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Trip from North Alamo, TX to Arlington, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 14m
Distance
498.7 mi
803 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$68
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 6m
★
6 AM
9h 14m
8 AM
9h 31m
10 AM
9h 20m
12 PM
9h 19m
3 PM
9h 21m
5 PM
9h 30m
8 PM
9h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Alamo, TX
Al d'Vilas
Arlington, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
North Alamo, TX to Arlington, TX is 498.7 miles and takes about 9h 14m via I 69C, Purple Heart Trail, and Pickle Parkway, with a fuel budget near $75 and an overnight stay recommended. This drive primarily stays within Texas, traversing the Great Plains region on both ends. It's a straightforward highway-focused journey that offers a direct path north. Given the nearly 10-hour estimated drive time, breaking this trip into two days is a sensible approach for a more relaxed experience.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
249.3 miles from North Alamo, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 50m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 69C | 144.5 mi | 2h 38m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 97.7 mi | 1h 39m |
| Pickle Parkway | 58.5 mi | 54m |
| I 35W | 45.1 mi | 47m |
| King David Drive | 31.8 mi | 39m |
| State Highway 80 North | 30.8 mi | 35m |
| State Highway 80 | 23.6 mi | 25m |
| Nueces Street | 11.1 mi | 14m |
Longest stretch:
I 69C
— 144.5 mi, about 2h 38m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 26 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,461 veh/hr typical · worst 3,169
Quietest
2 AM
~387 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 52 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 North Alamo, TX and Arlington, TX.
1
Start on this road
256 ft
·
13 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto North Cesar Chavez Road
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
North Cesar Chavez Road
3
Turn left onto East Eldora Road
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
East Eldora Road
4
Turn right onto FM 1426
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Raul Longoria Road
5
Turn left onto FM 3461
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Nolana Loop
6
Turn right onto North Veterans Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Veterans Boulevard
7
Continue on South I Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
South I Road
8
Turn left onto East Wisconsin Road
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
East Wisconsin Road
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 69C North, US 281 North
10
Merge onto I 69C; US 281
74 mi
·
1 hr 18 min
·
I 69C; US 281
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 69C; US 281
70 mi
·
1 hr 19 min
·
I 69C; US 281
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 281
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Nueces Street
13
Turn right onto TX 72
32 mi
·
39 min
·
King David Drive
14
Continue on TX 72; TX 239
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
15
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 72; TX 239
233 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Main Street
16
Continue on FM 792
8.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Helena Road
17
Turn straight onto TX 80
24 mi
·
25 min
·
State Highway 80
18
Continue on TX 80
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Nixon Avenue
19
Continue on TX 80; TX 97
31 mi
·
35 min
·
State Highway 80 North
20
Continue on US 183
10 mi
·
11 min
·
US 183
21
Continue on US 183
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
South Colorado Street
22
Continue on US 183
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
United States Highway 183
23
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
Toward TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco
24
Merge onto TX 130 Toll
59 mi
·
54 min
·
Pickle Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 35 North: Waco
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
26
Merge onto I 35
65 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Continue on I 35
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
South Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Continue on I 35; US 77
33 mi
·
33 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
45 mi
·
47 min
·
I 35W
Toward I 35W: Fort Worth
Use the slight left lane.
30
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 45B
Toward I 20 East: Dallas
Use the right lane.
31
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 20 East: Dallas
Use the slight left lane.
32
Merge onto I 20
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Keep slight left at fork onto I 20
4.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Toward I 20 East: Dallas
34
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 449A
Toward FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
35
Continue on West Interstate 20
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Interstate 20
36
Turn left onto FM 157
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Cooper Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
37
Keep slight right at fork onto FM 157
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
South Cooper Street
Use the left lane.
38
Turn right onto Spur 303
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Pioneer Parkway
Use the right lane.
39
Turn left onto South Center Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Center Street
Use the left lane.
40
Continue on South Mesquite Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Mesquite Street
41
Turn left onto East Abram Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
East Abram Street
42
Arrive at destination
West Abram Street
Trip Plan
With a total duration of over 9 hours, this trip is best tackled over two days. Consider departing North Alamo in the morning to cover approximately half the distance, allowing for a comfortable stop. You’ll need to budget around $75 for fuel, so keep an eye on gas prices as you travel. Watch for the transition between different main roads like I 69C and the Purple Heart Trail, as these may have varying speed limits and traffic patterns. Planning your overnight stop roughly halfway will break up the 498.7 miles nicely.
