Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Poth, TX to Austin, 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
2h 3m
Distance
107.3 mi
173 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 55m
★
6 AM
2h 3m
8 AM
2h 21m
10 AM
2h 10m
12 PM
2h 8m
3 PM
2h 11m
5 PM
2h 20m
8 PM
1h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Poth, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Austin, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 104.4-mile drive from Poth, TX to Austin, TX takes about 1 hour and 47 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll be navigating primarily on Highway 181 South and then North, with a short segment on 10th Street. With a fuel cost estimated at $16, this journey is quite budget-friendly. The route is characterized by frequent turns, offering a more engaging driving experience than a straight shot. Since both Poth and Austin are within the Great Plains region of Texas, you won't experience a dramatic shift in landscape, but rather a transition into the more populated and dynamic environment of the state capital.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53.6 miles from Poth, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 3m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 58.6 mi | 1h 3m |
| Anderson Loop | 23.5 mi | 28m |
| US Highway 181 North | 10.6 mi | 12m |
| US Highway 181 South | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| 10th Street | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Interstate Highway 35 | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| North Pan Am Expressway | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| South Storts Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 58.6 mi, about 1h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Poth, TX and Austin, TX.
1
Start on US 181
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
South Storts Street
2
Continue on US 181
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
US Highway 181 South
3
Continue on US 181
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
10th Street
4
Continue on US 181
11 mi
·
12 min
·
US Highway 181 North
5
Take the exit onto South Loop 1604 East
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
South Loop 1604 East
6
At end of road, turn left onto Loop 1604
24 mi
·
28 min
·
Anderson Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 35: San Antonio, Austin
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 35 North: Austin
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 35
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 35
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 35
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 35
47 mi
·
50 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 234C
Toward 6th - 12th Streets
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn left onto East 6th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East 6th Street
15
Turn left onto Congress Avenue
357 ft
·
17 sec
·
Congress Avenue
16
Turn left onto East 5th Street
28 ft
·
0 sec
·
East 5th Street
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
East 5th Street
Trip Plan
Given the 1 hour and 47-minute duration, this is an easy day trip, so you have flexibility with your departure time. Aim to leave Poth in the morning to maximize your time in Austin. Since there are no designated stops in the data, plan for any necessary breaks as you see fit. The estimated fuel cost is around $16, so ensure your tank is sufficiently full before you begin, especially since there are no specific rest areas mentioned along this turn-heavy local drive. Keep an eye on your navigation as the route involves frequent changes in road names and directions.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 53.6 miles from Poth, TX, or about 1h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 58.6 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 24 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.6 miles or 1h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 41m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Austin, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Poth, 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 Poth, TX
This is one driving day of about 107.3 miles and 2h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Poth, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Purple Heart Trail for about 58.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
54 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 24 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 53.6 miles from Poth, 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.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Circle K
0.1 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Marlstone Retail Center
0.4 mi from route
Austin Bat Tours
4.4
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the end, right off the route
Home stretch
0.2 mi from route
~1 min detour
Austin, Texas
Hours: 9 am–10 pm
Visit websiteChildren's Park
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Later in the drive, right off the route
Final third
0.5 mi from route
~1 min detour
San Marcos, Texas
Hours: 6 am–11 pm
+15123938400
Visit websiteAnimal World & Snake Farm Zoo
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Halfway reset
1 mi from route
~2 min detour
New Braunfels, Texas
Hours: 10 am–6 pm
+18304024603
Visit websiteCalaboose African American History Museum
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Later in the drive, right off the route
Final third
0.7 mi from route
~2 min detour
San Marcos, Texas
Hours: 10 am–2 pm
+15123938421
Visit websiteTube Chute
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, short detour
Halfway reset
1.9 mi from route
~5 min detour
New Braunfels, Texas
+18302214000
Visit websiteThe Sophienburg Museum & Archives
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, short detour
Halfway reset
2 mi from route
~5 min detour
New Braunfels, Texas
Hours: 10 am–4 pm
+18306291572
Visit websiteBotanical Gates of Paradise
4.1
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
1.7 mi from route
~4 min detour
Austin, Texas
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
Barton Creek Greenbelt
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, ~11 min detour
Home stretch
4.4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Austin, Texas
Hours: 5 am–10 pm
+15129746700
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 19.9 and 107.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
19.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
Loop 1604 / Anderson Loop
At end of road, turn left onto Loop 1604 / Anderson Loop
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
43.4 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward I 35: San Antonio, Austin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 35: San Antonio, Austin
7
43.7 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 35 North: Austin
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 35 North: Austin
7
106.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 1m in
Take the exit toward 6th - 12th Streets
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 234C
Toward 6th - 12th Streets
7
107.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 3m in
|
East 5th Street
Turn left onto East 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.21 one way
$32.43 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
38 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $17.75 | $35.49 |
| premium | $4.54 | $19.16 | $38.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $23.69 | $47.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 32.2 | 0 | $11.27 | $5.15 |
| Efficient EV | 26.8 | 0 | $9.39 | $4.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 42.9 | 0 | $15.02 | $6.87 |
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (66% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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
Poth, TX
Late night in Poth on Tuesday
Local time
4:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Austin, TX
Late night in Austin on Tuesday
Local time
4:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
69°F
Universal City, TX
54 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.
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
18 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 3m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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.
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...
9 mi from route
~23 min detour
Free
near mile 18.5
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for most of this 104.4-mile journey. With 0% highway share, you'll be on surface roads for the entire duration. This means you won't encounter any long, uninterrupted stretches of highway; instead, you'll be navigating a series of turns and changes in road name, including Highway 181 South, 10th Street, and Highway 181 North. The profile suggests a more involved driving experience, requiring your attention as you make your way through local terrain. This isn't a monotonous cruise, but rather a route where you'll be actively managing your direction.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 58.6 mi on Purple Heart Trail.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 19.9 miles in near Loop 1604 / Anderson Loop.
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 107.3 miles you will encounter 9 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 19.9 miles (Loop 1604 / Anderson Loop): Lane positioning matters here; at 43.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Austin, TX
Full guide →“City of the Violet Crown” · Founded 1835
Austin is a city of about 1,054,000 (2026) surpassing Fort Worth to become the 4th most populous city in Texas. It is on the southeast edge of the Hill Country region of Texas, making it the fourth-largest city in the state and the 11th-largest in the country. It is the capital of Texas and a college town, and also a center of an alternative culture away from the major cities on the US coasts, though the city is rapidly gentrifying with its rising popularity. Austin's attitude is commonly emblazoned about town on T-shirts and bumper stickers that read: "Keep Austin Weird." Austin is also marketed as the Live Music Capital of the World due to the large number of venues.
Top landmarks
- • Texas State Capitol — capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Texas
- • Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum — presidential library and museum for U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson in Austin,...
- • Texas State Cemetery — historic cemetery in Austin, Texas, USA
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 2h 3m. Total distance: 107.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 58.6 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 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 Austin, 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. There are 7 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 19.9 miles (Loop 1604 / Anderson Loop): Lane positioning matters here; at 43.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Austin, TX before heading back.
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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