Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 33m
Distance
450.1 mi
724 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$68
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pampa, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Killeen, TX
Wikimedia Commons
This 450-mile journey from Pampa, Texas, to Killeen, Texas, will take approximately 8 hours and 32 minutes of driving time. Given the duration and the nature of the roads, it's best enjoyed over two recommended days to avoid feeling rushed. You'll navigate primarily local roads, with East Atchison Avenue, South Cuyler Street, and West Brown Street being key segments. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $69. While both your origin and destination are within the Great Plains region, this route offers a more intimate, turn-heavy local experience rather than a high-speed interstate cruise.
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
225.1 miles from Pampa, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 14m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US Highway 287 | 81.8 mi | 1h 27m |
| US 281 | 65.2 mi | 1h 13m |
| Henry S Grace Freeway | 63.4 mi | 1h 13m |
| US Highway 287 East | 40.5 mi | 42m |
| State Highway 70 | 40.1 mi | 52m |
| West 2nd Street | 27.8 mi | 30m |
| FM 116 | 22.3 mi | 28m |
| FM 1241 | 19.9 mi | 21m |
Step-by-step road directions between Pampa, TX and Killeen, TX.
Start on South Ballard Street
Turn right onto East Atchison Avenue
Turn left onto South Cuyler Street
Turn right onto US 60; TX 152
Turn left onto TX 70
Continue on SH 70
Continue on TX 70
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 40; TX 70
Take the exit onto TX 70
Turn slight right
Turn slight right onto TX 70
At end of road, turn left onto US 287; TX 70
Turn slight right onto US 287
Continue on US 287
Continue on US 287
Continue on US 287
Continue on US 287
Continue on US 287
Continue on US 70; US 183; US 287
Continue on US 287
Keep slight right at fork onto US 287
Merge onto I 44; US 277; US 281; US 287
Continue on US 277; US 281; US 287
Continue on US 281; US 287
Keep slight left at fork onto US 281
Keep slight left at fork onto US 281
Continue on US 281
Continue on US 281
Continue on US 281
Continue on US 281; TX 6
Turn right onto US 281
Turn straight onto US 281
Continue on US 281
Turn left onto East Baker Street
Continue on FM 932
Turn straight onto FM 1241
At end of road, turn right onto FM 932
Continue on FM 932
Turn left onto US 84
Take the exit
Turn straight onto FM 116
Continue on FM 116
Keep slight right at fork onto FM 116
Turn left onto TX 9
Merge onto US 190 Business
Continue on I 14; US 190
Take the exit
Continue on US 190 Bus
Turn left
Turn right
Arrive at destination
For this 450-mile, 8.5-hour drive best split over two days, consider an early morning departure on your first day to maximize daylight. With two recommended stops, plan to break up the journey roughly in half, allowing for rest and refueling. The $69 fuel estimate is helpful for budgeting, but be mindful of fuel availability on local roads, as stations might be less frequent than on major highways. A specific tip for this route: pay close attention to posted speed limits and any changes in road surface as you transition through different local areas.
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.
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 99 miles or 1h 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 225.1 miles or 4h 14m 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 225.1 miles or 4h 14m
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 7h 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Killeen, TX than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Pampa, 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 Pampa, TX
Aim for roughly 225 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Killeen, TX
Aim for roughly 225 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
225 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 Jacksboro, TXNight 1
225 mi · about 4.3h in
A practical overnight split lands near Jacksboro, TX after about 225 miles or 4.3 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 99 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 225.1 miles from Pampa, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US Highway 287 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 81.8 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 225 miles or 4.3 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Near the start, right off the route
Pampa, Texas
Hours: Open 24 hours
+19499452000
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Killeen, Texas
Hours: 3:30–9:30 pm
+12546802686
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Killeen, Texas
Hours: 5 am–10 pm
+12545016390
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 446.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto East Atchison Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto South Cuyler Street
Navigation decision point
Take the exit onto TX 70 toward Texas 70 South: Clarendon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Keep slight right at fork onto US 287 / Northwest Freeway toward I 44 West, US 277 South, US 281 South, US 287 South: Wichita Falls
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward T.J. Mills Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$68.01 one way
$136.02 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $74.44 | $148.89 |
| premium | $4.54 | $80.36 | $160.72 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $99.38 | $198.75 |
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: 157.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $47 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 135 | 1 | $47.26 | $21.60 |
| Efficient EV | 112.5 | 1 | $39.38 | $18.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 180 | 2 | $63.01 | $28.81 |
Gas CO2
157 kg
EV CO2
53 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Pampa on Tuesday
Local time
4:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Killeen on Tuesday
Local time
4:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with a highway share of 0%. This means you'll be engaging with the local road network frequently, making it a more involved driving experience than a typical highway trip. While there isn't a specified longest uninterrupted stretch, the 'turn-heavy' profile suggests frequent adjustments and navigation through towns and communities. The character of the drive will likely involve navigating through various local thoroughfares rather than long, open stretches of highway, keeping your attention focused on the road ahead.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 287 and US 281. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Atchison Avenue.
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 23 significant decision points across 450.1 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 0.1 miles (East Atchison Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South Cuyler Street): Navigation decision point; at 28.1 miles (TX 70): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Pampa, TX to Killeen, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Texas 70 South: Clarendon along the way.
Texas 70 South: Clarendon
Pampa is the second largest city in the High Plains region of the Texas Panhandle. Pampa hosts the Top o' Texas Rodeo each year in July, which brings competitors from Texas and the surrounding states to Gray County. The White Deer Land Company Museum, which showcases ranching exhibits, is in downtown Pampa. In 2020, it was home to 17,000 people.
Founded 1872
Killeen is a city in the Central Hill Country of Texas. It is home to U.S. Army installation Fort Cavasos, one of the largest military bases in the world.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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