Origin
Port Arthur, TX
Night in Port Arthur on Saturday
Local time
9:48 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Port Arthur, TX to Amarillo, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
12h 12m
Distance
659.6 mi
1,062 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$100
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
12h 2m
★
6 AM
12h 13m
8 AM
12h 35m
10 AM
12h 21m
12 PM
12h 18m
3 PM
12h 22m
5 PM
12h 34m
8 PM
12h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Port Arthur, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Amarillo, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 659.6-mile journey from Port Arthur, TX, to Amarillo, TX, is a substantial undertaking, estimated to take 12 hours and 12 minutes of driving time. Given its length and duration, it's best suited for a two-day trip, allowing for a more relaxed pace. The route primarily utilizes US 69, US 81, and US Highway 175 West, making it a familiar road trip experience. With an estimated fuel cost of $100, you'll want to budget accordingly. This drive spans across Texas, moving from one part of the Great Plains region to another, offering a consistent landscape throughout.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
3 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
329.8 miles from Port Arthur, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 18m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 69 | 150.1 mi | 2h 53m |
| US 81 | 103.4 mi | 1h 49m |
| US Highway 175 West | 78.4 mi | 1h 25m |
| US Highway 287 | 75.4 mi | 1h 17m |
| US Highway 287 East | 40.5 mi | 42m |
| East 11th Street | 28.7 mi | 32m |
| Boykin Drive | 26.2 mi | 28m |
| US Highway 287 West | 25.7 mi | 26m |
Longest stretch:
US 69
— 150.1 mi, about 2h 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Port Arthur, TX and Amarillo, TX.
1
Start on Augusta Avenue
197 ft
·
10 sec
·
Augusta Avenue
2
Turn left onto TX 87
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Gulfway Drive
3
Turn slight left onto Bluebonnet Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Bluebonnet Avenue
4
At end of road, turn left onto US 69; US 96; US 287
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Memorial Boulevard
5
Continue on US 69; US 96; US 287
16 mi
·
16 min
·
Memorial Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 69; US 96; US 287
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
US 69; US 96; US 287
Toward I 10 East, US 69 North, US 96 North, US 287 North: Lake Charles, Lufkin
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 69; US 96; US 287
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
US 69; US 96; US 287
Toward I 10 East, US 69 North, US 96 North, US 287 North: Lake Charles, Lufkin
8
Take the exit onto US 69; US 96; US 287
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Eastex Freeway
Exit 853A
Toward US 69 North, US 96 North, US 287 North: Lufkin, Jasper
9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 69; US 287
94 mi
·
1 hr 46 min
·
US 69; US 287
Toward US 69 North, US 287 North: Kountze, Lufkin
10
Turn right onto US 69 Bus
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Chestnut Street
11
Turn straight
304 ft
·
11 sec
12
Turn straight onto US 59 Bus; US 69 Bus
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Timberland Drive
13
Turn left onto US 69 Bus; TX 103
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Kurth Drive
14
At end of road, turn left onto TX 103; Loop 287
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
Loop 287 Frontage Road
15
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
16
Merge onto US 69
54 mi
·
1 hr 3 min
·
US 69
17
Turn left onto US 175
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Alexander Boulevard
18
Continue on US 175
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
Frankston Highway
19
Continue on US 175
9.6 mi
·
10 min
·
US Highway 175 West
20
Turn slight right
3.8 mi
·
4 min
21
Merge onto US 175
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
East Pine Street
22
Continue on US 175
21 mi
·
22 min
·
US Highway 175
23
Continue on US 175 Bus
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
East Corsicana Street
24
Keep slight right at fork onto US 175 Bus
69 mi
·
1 hr 14 min
·
US Highway 175 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Merge onto I 45
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 286A
Toward Waco, Denton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Continue on Spur 366
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Woodall Rodgers Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 35E North: Denton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Merge onto I 35E
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
North Stemmons Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
30
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 183
0.8 mi
·
48 sec
·