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.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 249.3 miles from North Alamo, TX, or about 4h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 144.5 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 110 miles or 2h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 249.3 miles or 4h 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 249.3 miles or 4h 50m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arlington, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving North Alamo, 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.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from North Alamo, TX
Aim for roughly 249 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Arlington, TX
Aim for roughly 249 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 110 miles from North Alamo, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 69C for about 144.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
249 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in San Antonio, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
249 mi · about 4.6h in
A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 249 miles or 4.6 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 110 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 249.3 miles from North Alamo, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 69C if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 144.5 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 249 miles or 4.6 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Hill County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Rest Area
0 mi from route
Brooks County Rest Area
0 mi from route
TA
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Hill County Southbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Circle K
0.1 mi from route
Ascent Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Bell County Northbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Bell County Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
0.2 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.6 mi from route
Basilica Of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle - National Shrine
4.9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
2.2 mi from route
~5 min detour
San Juan, Texas
+19567870033
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 265 decision points cluster between mile 332 and 492.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
332 mi into trip
|
~6h 15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35 North: Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 North: Waco
7
436.7 mi into trip
|
~8h 3m in
|
I 35W
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W toward I 35W: Fort Worth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35W: Fort Worth
7
481.8 mi into trip
|
~8h 50m in
Take the exit toward I 20 East: Dallas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 45B
Toward I 20 East: Dallas
7
482.2 mi into trip
|
~8h 51m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 20 East: Dallas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 20 East: Dallas
8
492.9 mi into trip
|
~9h 3m in
Take the exit toward FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield
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 449A
Toward FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$68.31 one way
$136.61 round trip
$3.48/gal
25.4 MPG avg
175 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.89 | $76.30 | $152.59 |
| premium | $4.23 | $82.95 | $165.91 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $94.16 | $188.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$68
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$198–$308
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 174.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 149.6 | 1 | $52.36 | $23.94 |
| Efficient EV | 124.7 | 1 | $43.64 | $19.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 199.5 | 2 | $69.82 | $31.92 |
Gas CO2
174 kg
EV CO2
58 kg (67% 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.
Origin
North Alamo, TX
Morning in North Alamo on Sunday
Local time
9:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
97°F
Mostly Sunny
SE 17 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 5:35PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 5:31PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA
Destination
Arlington, TX
Morning in Arlington on Sunday
Local time
9:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
89°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSE 10 mph
37% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 5:35PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 5:31PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
9h 14m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
Free
near mile 412.7
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 is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 64% of the journey utilizing major highways. You'll encounter stretches on I 69C, Purple Heart Trail, and Pickle Parkway, indicating a mix of interstate and significant state routes. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll face is 144.5 miles on I 69C, so be prepared for extended periods of consistent driving. The road character is likely to be consistent for much of the trip, emphasizing efficient travel over varied scenery.
64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
42 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 144.5 mi on I 69C.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 69C and Purple Heart Trail. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 332 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 26 significant decision points across 498.7 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 332 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 436.7 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 481.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
743 ft
83 ft
Total Climb
891 ft
Total Descent
386 ft
Highest Point
743 ft
~463.1 mi in
Elevation Range
660 ft
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.
On the drive from North Alamo, TX to Arlington, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Waco along the way.
Waco
273 mi in
|
~5h 20m
About the Cities
Starting in North Alamo, TX
Full guide →Arriving in Arlington, TX
Full guide →Founded 1876
Arlington is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex metropolitan area, in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of almost 400,000 (2019), it is Texas' seventh largest, and the third largest in the Metroplex. Arlington is south of the sprawling DFW International Airport.
Top landmarks
- • Six Flags Over Texas — amusement park
- • Mini Mine Train — Steel roller coaster
- • Arlington Museum of Art — art museum in Texas, United States
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 144.5 miles on I 69C. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 249 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 33 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 Arlington, 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. There are 33 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 332 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 436.7 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 481.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.2 hours each way, a round trip means 18.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Arlington, 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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