Trip from Olmos Park, TX to Plano, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 22, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 14m

Distance

290.5 mi

468 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$44

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min

4 AM

5h 1m ★

6 AM

5h 15m

8 AM

5h 42m

10 AM

5h 24m

12 PM

5h 21m

3 PM

5h 25m

5 PM

5h 40m

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

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Olmos Park, TX

Jeff Stapleton

city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas, United States

Plano, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Olmos Park, TX to Plano, TX is 290.5 miles and takes about 5h 14m via Purple Heart Trail and I 35E, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive primarily stays within Texas, moving from the Great Plains region to a more urbanized area. The route offers a mix of highway cruising and surface roads, making it a straightforward trip for a single day. Expect a relatively consistent travel experience as you head north through the state.

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

145.3 miles from Olmos Park, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 39m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Purple Heart Trail	188.3 mi	3h 18m
I 35E	56.2 mi	58m
North Central Expressway	16.6 mi	18m
North Pan Am Expressway	6.8 mi	7m
South Jack Kultgen Expressway	6.6 mi	7m
Connally Loop	5.7 mi	6m
McCullough Avenue	2.7 mi	5m
Interstate Highway 35	1.9 mi	2m

Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 188.3 mi, about 3h 18m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 96 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~3,999 veh/hr typical · worst 4,742

Quietest

2 AM

~661 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6×

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 Olmos Park, TX and Plano, TX.

Start on Alameda Circle

200 ft · 9 sec · Alameda Circle

Continue on East Wildwood Drive

418 ft · 18 sec · East Wildwood Drive

Keep slight right at fork onto East Wildwood Drive

187 ft · 8 sec · East Wildwood Drive

Continue on East Mariposa Drive

0.1 mi · 36 sec · East Mariposa Drive

Turn right onto McCullough Avenue

2.7 mi · 5 min · McCullough Avenue

Turn right onto Northeast Loop 410

0.2 mi · 24 sec · Northeast Loop 410

Use the right lane.

Take the ramp

526 ft · 12 sec

Toward I 410 East

Merge onto I 410

5.7 mi · 6 min · Connally Loop

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 41 sec

Toward I 35 North: Austin

Merge onto I 35

6.8 mi · 7 min · North Pan Am Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

12 mi · 12 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

1.9 mi · 2 min · Interstate Highway 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

48 mi · 52 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290

96 mi · 1 hr 40 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

56 mi · 58 min · I 35E

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

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 41 sec

Exit 427A Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin Street Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight left at fork

422 ft · 5 sec

Toward I 35E North, I 30 West: Denton, Fort Worth, Texarkana

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 32 sec

Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Convention Center

Keep slight left at fork

385 ft · 6 sec

Toward I 30 East: Texarkana

Continue on I 30; US 67

0.8 mi · 1 min · East R L Thornton Freeway

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 45 sec

Exit 46 Toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min

Toward US 75 North: McKinney Use the slight left lane.

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 26 sec

Toward US 75 North: McKinney, Bryan Street East

Merge onto US 75

0.7 mi · 49 sec · Julius Schepps Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on US 75

15 mi · 16 min · North Central Expressway

Use the straight / right lanes.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 52 sec

Exit 28A Toward Plano Parkway, 15th Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto North Central Expressway

1.4 mi · 2 min · North Central Expressway

Use the straight / left / right lanes.

Turn right onto East 15th Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · East 15th Street

Use the straight / right lanes.

Arrive at destination

East 15th Street

Trip Plan

Given the 5h 14m estimated drive time, leaving in the morning from Olmos Park will allow you to reach Plano with plenty of daylight to spare. The single recommended stop is a good opportunity to refuel and stretch your legs, especially since the longest uninterrupted driving segment is 188.3 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you transition off the Purple Heart Trail, as services might be more spread out on the surface roads. This is a manageable one-day trip, so you have flexibility in when you depart and how often you take breaks.

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 145.3 miles from Olmos Park, TX, or about 2h 39m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 188.3 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 64 miles or 1h 13m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 145.3 miles or 2h 39m 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 16m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Olmos Park, 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 Olmos Park, TX

This is one driving day of about 290.5 miles and 5h 14m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 64 miles from Olmos Park, 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 188.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Troy, TX

145 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

Austin, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 64 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Troy, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 145.3 miles from Olmos Park, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

2.3 mi from route

Pilot Travel Center

2.5 mi from route

Cultural Activities Center

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, right off the route

Halfway reset 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

Temple, Texas

Hours: 8:30 am–4 pm

+12547739926

Visit website

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

Early stretch 2.6 mi from route ~6 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 10 am–2 pm

+15128371215

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 213.1 and 288.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

213.1 mi into trip | ~3h 49m 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

269.3 mi into trip | ~4h 48m in

Take the exit toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin Street

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 427A Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Bouleva...