John W Carpenter Freeway
Exit 433A
Toward TX 183: Irving, DFW Airport
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
31
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 183 TEXpress
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
SH 183 TEXpress
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
32
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 183 TEXpress
15 mi
·
14 min
·
SH 183 TEXpress
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Continue on TX 121 TEXpress; TX 183 TEXpress
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
SH 121/183 TEXpress
34
Continue on TX 183 TEXpress
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
SH 183 TEXpress
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
35
Continue on TX 121 TEXpress; TX 183 TEXpress
0.7 mi
·
42 sec
·
SH 121/183 TEXpress
36
Continue on I 820 TEXpress
6.2 mi
·
6 min
·
I 820 TEXpress
Toward I 820 Express West Toll
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
37
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I 35W Express: Fort Worth, Denton
38
Keep slight right at fork
0.8 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 35W Express North: Denton
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
39
Merge onto I 35W TEXpress
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
I 35W TEXpress
40
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 81 North, US 287 North: Decatur
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
41
Merge onto US 81; US 287
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 81; US 287
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
42
Continue on US 81; US 287
102 mi
·
1 hr 47 min
·
US 81; US 287
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
43
Continue on US 281; US 287
0.8 mi
·
58 sec
·
Lloyd Ruby Overpass
44
Continue on US 277; US 281; US 287
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Central Freeway
Use the straight lane.
45
Keep slight left at fork onto US 287
5.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Northwest Freeway
Exit 3A
Toward US 287 North: Vernon, Amarillo
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
46
Continue on US 287
40 mi
·
42 min
·
US Highway 287 East
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
47
Continue on US 70; US 183; US 287
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
48
Continue on US 287
26 mi
·
26 min
·
US Highway 287 West
Use the straight lane.
49
Continue on US 287
29 mi
·
32 min
·
East 11th Street
50
Continue on US 287
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Avenue F Northeast
51
Continue on US 287
14 mi
·
14 min
·
US Highway 287
52
Continue on US 287
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Burnett Street
53
Continue on US 287
14 mi
·
13 min
·
US Highway 287
54
Turn straight onto US 287
26 mi
·
28 min
·
Boykin Drive
55
Continue on US 287
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 2nd Street
56
Continue on US 287
28 mi
·
28 min
·
US Highway 287
57
Continue on US 287; FM 1151
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East 1st Street
58
Continue on US 287
20 mi
·
20 min
·
US Highway 287
59
Keep slight right at fork onto East Interstate Drive
329 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Interstate Drive
Toward East 3rd Avenue
60
Keep slight right at fork onto Southeast 3rd Avenue
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Southeast 3rd Avenue
61
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
62
Merge onto Loop 335
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
North Lakeside Drive
63
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Toward US 60, I 40 Business: Amarillo Boulevard
64
Turn left onto I 40 Business; US Historic 66; US 60
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
East Amarillo Boulevard
65
Continue on I 40 Business; Original US Route 66; US 60
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 40 Business; Original US Route 66; US 60
66
Continue on I 40 Business
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
East Amarillo Boulevard
67
Arrive at destination
I 40 Business; Original US Route 66; US 60
Trip Plan
Given the 12-hour, 12-minute duration, breaking this trip into two days is highly recommended to avoid driver fatigue. Plan to make around three stops throughout your journey, spacing them out to coincide with the longest stretches of driving. The estimated fuel cost is $100, so ensure your vehicle is fueled up before departing and be mindful of fuel availability, especially during the 150.1-mile segment on US 69. Starting your drive earlier in the day will maximize daylight hours and allow for more flexibility in reaching your overnight accommodation.
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.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 329.8 miles from Port Arthur, TX, or about 6h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 150.1 miles.
