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Trip from Plano, TX to Junction, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 59m

Distance

292.6 mi

471 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$45

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
5h 47m ★
6 AM
6h 0m
8 AM
6h 26m
10 AM
6h 9m
12 PM
6h 6m
3 PM
6h 10m
5 PM
6h 24m
8 PM
5h 52m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas, United States

Plano, TX

Wikimedia Commons

city in and county seat of Kimble County, Texas, United States

Junction, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Plano, TX to Junction, TX covers 292.6 miles and takes about 5h 59m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Central Expressway, US 75 South, I 635 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $44.80 one way before food or hotel costs.

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

146.3 miles from Plano, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 59m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Central Expressway — —
US 75 South — —
I 635 — —
I 635 West — —
Lyndon B — —
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway — —
I 35E South — —
South Stemmons Freeway — —

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Central Expressway — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Plano, TX and Junction, TX.

1

Start on East 15th Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · East 15th Street
2

Turn left onto Central Expressway

0.2 mi · 18 sec · Central Expressway
3

Take the ramp slight left toward US 75 South

0.2 mi · 19 sec · US 75 South
4

Merge slight left onto Central Expressway

6.8 mi · 7 min · Central Expressway
5

Take the exit slight right toward I 635

0.3 mi · 32 sec · I 635
6

Keep slight right to continue on I 635 West

0.9 mi · 55 sec · I 635 West
7

Merge slight left onto Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway

2.4 mi · 2 min · Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway
8

Continue on Lyndon B Johnson Freeway

4.8 mi · 5 min · Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
9

Take the exit slight left toward I 35E South: Dallas

0.4 mi · 32 sec · I 35E South: Dallas
10

Merge slight right onto South Stemmons Freeway

2.2 mi · 2 min · South Stemmons Freeway
11

Keep slight right to continue on North Walton Walker Boulevard

0.6 mi · 40 sec · North Walton Walker Boulevard
12

Take the exit slight right

0.1 mi · 15 sec
13

Merge slight right onto Loop 12 TEXpress

2.2 mi · 2 min · Loop 12 TEXpress
14

Merge slight right onto SH 183 TEXpress

13 mi · 13 min · SH 183 TEXpress
15

Continue on SH 121/183 TEXpress

2.0 mi · 2 min · SH 121/183 TEXpress
16

Continue on SH 183 TEXpress

0.1 mi · 7 sec · SH 183 TEXpress
17

Continue on SH 121/183 TEXpress

0.7 mi · 43 sec · SH 121/183 TEXpress
18

Continue on I 820 TEXpress

6.9 mi · 6 min · I 820 TEXpress
19

Merge slight right onto Northeast Loop

0.4 mi · 24 sec · Northeast Loop
20

Continue on Jim Wright Freeway

16 mi · 19 min · Jim Wright Freeway
21

Take the exit slight right toward US 377: Granbury

0.5 mi · 1 min · US 377: Granbury
22

Keep slight right to continue on US 377 South: Granbury

0.2 mi · 14 sec · US 377 South: Granbury
23

Turn right onto Benbrook Boulevard

2.5 mi · 4 min · Benbrook Boulevard
24

Continue on US Highway 377 South

11 mi · 12 min · US Highway 377 South
25

Continue on Cresson Bypass

42 mi · 50 min · Cresson Bypass
26

Continue on East South Loop

3.5 mi · 5 min · East South Loop
27

Continue on West Washington Street

1.4 mi · 2 min · West Washington Street
28

Continue on South US Highway 377

7.5 mi · 8 min · South US Highway 377
29

Continue on Dublin Bypass

4.8 mi · 5 min · Dublin Bypass
30

Continue on Southwest US Highway 377

2.3 mi · 2 min · Southwest US Highway 377
31

Continue on US Highway 67

15 mi · 17 min · US Highway 67
32

Continue on East Central Avenue

2.9 mi · 3 min · East Central Avenue
33

Continue on US Highway 67

19 mi · 21 min · US Highway 67
34

Continue on Early Boulevard

4.5 mi · 5 min · Early Boulevard
35

Continue on East Commerce Street

0.5 mi · 44 sec · East Commerce Street
36

Turn left onto Main Street

1.8 mi · 2 min · Main Street
37

Continue on US Highway 377 South

44 mi · 1 hr 4 min · US Highway 377 South
38

Continue on Bridge Street

2.0 mi · 2 min · Bridge Street
39

At the end of the road, turn left onto Main Street

128 ft · 2 sec · Main Street
40

Turn right onto Blackburn Street

358 ft · 10 sec · Blackburn Street
41

Turn right onto East Commerce Street

276 ft · 11 sec · East Commerce Street
42

Turn left onto Bridge Street

1.4 mi · 1 min · Bridge Street
43

Turn right onto Menard Highway

0.9 mi · 1 min · Menard Highway
44

Continue on United States Highway 190

19 mi · 27 min · United States Highway 190
45

Continue on East US Highway 190

11 mi · 11 min · East US Highway 190
46

At the end of the road, turn left

30 mi · 32 min
47

Continue straight

2.2 mi · 4 min
48

Turn left onto North 11th Street

30 ft · 1 sec · North 11th Street
49

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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 146.3 miles from Plano, TX, or about 2h 59m into the drive.

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 18m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 146.3 miles or 2h 59m 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 54m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Plano, 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 Plano, TX

This is one driving day of about 292.6 miles and 5h 59m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 64 miles from Plano, 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.

Where to Stop

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

city in and the county seat of Erath County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Stephenville, TX

146 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

Watauga, TX

Fuel and coffee

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

Stephenville, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 146.3 miles from Plano, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$44.80 one way

$89.60 round trip

$3.89/gal 25.4 MPG avg 102 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.29 $49.44 $98.88
premium $4.64 $53.43 $106.86
diesel $6.18 $71.18 $142.36

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$45

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$70–$95

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 102.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.

Driving Electric?

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

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 87.8 1 $30.72 $14.04
Efficient EV 73.2 0 $25.60 $11.70
EV Truck/SUV 117 1 $40.96 $18.73

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 15, 2026

Origin

Plano, TX

Night in Plano on Friday

Local time

9:57 PM

CDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Junction, TX

Night in Junction on Friday

Local time

9:57 PM

CDT

Current temp

60°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

6 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 59m 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?

292.6 mi in 5h 59m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
49 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Central Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 5h 59m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Plano, TX to Junction, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

2,125 ft 475 ft

Total Climb

1,945 ft

Total Descent

904 ft

Highest Point

2,125 ft

~271.7 mi in

Elevation Range

1,650 ft

About the Cities

Starting 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

Arriving in Junction, TX

Full guide →

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 59m. Total distance: 292.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Plano, TX to Junction, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Not recommended in a single day. At 6.0 hours each way, a round trip means 12.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Junction, 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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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