Richwood, TX to El Paso, TX is 791.4 miles and takes about 13 hours 19 minutes via I 10, with a fuel budget near $116 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This long-haul drive crosses the entire state of Texas, starting in the Great Plains region and ending in the same region. Given the substantial distance and driving time, it's best planned as an overnight trip, breaking up the 13+ hours of driving. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, making it a straightforward, albeit lengthy, cross-state excursion. Consider this route if you're looking for a direct path across Texas with minimal navigation complexity.
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
395.7 miles from Richwood, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 6h 58m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 10
538.4 mi
8h 36m
Katy Freeway
161.7 mi
2h 45m
Nolan Ryan Expressway
27.2 mi
31m
Anderson Loop
20.4 mi
22m
South Sam Houston Tollway West
10.3 mi
11m
West Sam Houston Tollway South
7 mi
7m
Brazoria County Expressway
5.5 mi
6m
Farm-to-Market Road 1518
5.4 mi
9m
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 538.4 mi, about 8h 36m
Traffic on I-10
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 112 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,410 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,904
Quietest
2 AM
~189 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Richwood, TX and El Paso, TX.
1
Start on Cedar Drive
0.3 mi·1 min·Cedar Drive
2
At end of road, turn left onto TX 288 Bus
3.7 mi·5 min·Brazosport Boulevard North
3
Continue on TX 288 Bus
1.1 mi·1 min·South Velasco Street
4
Turn left onto CR 220
1.5 mi·2 min·Coale Road
5
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
6
Merge onto TX 288
27 mi·31 min·Nolan Ryan Expressway
7
Continue on TX 288
0.1 mi·7 sec·South Freeway
8
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 288 Toll
5.1 mi·5 min·Brazoria County Expressway
9
Take the exit onto Brazoria County Expressway
0.4 mi·30 sec·Brazoria County Expressway
Toward SHT West, SHT East: Sam Houston TollwayUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi·2 min
Toward SHT West: Sam Houston TollwayUse the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto SHT
10 mi·11 min·South Sam Houston Tollway West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on BW 8
1.9 mi·2 min·South Sam Houston Parkway West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on SHT
7.0 mi·7 min·West Sam Houston Tollway South
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 10 West, I 10 East: San Antonio, DowntownUse the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi·2 min
Toward I 10 West: San AntonioUse the slight left lane.
16
Merge onto I 10; US 90
162 mi·2 hr 45 min·Katy Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130
1.9 mi·1 min·I 10; US 90; TX 130
18
Take the exit
0.1 mi·14 sec
Exit 591Toward TX 1518: SchertzUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn straight onto Interstate 10 East
0.1 mi·21 sec·Interstate 10 East
20
Turn right onto FM 1518
5.4 mi·9 min·Farm-to-Market Road 1518
21
At end of road, turn left onto FM 78
2.0 mi·3 min·Gordon A Blake Highway
22
Turn left
0.2 mi·21 sec
23
Take the ramp
265 ft·6 sec
Toward Loop 1604 North
24
Merge onto Loop 1604
20 mi·22 min·Anderson Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Take the exit
0.2 mi·20 sec
Toward Frontage RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Turn straight onto North Loop 1604 West
0.2 mi·25 sec·North Loop 1604 West
27
Turn right onto Interstate 10 West
0.3 mi·24 sec·Interstate 10 West
28
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·19 sec
Toward I 10 West, US 87 North
29
Merge onto I 10; US 87
1.1 mi·1 min·I 10; US 87
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87
535 mi·8 hr 33 min·I 10; US 87
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
31
Take the exit
0.2 mi·20 sec
Exit 19BToward Missouri Avenue, DowntownUse the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Turn straight onto East Missouri Avenue
0.3 mi·49 sec·East Missouri Avenue
33
Turn left onto TX 20
0.3 mi·27 sec·North Mesa Street
34
Arrive at destination
North Mesa Street
Trip Plan
For this 791.4-mile drive, splitting it over two days is highly recommended to avoid excessive fatigue. Aim to depart early in the morning on your first day to maximize daylight hours and cover a good portion of the distance. With a total duration of over 13 hours, plan for at least one overnight stop to rest. The longest stretch without exits is a considerable 538.4 miles on I 10, so ensure you have adequate fuel before entering this segment. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially in more rural stretches where services might be further apart.