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 145 miles or 2h 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 329.8 miles or 6h 18m 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 329.8 miles or 6h 18m
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 11h 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Amarillo, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Port Arthur, 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 Port Arthur, TX
Aim for roughly 330 miles and 6.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Amarillo, TX
Aim for roughly 330 miles and 6.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 145 miles from Port Arthur, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 69 for about 150.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
218 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
435 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 Sanger, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
330 mi · about 6.1h in
A practical overnight split lands near Dallas, TX after about 330 miles or 6.1 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 145 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 329.8 miles from Port Arthur, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 69 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 150.1 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 330 miles or 6.1 hours on the road.
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 325 decision points cluster between mile 294.9 and 437.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
294.9 mi into trip
|
~5h 40m in
Take the exit toward Waco, Denton
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 286A
Toward Waco, Denton
9
300.8 mi into trip
|
~5h 49m in
|
TX 183 / John W Carpenter Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 183 / John W Carpenter Freeway toward TX 183: Irving, DFW Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 433A
Toward TX 183: Irving, DFW Airport
7
327.2 mi into trip
|
~6h 16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 35W Express North: Denton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35W Express North: Denton
7
330.3 mi into trip
|
~6h 19m in
Take the exit toward US 81 North, US 287 North: Decatur
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.
Toward US 81 North, US 287 North: Decatur
9
437.7 mi into trip
|
~8h 14m in
|
US 287 / Northwest Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 287 / Northwest Freeway toward US 287 North: Vernon, Amarillo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 3A
Toward US 287 North: Vernon, Amarillo
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$99.67 one way
$199.33 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
231 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $109.09 | $218.19 |
| premium | $4.54 | $117.77 | $235.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $145.63 | $291.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$100
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$230–$340
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 230.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $69 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 197.9 | 2 | $69.26 | $31.66 |
| Efficient EV | 164.9 | 1 | $57.71 | $26.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 263.8 | 3 | $92.34 | $42.21 |
Gas CO2
231 kg
EV CO2
77 kg (67% less)
Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Amarillo, TX
Night in Amarillo on Saturday
Local time
9:48 PM
CDT
Current temp
37°F
Mostly Clear
N 20 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
54°F
Mesquite, TX
218 mi in
58°F
Sanger, TX
435 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.
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
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
12h 12m on the road
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument
National Monument
13,000 years ago, Alibates Flint was used by mammoth hunters as a source of flint for tools. Learn how important this site was to the survival, commerce, and culture of the people of the High Plains.
26 mi from route
~66 min detour
Free
near mile 659.6
View on nps.gov
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
Set within the wide‑open Texas Plains, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area offers a peaceful retreat in the heart of rugged grasslands. Over thousands of years, the Canadian River carved dramatic 2...
29 mi from route
~72 min detour
Free
near mile 659.6
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
The majority of this 659.6-mile drive, 86% to be exact, is on highways, suggesting a generally efficient travel experience. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 150.1 miles on US 69, indicating some extended periods of continuous driving. While primarily highway-based, the inclusion of US 81 and US Highway 175 West suggests you might experience a mix of faster-paced sections and potentially more local road characteristics as you progress. This route is characterized as a long-distance drive, so expect consistent, albeit not necessarily varied, road conditions for much of the journey.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
67 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 150.1 mi on US 69.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 69 and US 81. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 294.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 32 significant decision points across 659.6 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 294.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 300.8 miles (TX 183 / John W Carpenter Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 327.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Port Arthur, TX and Amarillo, TX, road signs point toward Waco, Denton and Dfw Airport.
Waco
294.9 mi in
|
~5h 40m
Denton
294.9 mi in
|
~5h 40m
Dfw Airport
300.8 mi in
|
~5h 49m
|
via TX 183
About the Cities
Starting in Port Arthur, TX
Full guide →Port Arthur is in the Gulf Coast region of Texas.
Arriving in Amarillo, TX
Full guide →Amarillo, which means "yellow" in Spanish, is the center of the Texas Panhandle at the edge of the Great Plains.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 150.1 miles on US 69. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 330 miles on day one.
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 Amarillo, 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 3 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 294.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 300.8 miles (TX 183 / John W Carpenter Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 327.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument and Lake Meredith National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 12.2 hours each way, a round trip means 24.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Amarillo, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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