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Trip from Plano, TX to Odem, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 22, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 1m
Distance
388.1 mi
625 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$58
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 50m
★
6 AM
7h 1m
8 AM
7h 24m
10 AM
7h 9m
12 PM
7h 7m
3 PM
7h 10m
5 PM
7h 23m
8 PM
6h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plano, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Odem, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Plano to Odem is 388.1 miles and takes about 7h 1m via South R L Thornton Freeway, TX 130 Toll, and TX 80, with a fuel budget near $56 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you from the Great Plains region of North Texas down into the Great Plains of South Texas. With 84% of the drive on highways, you can expect a fairly direct path for most of the journey. This is a solid choice for a single-day drive, especially if you're looking to cover ground efficiently.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
194.1 miles from Plano, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 23m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South R L Thornton Freeway | 89.9 mi | 1h 32m |
| TX 130 Toll | 58.5 mi | 54m |
| TX 80 | 51.2 mi | 56m |
| South US Highway 181 | 40.2 mi | 45m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 37.9 mi | 39m |
| I 35 | 26.5 mi | 26m |
| Central Expressway | 16.8 mi | 18m |
| US Highway 181 South | 16.1 mi | 18m |
Longest stretch:
South R L Thornton Freeway
— 89.9 mi, about 1h 32m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,895 veh/hr typical · worst 4,744
Quietest
2 AM
~570 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.8×
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 Plano, TX and Odem, TX.
1
Start on East 15th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 15th Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn left onto Central Expressway
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Central Expressway
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward US 75 South
4
Merge onto US 75
17 mi
·
17 min
·
Central Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
501 ft
·
12 sec
Exit 284C
Toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway
Use the slight left lane.
6
Continue on North Central Expressway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Central Expressway
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Turn right onto Elm Street
304 ft
·
10 sec
·
Elm Street
8
Turn left onto North Pearl Expressway
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Pearl Expressway
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto Young Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Young Street
10
Turn left onto South Harwood Street
315 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Harwood Street
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto Canton Street
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Canton Street
12
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 30 West
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Waco, Denton
14
Keep slight left at fork
221 ft
·
5 sec
Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 35E South: Waco
Use the left / right lanes.
16
Continue on I 35E
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
17
Continue on I 35E
89 mi
·
1 hr 31 min
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
Exit 426
Toward Dallas Zoo
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on I 35; US 77
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Continue on I 35
38 mi
·
39 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
26 mi
·
26 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 265
Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
Use the slight right lane.
22
Continue on TX 130 Toll
59 mi
·
54 min
·
TX 130 Toll
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 470
Toward US 183 South: Lockhart
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Continue on US 183
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
United States Highway 183
25
Continue on US 183
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
North Colorado Street
26
Continue on US 183
10 mi
·
11 min
·
US 183
27
Continue on US 183
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
North Magnolia Avenue
28
Continue on TX 80
51 mi
·
56 min
·
TX 80
29
Turn slight left onto FM 792
8.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Farm-to-Market Road 792
30
Continue on TX 72; TX 239
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
31
Turn left onto US 181
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
South Sunset Strip Drive
32
Continue on US 181
40 mi
·
45 min
·
South US Highway 181
33
Continue on US 181
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
·
North 8th Street
34
Continue on US 181
16 mi
·
18 min
·
US Highway 181 South
35
Take the exit onto US 181
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
US 181
36
Keep slight right at fork onto US 181
213 ft
·
5 sec
·
US Route 181
37
Turn straight onto US 181
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US Highway 181
38
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
39
Merge onto US 77
7.8 mi
·
8 min
·
US 77
40
Arrive at destination
US 77
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 7-hour drive, consider leaving Plano early in the morning, around 7 AM, to arrive in Odem before dark. With only two recommended stops, you have flexibility in pacing. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer highway stretches; the estimated $56 fuel cost is a good guideline. A good time to plan a stop would be around the halfway point, approximately 3.5 hours into your drive, to refuel and stretch your legs.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 194.1 miles from Plano, TX, or about 3h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89.9 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 85 miles or 1h 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 194.1 miles or 3h 23m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Odem, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Plano, TX
This is one driving day of about 388.1 miles and 7h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 85 miles from Plano, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on South R L Thornton Freeway for about 89.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
194 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 85 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 194.1 miles from Plano, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before South R L Thornton Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 89.9 miles.
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.
Bell County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Hill County Northbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
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
Flying J Travel Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Hill County Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
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
QuikTrip
0.3 mi from route
Bell County Southbound Rest Area
0.4 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.9 mi from route
SoPac Trail Rest Area
1.9 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.4 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
2.5 mi from route
Dark Hour Haunted House
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, right off the route
0.8 mi from route
~2 min detour
Plano, Texas
+14692980556
Visit websiteDoris D Miller Park
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Early in the drive, short detour
Early stretch
1.1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Waco, Texas
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit website11th Hour Escape
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, right off the route
0.9 mi from route
~2 min detour
Plano, Texas
Hours: 12–5:30 pm
+14692095978
Visit websiteHeritage Farmstead Museum
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
1.9 mi from route
~5 min detour
Plano, Texas
Hours: Closed
+19728810140
Visit websiteVillage of Salado Visitors Center
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, short detour
Halfway reset
3.3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Salado, Texas
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
+12549478634
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 235 decision points cluster between mile 17.5 and 240.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
17.5 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 284C
Toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway
9
19.7 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco
7
19.7 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E South: Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward I 35E South: Waco
7
180.9 mi into trip
|
~3h 10m in
Take the exit toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 265
Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
7
240.1 mi into trip
|
~4h 6m in
Take the exit toward US 183 South: Lockhart
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 470
Toward US 183 South: Lockhart
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$58.26 one way
$116.52 round trip
$3.81/gal
25.4 MPG avg
136 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $64.46 | $128.93 |
| premium | $4.57 | $69.75 | $139.50 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $95.89 | $191.79 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.40
Central Expressway
(17.5 mi)
$1.40
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
$58
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$85–$110
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 135.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $41 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 116.4 | 1 | $40.75 | $18.63 |
| Efficient EV | 97 | 1 | $33.96 | $15.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 155.2 | 1 | $54.33 | $24.84 |
Gas CO2
136 kg
EV CO2
45 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
Plano, TX
Evening in Plano on Thursday
Local time
5:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Sunny
E 0 to 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Odem, TX
Evening in Odem on Thursday
Local time
5:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Mostly Sunny
E 12 mph
0% chance
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
1 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
7h 1m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 107.1
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend most of your time on highways, with 84% of the route on high-speed roads. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 89.9 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway. Expect to transition from highway cruising to surface streets as you approach your destination, though the majority of the miles will be on the faster roads.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
40 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 89.9 mi on South R L Thornton Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South R L Thornton Freeway and TX 130 Toll. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 17.5 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 23 significant decision points across 388.1 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 17.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
735 ft
72 ft
Total Climb
387 ft
Total Descent
983 ft
Highest Point
735 ft
~166.3 mi in
Elevation Range
663 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.
Between Plano, TX and Odem, TX, road signs point toward Denton, Waco and Dallas Zoo.
Denton
19.5 mi in
|
~23m
Waco
19.7 mi in
|
~24m
Dallas Zoo
20.6 mi in
|
~25m
|
via I 35E
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
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 7h 1m. Total distance: 388.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 1m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 89.9 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.40 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 Odem, 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 31 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 17.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 7.0 hours each way, a round trip means 14.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Odem, 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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