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 395.7 miles from Richwood, TX, or about 6h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 538.4 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 174 miles or 3h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 395.7 miles or 6h 58m 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 395.7 miles or 6h 58m
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 12h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near El Paso, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Richwood, 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 Richwood, TX
Aim for roughly 396 miles and 6.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into El Paso, TX
Aim for roughly 396 miles and 6.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 174 miles from Richwood, 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 I 10 for about 538.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 24
5 decision points cluster between mile 39.5 and 790.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
39.5 mi into trip|~49m in|Brazoria County Expressway
Take the exit onto Brazoria County Expressway toward SHT West, SHT East: Sam Houston 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.
Toward SHT West, SHT East: Sam Houston Tollway
7
39.9 mi into trip|~50m in
Keep slight left at fork toward SHT West: Sam Houston Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward SHT West: Sam Houston Tollway
7
60.1 mi into trip|~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward I 10 West, I 10 East: San Antonio, Downtown
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 10 West, I 10 East: San Antonio, Downt...
7
60.4 mi into trip|~1h 15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 West: San Antonio
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 10 West: San Antonio
8
790.6 mi into trip|~13h 17m in
Take the exit toward Missouri Avenue, Downtown
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 19B
Toward Missouri Avenue, Downtown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$118.80 one way
$237.61 round trip
$3.81/gal25.4 MPG avg277 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$131.45
$262.91
premium
$4.57
$142.23
$284.47
diesel
$6.28
$195.54
$391.09
Estimated Tolls: $1.39
Sam Houston Tollway
(17.3 mi)$1.39
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
$119
Tolls
$1
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$250–$360
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 276.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $83 in charging
· 2 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
237.4
2
$83.10
$37.99
Efficient EV
197.9
2
$69.25
$31.66
EV Truck/SUV
316.6
3
$110.80
$50.65
Gas CO2
277 kg
EV CO2
93 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Richwood, TX
Late night
in Richwood on Thursday
Local time
3:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Mostly Cloudy
N 5 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
El Paso, TX
Late night
in El Paso on Thursday
Local time
2:54 AM
MDT
Current temp
59°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
ENE 2 mph19% chanceLive forecast
66°F
Big Lake, TX
522 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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
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
13h 19m 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.
Chamizal National Memorial
National Memorial
Chamizal is more than just an urban park to recreate or enjoy a quiet afternoon. These grounds are a reminder of the harmonious settlement of a 100-year boundary dispute between the United States and...
2 mi from route
~5 min detour
Free
near mile 791.4
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...
21 mi from route
~51 min detour
Free
near mile 245.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is primarily a highway cruise, with 93% of the 791.4 miles on major roads like I 10 and the Katy Freeway. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 538.4 miles on I 10 without needing to exit. Expect a predominantly rural feel for much of the drive, punctuated by urban areas as you pass through larger cities. The transition from highway to surface roads will be minimal until you reach your destination.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
34 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 538.4 mi on I 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and Katy Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 39.5 miles in near Brazoria County Expressway.
Driving Effort10/10
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 24 significant decision points across 791.4 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 39.5 miles (Brazoria County Expressway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 60.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
4,621 ft15 ft
Total Climb
4,676 ft
Total Descent
978 ft
Highest Point
4,621 ft
~679.8 mi in
Elevation Range
4,605 ft
Notable High Points
4,621 ft at ~679.8 miles+652 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Richwood, TX and El Paso, TX, road signs point toward Sht West: Sam Houston Tollway, Downtown and Loop 1604 North.
El Paso is the sixth largest city in Texas, with 679,000 residents (2020). It is on the United States-Mexico border. The city on the other side of the border is Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. El Paso is often called the Sun City. Collectively, the city of El Paso and other nearby cities, such as Juarez and Las Cruces, New Mexico are referred to as The Borderland.
Top landmarks
•El Paso Museum of Art — art museum in El Paso, Texas
•Union Depot — historic place in El Paso, El Paso County, Texas
•Plaza Theatre — building in El Paso, El Paso County, Texas
The longest stretch is about 538.4 miles on I 10. 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 396 miles on day one.
Expect about $1.39 in tolls one way, starting with Sam Houston Tollway. 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 81 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 El Paso, 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. There are 81 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 39.5 miles (Brazoria County Expressway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 60.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Chamizal National Memorial and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 13.3 hours each way, a round trip means 26.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at El Paso, TX before the return drive.
