins County Westbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Road Ranger

QuikTrip

Pilot Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

TA

Buc-ee's

TA

Service Plaza

Bell County Southbound Rest Area

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Service Plaza

Service Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Austin Bat Tours

NTER - The Great Escape

Botanical Gates of Paradise

City Park

Barton Creek Greenbelt

Doris D Miller Park

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Mount Vernon, TX

Austin, TX

Same local time

25 degrees cooler at arrival

5h 15m 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

Starting in Mount Vernon, TX

Arriving in Austin, 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