Nevada, TX to Corpus Christi, TX is 425.4 miles and takes about 7h 50m via South R L Thornton Freeway and TX 130 Toll, with a fuel budget near $62 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route crosses the Great Plains region of Texas, offering a predominantly highway experience for most of the drive. With a high percentage of highway driving, it's a straightforward path for a single-day trip. The 7h 50m estimated duration makes it manageable for most drivers looking to get from point A to point B efficiently. Budgeting around $62 for fuel should cover your needs for this 425.4-mile trek.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
212.7 miles from Nevada, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 50m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
South R L Thornton Freeway
89.9 mi
1h 32m
TX 130 Toll
58.5 mi
54m
TX 80
51.2 mi
56m
South US Highway 181
40.2 mi
45m
Purple Heart Trail
37.9 mi
39m
I 35
26.5 mi
26m
Congressman Ralph Hall Highway
25.7 mi
29m
US Highway 181
23.3 mi
26m
Longest stretch:
South R L Thornton Freeway
— 89.9 mi, about 1h 32m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 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
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Nevada, TX and Corpus Christi, TX.
1
Start on this road
64 ft·6 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto FM 6; FM 1138
341 ft·12 sec·East FM 6
3
Turn left onto FM 1138
5.3 mi·9 min·South FM 1138
4
At end of road, turn right onto TX 66
2.1 mi·3 min·TX 66
Use the left lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto William E Crawford Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·William E Crawford Avenue
6
Turn right onto East Interstate 30
0.9 mi·2 min·East Interstate 30
Use the right lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 30 West
8
Merge onto I 30; US 67
26 mi·29 min·Congressman Ralph Hall Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 46AToward I 35E: Denton, WacoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·14 sec
Toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Waco, Denton
11
Keep slight left at fork
221 ft·5 sec
Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, WacoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·30 sec
Toward I 35E South: WacoUse the left / right lanes.
13
Continue on I 35E
0.5 mi·44 sec·South R L Thornton Freeway
14
Continue on I 35E
89 mi·1 hr 31 min·South R L Thornton Freeway
Exit 426Toward Dallas ZooUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on I 35; US 77
6.6 mi·7 min·North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 35
38 mi·39 min·Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
26 mi·26 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.7 mi·55 sec
Exit 265Toward TX 130 Toll South: San AntonioUse the slight right lane.
19
Continue on TX 130 Toll
59 mi·54 min·TX 130 Toll
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 470Toward US 183 South: LockhartUse the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Continue on US 183
0.5 mi·35 sec·United States Highway 183
22
Continue on US 183
4.9 mi·8 min·North Colorado Street
23
Continue on US 183
10 mi·11 min·US 183
24
Continue on US 183
4.2 mi·6 min·North Magnolia Avenue
25
Continue on TX 80
51 mi·56 min·TX 80
26
Turn slight left onto FM 792
8.4 mi·10 min·Farm-to-Market Road 792
27
Continue on TX 72; TX 239
0.8 mi·1 min·East Main Street
28
Turn left onto US 181
1.2 mi·1 min·South Sunset Strip Drive
29
Continue on US 181
40 mi·45 min·South US Highway 181
30
Continue on US 181
0.8 mi·55 sec·North 8th Street
31
Continue on US 181
16 mi·18 min·US Highway 181 South
32
Continue on TX 89
4.1 mi·4 min·State Highway 89
33
Continue on US 181
5.9 mi·6 min·US Highway 181
34
Continue on US 181
1.3 mi·1 min·Railroad Avenue
35
Continue on US 181
17 mi·19 min·US Highway 181
36
Take the exit
0.4 mi·43 sec
37
Turn slight right
0.3 mi·56 sec
38
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
39
Merge onto I 37
0.3 mi·29 sec·I 37
40
Continue on Interstate Highway 37
387 ft·10 sec·Interstate Highway 37
41
Continue on Interstate Highway 37
444 ft·15 sec·Interstate Highway 37
42
Continue on I 37
483 ft·9 sec·I 37
43
Arrive at destination
I 37
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 7h 50m drive, consider an early morning departure from Nevada, TX, to maximize daylight and arrive in Corpus Christi with time to spare. With 2 planned stops, you can break up the 425.4 miles into manageable segments, perhaps one around the halfway point. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially with the estimated cost around $62, and plan your refueling stops accordingly. The longest stretch without a major road change is nearly 90 miles, so ensure you're comfortable with that duration of driving before setting off.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 212.7 miles from Nevada, TX, or about 3h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89.9 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 94 miles or 1h 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 212.7 miles or 3h 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Corpus Christi, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Nevada, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Nevada, TX
