Origin
Red Oak, TX
Late night in Red Oak on Tuesday
Local time
4:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Red Oak, TX to McKinney, 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
1h 2m
Distance
52.5 mi
85 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Red Oak, TX
Eddie O.
McKinney, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Red Oak, TX to McKinney, TX is 52.5 miles and takes about 1h 2m via North Central Expressway and I 35E, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region of Texas, offering a straightforward drive. You'll primarily be on major highways, making it a convenient option for a quick journey. Consider this route if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently without much fuss. It's a practical choice for a same-day trip, allowing you to maximize your time at your destination.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Central Expressway | 26.6 mi | 28m |
| I 35E | 16.7 mi | 17m |
| South Tennessee Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| West Red Oak Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| South McDonald Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Spur 399 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East R L Thornton Freeway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Julius Schepps Freeway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Central Expressway
— 26.6 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Red Oak, TX and McKinney, TX.
1
Start on this road
113 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto West Red Oak Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Red Oak Road
Use the straight lane.
3
Continue on West Red Oak Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Red Oak Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn right
452 ft
·
22 sec
5
Turn right onto North Interstate 35E
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
North Interstate 35E
6
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
Toward I 35E North
7
Merge onto I 35E
17 mi
·
17 min
·
I 35E
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 427A
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin Street
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
422 ft
·
5 sec
Toward I 35E North, I 30 West: Denton, Fort Worth, Texarkana
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Convention Center
11
Keep slight left at fork
385 ft
·
6 sec
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana
12
Continue on I 30; US 67
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East R L Thornton Freeway
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 46
Toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 75 North: McKinney
Use the slight left lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Toward US 75 North: McKinney, Bryan Street East
16
Merge onto US 75
0.7 mi
·
49 sec
·
Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on US 75
27 mi
·
28 min
·
North Central Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 38C
Toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Use the slight right lane.
20
Merge onto Spur 399
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Spur 399
21
Continue on TX 5
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South McDonald Street
22
Turn slight left
281 ft
·
10 sec
23
Continue on South Tennessee Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South Tennessee Street
24
Arrive at destination
North Tennessee Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.3 miles from Red Oak, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 48.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Red Oak Road
Turn right onto West Red Oak Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
18.1 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 427A
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Bouleva...
8
19.8 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 46
Toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney
7
20.2 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 75 North: McKinney
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 75 North: McKinney
8
48.4 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
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 38C
Toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.93 one way
$15.87 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $8.68 | $17.37 |
| premium | $4.54 | $9.37 | $18.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.59 | $23.18 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.13
Central Expressway
(26.6 mi)
$2.13
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.51 | $2.52 |
| Efficient EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.59 | $2.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21 | 0 | $7.35 | $3.36 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% 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.
Destination
McKinney, TX
Late night in McKinney on Tuesday
Local time
4:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1h 2m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is heavily focused on highways, with 86% of the journey utilizing major roadways. Expect a highway-focused experience for most of the 52.5 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 26.6 miles along North Central Expressway, offering a consistent pace. You'll mainly be navigating I 35E and South Tennessee Street, which are key arteries in the region. The road character remains fairly consistent, prioritizing direct travel over scenic detours.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.6 mi on North Central Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North Central Expressway and I 35E. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Red Oak Road.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.5 miles you will encounter 17 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: near the start (West Red Oak Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Red Oak, TX and McKinney, TX, road signs point toward Fort Worth, Texarkana, Convention Center, Bryan Street East and Srt South.
Fort Worth
18.5 mi in
|
~21m
Texarkana
18.5 mi in
|
~21m
Convention Center
18.5 mi in
|
~21m
Bryan Street East
20.7 mi in
|
~25m
Srt South
48.4 mi in
|
~55m
About the Cities
Arriving in McKinney, TX
Full guide →Founded 1848
McKinney is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of 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 1h 2m. Total distance: 52.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26.6 miles on North Central Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.13 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.
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 McKinney, TX before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Red Oak Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at McKinney, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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