271 mi into trip | ~4h 50m in

Take the exit toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney

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 46 Toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney

271.4 mi into trip | ~4h 51m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 75 North: McKinney

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward US 75 North: McKinney

288.1 mi into trip | ~5h 10m in

Take the exit toward Plano Parkway, 15th 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 28A Toward Plano Parkway, 15th Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$43.61 one way

$87.22 round trip

$3.81/gal 25.4 MPG avg 102 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.22	$48.25	$96.51
premium	$4.57	$52.21	$104.42
diesel	$6.28	$71.78	$143.56

Estimated Tolls: $1.32

Central Expressway (16.6 mi) $1.32

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

$44

Tolls

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$70–$95

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 101.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.

Driving Electric?

About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	87.2	1	$30.50	$13.94
Efficient EV	72.6	0	$25.42	$11.62
EV Truck/SUV	116.2	1	$40.67	$18.59

Gas CO2

102 kg

EV CO2

34 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.

Forecast as of Oct 19, 2026

Origin

Olmos Park, TX

Late night in Olmos Park on Thursday

Local time

5:25 AM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Mostly Sunny

ENE 5 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Destination

Plano, TX

Late night in Plano on Thursday

Local time

5:25 AM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Mostly Cloudy

ESE 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

76°F

Troy, TX

145 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

28 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 14m 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 ~10 min detour Free near mile 180.3

View on nps.gov

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...

12 mi from route ~30 min detour Free

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

About 31% of this drive is on major highways like I 35E, with the remaining portion on surface roads. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch of highway at 188.3 miles on the Purple Heart Trail. After this extended highway segment, you'll transition to a more mixed highway and surface road profile. Be prepared for potential urban merging as you approach the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.

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

Longest single stretch: 188.3 mi on Purple Heart Trail.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

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 213.1 miles in near I 35E.

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 21 significant decision points across 290.5 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 213.1 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 269.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 271 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

807 ft 404 ft

Total Climb

574 ft

Total Descent

713 ft

Highest Point

807 ft

Elevation Range

403 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Olmos Park, TX and Plano, TX, road signs point toward Fort Worth, Texarkana, Convention Center, Mckinney and Bryan Street East.

Fort Worth

269.7 mi in | ~4h 49m

Texarkana

269.7 mi in | ~4h 49m

Convention Center

269.7 mi in | ~4h 49m

Mckinney

271 mi in | ~4h 50m

Bryan Street East

271.9 mi in | ~4h 52m

About the Cities

Starting in Olmos Park, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1939

Arriving in Plano, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1873

Plano is a city of 285,000 people (2020) in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex region of Texas and is north of Dallas. It is home to the headquarters of several large corporations.

Top landmarks

• Heritage Farmstead Museum — building in Texas, United States
• Plano Station, Texas Electric Railway — historic place in Plano, Collin County, 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 5h 14m. Total distance: 290.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 188.3 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $1.32 in tolls one way, starting with Central Expressway. 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.

Yes — we found about 31 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 Plano, 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 31 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

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

Not recommended in a single day. At 5.2 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 Plano, 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

Explore more options from Olmos Park, TX or browse trips ending in Plano, TX.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.

Trip from Olmos Park, TX to Plano, 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

Service Plaza

Flying J Travel Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Hill County Southbound Rest Area

Buc-ee's

Flying J Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

QuikTrip

Love's Travel Stop

Petro Stopping Centers

Buc-ee's

Service Plaza

QuikTrip

Ascent Travel Center

TA

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

Pilot Travel Center

TA

Service Plaza

Marlstone Retail Center

Love's Travel Stop

SoPac Trail Rest Area

Service Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Cultural Activities Center

Dark Hour Haunted House

City Park

11th Hour Escape

Heritage Farmstead Museum

The DoSeum

San Antonio Botanical Garden

Pioneer Farms

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Olmos Park, TX

Plano, TX

Same local time

28 degrees cooler at arrival

5h 14m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Waco Mammoth National Monument

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Olmos Park, TX

Arriving in Plano, 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