This is one driving day of about 425.4 miles and 7h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 94 miles from Nevada, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
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.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.4 and 197 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
5.4 mi into trip|~9m in|TX 66
At end of road, turn right onto TX 66
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
35.1 mi into trip|~46m 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
9
35.8 mi into trip|~48m 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
7
35.8 mi into trip|~48m 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
7
197 mi into trip|~3h 35m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$58.27 one way
$116.53 round trip
$3.48/gal25.4 MPG avg149 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.89
$65.08
$130.17
premium
$4.23
$70.76
$141.52
diesel
$4.80
$80.32
$160.65
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$58
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$83–$108
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 148.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $45 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
127.6
1
$44.67
$20.42
Efficient EV
106.4
1
$37.22
$17.02
EV Truck/SUV
170.2
2
$59.56
$27.23
Gas CO2
149 kg
EV CO2
50 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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Nevada, TX
Night
in Nevada on Monday
Local time
9:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
SSE 5 mph21% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 16 at 8:42PM CDT until July 17 at 6:38AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 16 at 8:37PM CDT until July 18 at 3:00PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Destination
Corpus Christi, TX
Night
in Corpus Christi on Monday
Local time
9:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Mostly Cloudy
SSE 13 to 17 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 16 at 8:42PM CDT until July 17 at 6:38AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 16 at 8:37PM CDT until July 18 at 3:00PM 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.
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
9 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
7h 50m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 79% of the route utilizing major roads like South R L Thornton Freeway and TX 130 Toll. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 89.9 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway, which means extended periods of consistent speed. After the highway segments, expect a transition to surface roads for the remaining portion of the trip. The high highway share suggests you'll be navigating through a mix of urban merging near the start and more open cruising as you head south.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
43 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?
9/10
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 5.4 miles in near TX 66.
Driving Effort9/10
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 18 significant decision points across 425.4 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 5.4 miles (TX 66): Lane positioning matters here; at 35.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 35.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
758 ft7 ft
Total Climb
562 ft
Total Descent
1,196 ft
Highest Point
758 ft
~212.7 mi in
Elevation Range
752 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Nevada, TX and Corpus Christi, TX, road signs point toward Waco, Denton and Dallas Zoo.
Nevada is an arid state of the US, lying between California and Utah. Most of the state is within the Great Basin, but parts of the northeast drain into the Snake River and the southern portion is within the Mohave Desert and the Colorado river drainage. While many outsiders pronounce the state's name as "ne-VAH-duh", the correct local pronunciation is [nəˈvædə], with a short "a" as in apple.
Although the majority of tourists only visit Las Vegas, Reno and Tahoe to gamble, watch shows, and indulge themselves in food and drink, Nevada offers the more discerning traveler western frontier experiences verging on horse opera cliché, and landscapes utterly different from Europe, East Asia or more populated parts of North America.
Corpus Christi (called Corpus by the locals) is Texas's largest coastal city and the gateway to Padre Island. While Corpus Christi isn't on the way to much of anything except itself (and the islands off its coast), it offers enough to fill a visit in its own right, or a multi-day trip from San Antonio, Austin, or Houston. The name is Latin for "Body of Christ".
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 50m. Total distance: 425.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 50m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
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.
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 Corpus Christi, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 5.4 miles (TX 66): Lane positioning matters here; at 35.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 35.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.8 hours each way, a round trip means 15.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Corpus Christi, TX before the return drive.
