Trip from Queen City, TX to San Antonio, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 34m
Distance
402.5 mi
648 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$55
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Queen City, TX
Arian Fernandez
San Antonio, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 402.5-mile journey from Queen City, TX to San Antonio, TX will take approximately 7 hours and 34 minutes of driving time. It's a manageable one-day trip, though you might consider an overnight stop if you prefer a more relaxed pace. The estimated fuel cost for this drive is around $61. You'll primarily be on roads like the Purple Heart Trail, TX 155, and I-35, with a significant portion of your travel on highways. This route offers a straightforward connection between the Great Plains regions of East Texas and Central Texas, making it a practical choice for reaching your destination without extensive detours.
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
201.2 miles from Queen City, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 53m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 99.6 mi | 1h 46m |
| TX 155 | 66.2 mi | 1h 15m |
| I 35 | 55.8 mi | 58m |
| State Highway 31 East | 30.9 mi | 35m |
| West State Highway 31 | 18.8 mi | 21m |
| State Highway 31 | 17.2 mi | 17m |
| North Pan Am Expressway | 17 mi | 20m |
| Corsicana Bypass | 11.8 mi | 13m |
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 80 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~3,916 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~672 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 51 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 Queen City, TX and San Antonio, TX.
Start on FM 74
At end of road, turn left onto Loop 236
Turn left onto US 59
Turn straight onto US 59
Take the exit onto US 59
Merge onto US 59; TX77
Continue on US 59; FM 2328
Turn right onto TX 155
Turn left onto US 271; TX 155
Turn straight onto TX 155
Turn right onto US 80; TX 155
Turn left onto TX 155
Turn right onto US 271; TX 155
Turn right onto Loop 323
Continue on Loop 323
Continue on Loop 323
Turn right onto TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Take the exit
Merge onto US 175; TX 19; TX 31; Loop 7
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn right onto TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Turn left onto TX 31
At end of road, turn left onto TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Continue on US 84
Continue on US 84
Turn straight onto US 84
Turn left onto North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 35; US 77
Continue on I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290
Continue on I 35
Continue on I 35
Continue on I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Take the exit
Turn straight onto East Elmira Street
Turn left onto North Main Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Navarro Street
Continue on Navarro Street
Keep slight right at fork onto North Main Avenue
Turn right onto West Travis Street
Turn left onto North Flores Street
Continue on Military Plaza
Turn left onto Dolorosa Street
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 7.5-hour drive, consider an early morning departure from Queen City to maximize daylight and allow for two planned stops. Given the 402.5 miles, a single day is feasible, but be mindful of the 99.6-mile stretch on Purple Heart Trail where services might be less frequent. Keep your fuel tank topped up, especially before heading into that longer segment. The $61 fuel estimate is a helpful guide for budgeting, and planning your two stops strategically will ensure you stay refreshed for the highway-focused portions, particularly on I-35 as you approach San Antonio.
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 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 89 miles or 1h 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 201.2 miles or 3h 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Antonio, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
Open the route before leaving Queen City, 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 Queen City, TX
This is one driving day of about 402.5 miles and 7h 34m.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
201 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
A short stop after about 89 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 201.2 miles from Queen City, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 99.6 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.
Service Plaza
Cass County Southbound Rest Area
Buc-ee's
Flying J Travel Center
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
Buc-ee's
TA
Flying J Travel Plaza
Pilot Travel Center
QuikTrip
Marlstone Retail Center
Love's Travel Stop
Pilot Travel Center
Service Plaza
Bell County Southbound Rest Area
QuikTrip
Pilot Travel Center
QuikTrip
Petro Stopping Centers
Spanish Governor's Palace
Near the end, right off the route
San Antonio, Texas
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
+12102077527
Visit websiteGO RIO San Antonio River Cruises
Near the end, right off the route
San Antonio, Texas
Hours: 10 am–10 pm
+12102274746
Visit websiteSan Antonio | The Saga
Near the end, right off the route
San Antonio, Texas
Hours: 9–9:30 pm
+12102259800
Visit websiteHemisfair
Near the end, right off the route
San Antonio, Texas
Hours: 5 am–12 pm
+12107094750
Visit websiteSan Antonio Fire Museum
Near the end, right off the route
San Antonio, Texas
Hours: 10 am–3:30 pm
+12103907236
Visit websiteThe Amazing Mirror Maze
Near the end, right off the route
San Antonio, Texas
Hours: 10:30 am–8 pm
+12102242288
Visit websiteSEA LIFE San Antonio
Near the end, right off the route
San Antonio, Texas
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+12106101160
Visit websiteSan Antonio River Lock & Dam
Near the end, right off the route
San Antonio, Texas
Hours: 9 am–10 pm
+12102271373
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 335 decision points cluster between mile 162.1 and 401.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$55.13 one way
$110.26 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.89 | $61.58 | $123.16 |
| premium | $4.23 | $66.95 | $133.90 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $76.00 | $152.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$55
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$80–$105
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 140.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $42 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 120.8 | 1 | $42.26 | $19.32 |
| Efficient EV | 100.6 | 1 | $35.22 | $16.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 161 | 2 | $56.35 | $25.76 |
Gas CO2
141 kg
EV CO2
47 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
Queen City, TX
Morning in Queen City on Tuesday
Local time
11:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Mostly Cloudy
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 16 at 9:36PM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 16 at 9:36PM CDT until July 19 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Destination
San Antonio, TX
Morning in San Antonio on Tuesday
Local time
11:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 16 at 9:36PM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 16 at 9:36PM CDT until July 19 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
100°F
Italy, TX
201 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
1 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
7h 34m 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...
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused drive for this trip, with 61% of the route utilizing major highways. While much of your time will be spent on faster roads, you'll encounter stretches on the Purple Heart Trail and TX 155. The longest continuous stretch without a major road change is 99.6 miles on the Purple Heart Trail, offering a sustained period of driving. The character of the drive transitions as you move from smaller highways to the broader expanse of I-35, providing a mix of driving experiences.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Purple Heart Trail and TX 155. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 162.1 miles in near TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass.
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 33 significant decision points across 402.5 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 162.1 miles (TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass): Lane positioning matters here; at 320.9 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 394.3 miles (I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
734 ft
Total Descent
440 ft
Highest Point
873 ft
~287.5 mi in
Elevation Range
587 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Queen City, TX
Full guide →Arriving in San Antonio, TX
Full guide →Founded 1718
San Antonio is the second largest city in the state of Texas and the 7th largest in the United States. It's the 24th largest metropolitan area in the country. Visited by more than 31 million annual visitors, San Antonio is a beautiful city at the axis of three different geological terrains: Hill Country, South Texas Plains and Prairie and Lakes. There's a lot to do in this city: fine art museums, historical missions and plenty of amusement parks in addition to great dining and lots of drinking. The culture and people are vibrant and interesting. San Antonio's downtown is one of the most lively in the nation.
Top landmarks
- • Alamo Mission in San Antonio — historic place in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
- • San Antonio Missions National Historical Park — historic district in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
- • Fort Sam Houston — military base in San Antonio, 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 34m. Total distance: 402.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 34m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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