Origin
Richwood, TX
Late night in Richwood on Sunday
Local time
2:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Richwood, TX to Houston, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
53.1 mi
86 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
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Richwood, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Houston, TX
Trace Hudson
Trip Overview
Richwood, TX to Houston, TX is 53.1 miles and takes about 1h 8m via Nolan Ryan Expressway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive stays within Texas, transitioning from the Great Plains region to the broader Houston metropolitan area. It's a short hop, making it ideal for a quick trip or an extension of another journey. Expect a practical, highway-focused experience for most of the way, with minimal fuss and a clear path to your destination.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Nolan Ryan Expressway | 27.2 mi | 31m |
| Brazoria County Expressway | 16.1 mi | 19m |
| Brazosport Boulevard North | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| Coale Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| South Velasco Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Gulf Freeway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Cedar Drive | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Louisiana Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Nolan Ryan Expressway
— 27.2 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Richwood, TX and Houston, 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
16 mi
·
19 min
·
Brazoria County Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Toward I 45 North: Dallas
Use the slight left lane.
10
Merge onto I 45
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Gulf Freeway
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 47B
Toward Houston Avenue, Memorial Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
444 ft
·
14 sec
Toward Memorial Drive
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto Memorial Drive Frontage Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Memorial Drive Frontage Road
14
Continue on Rusk Street
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
Rusk Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto Louisiana Street
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Louisiana Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Arrive at destination
Louisiana Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 26.6 miles from Richwood, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 34.4 and 52.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
34.4 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
TX 288 Toll / Brazoria County Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 288 Toll / Brazoria County Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
50.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 45 North: Dallas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 45 North: Dallas
8
52 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward Houston Avenue, Memorial Drive
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 47B
Toward Houston Avenue, Memorial Drive
8
52.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Memorial Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Memorial Drive
6
52.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
Louisiana Street
Turn left onto Louisiana Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.02 one way
$16.05 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $8.78 | $17.56 |
| premium | $4.54 | $9.48 | $18.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.72 | $23.45 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.58 | $2.55 |
| Efficient EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.65 | $2.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.2 | 0 | $7.43 | $3.40 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Houston, TX
Late night in Houston on Sunday
Local time
2:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°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
13 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 8m 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 primarily a highway-focused experience, with 84% of the route utilizing main roads like the Nolan Ryan Expressway and Brazoria County Expressway. You'll encounter a continuous stretch of 27.2 miles on the Nolan Ryan Expressway, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of your journey. While largely highway, the route incorporates sections of Brazosport Boulevard North, which may offer a slightly different driving feel as you approach more populated areas. Overall, anticipate a smooth, direct drive built for efficiency.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.2 mi on Nolan Ryan Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Nolan Ryan Expressway and Brazoria County Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 34.4 miles in near TX 288 Toll / Brazoria County Expressway.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.1 miles you will encounter 11 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 34.4 miles (TX 288 Toll / Brazoria County Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 50.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 52 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Houston, TX
Full guide →“Space City” · Founded 1836
Houston is a sprawling port city in Southeastern Texas. An oil boom and continuing international immigration has brought explosive growth to the city, and it is now the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States and the most diverse large city since 2021. While at first glance, the city appears to be a 9-5 central business district surrounded by a sea of suburbs and strip malls, there are many hidden gems to be discovered.
Top landmarks
- • Museum of Fine Arts, Houston — art museum in Houston, Texas
- • Astrodome — historic place in Houston, Harris County, Texas
- • Rothko Chapel — building in Houston, Harris County, 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 8m. Total distance: 53.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27.2 miles on Nolan Ryan Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Houston, 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: at 34.4 miles (TX 288 Toll / Brazoria County Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 50.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 52 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 Houston, 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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