Origin
Pearland, TX
Late night in Pearland on Tuesday
Local time
5:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pearland, TX to Arlington, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 56m
Distance
271.3 mi
437 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 43m
★
6 AM
4h 57m
8 AM
5h 24m
10 AM
5h 6m
12 PM
5h 4m
3 PM
5h 8m
5 PM
5h 23m
8 PM
4h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pearland, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Arlington, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Pearland, TX to Arlington, TX is 271.3 miles and takes about 4h 56m via North Freeway, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Great Plains region, primarily on Texas highways. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained freeways, making for a straightforward trip. With a recommended single day of driving, this route is ideal for a quick transit between these two Texas cities.
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
135.7 miles from Pearland, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 29m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Freeway | 226.9 mi | 3h 57m |
| Lyndon B Johnson Freeway | 15.1 mi | 16m |
| Gulf Freeway | 6.9 mi | 8m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway | 6.1 mi | 6m |
| Telephone Road | 5.3 mi | 8m |
| South Collins Street | 3.9 mi | 7m |
| South Main Street | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Reveille Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
North Freeway
— 226.9 mi, about 3h 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pearland, TX and Arlington, TX.
1
Start on TX 35
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
2
Continue on TX 35
5.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Telephone Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 35
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Reveille Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
Take the ramp onto TX 35
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
TX 35
Toward Central Business District
5
Merge onto I 45
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Gulf Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on I 45
227 mi
·
3 hr 57 min
·
North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 276A
Toward I 20 West: Fort Worth
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 20
15 mi
·
16 min
·
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 20
6.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 451
Toward Collins Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn straight onto East Interstate 20
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
East Interstate 20
12
Turn right onto South Collins Street
3.9 mi
·
7 min
·
South Collins Street
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto East Abram Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Abram Street
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
West Abram Street
Trip Plan
Consider departing Pearland in the morning to take advantage of the full daylight hours for your 4-hour and 56-minute drive. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, you have flexibility in pacing. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the 226.9-mile stretch on the North Freeway, as services might be spaced out. The estimated fuel cost is around $41. Planning for a mid-drive break around the halfway point could make the drive more comfortable.
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 135.7 miles from Pearland, TX, or about 2h 29m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 226.9 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 60 miles or 1h 10m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 135.7 miles or 2h 29m 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
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 Pearland, 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 Pearland, TX
This is one driving day of about 271.3 miles and 4h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 miles from Pearland, 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 North Freeway for about 226.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
136 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 60 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 135.7 miles from Pearland, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before North Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 226.9 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 7.7 and 266.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
7.7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
TX 35 / Reveille Street
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 35 / Reveille Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
10.5 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
I 45 / Gulf Freeway
Merge onto I 45 / Gulf Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
244.3 mi into trip
|
~4h 22m in
Take the exit toward I 20 West: Fort Worth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 276A
Toward I 20 West: Fort Worth
5
245.3 mi into trip
|
~4h 24m in
|
I 20 / Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Merge onto I 20 / Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
266.4 mi into trip
|
~4h 47m in
Take the exit toward Collins Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 451
Toward Collins Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$40.99 one way
$81.99 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
95 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $44.87 | $89.74 |
| premium | $4.54 | $48.44 | $96.88 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $59.90 | $119.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 94.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 81.4 | 1 | $28.49 | $13.02 |
| Efficient EV | 67.8 | 0 | $23.74 | $10.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 108.5 | 1 | $37.98 | $17.36 |
Gas CO2
95 kg
EV CO2
32 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.
Destination
Arlington, TX
Late night in Arlington on Tuesday
Local time
5:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
23 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
4h 56m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 92% of it on major freeways. You'll experience a continuous stretch of 226.9 miles on the North Freeway. Expect frequent exits and merging traffic as you navigate through various populated areas. The final portion of your drive will transition from highway to surface roads as you approach your destination.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 226.9 mi on North Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North Freeway and Lyndon B Johnson Freeway. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 7.7 miles in near TX 35 / Reveille Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 271.3 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7.7 miles (TX 35 / Reveille Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.5 miles (I 45 / Gulf Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 244.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Pearland, TX
Full guide →Founded 1894
Pearland is in the North Barrier Coast region of Texas.
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).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 56m. Total distance: 271.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 226.9 miles on North 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 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 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 7.7 miles (TX 35 / Reveille Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.5 miles (I 45 / Gulf Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 244.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Arlington, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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