Trip from Rio Hondo, TX to San Antonio, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 51m

Distance

253.7 mi

408 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$35

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min

4 AM

4h 38m ★

6 AM

4h 52m

8 AM

5h 19m

10 AM

5h 1m

12 PM

4h 58m

3 PM

5h 2m

5 PM

5h 17m

8 PM

4h 44m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Rio Hondo, TX

Nacho Monge

San Antonio, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Spanning 257 miles, your journey from Rio Hondo to San Antonio is a manageable trip that takes approximately 3 hours and 53 minutes. Because the entire route remains within the Great Plains region of Texas, you will experience a consistent landscape throughout the duration of your travel. With a fuel budget of about $39, this trek is well-suited for a single day of driving. While it is certainly possible to complete the distance in one go, you might consider how the turn-heavy local roads affect your fatigue levels. This route is best approached as a straightforward, practical transition between two South Texas locations. It offers a no-frills path for those looking to reach San Antonio efficiently without the need for an overnight stop.

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

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

126.8 miles from Rio Hondo, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 30m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
US 281	123.2 mi	2h 13m
U.S. Highway 77	83.8 mi	1h 33m
Nueces Street	14.7 mi	18m
West King Avenue	14.5 mi	17m
Combes Rio Hondo Road	8.5 mi	11m
South 6th Street	4.4 mi	7m
East Commerce Street	0.9 mi	1m
Colorado Avenue	0.7 mi	1m

Longest stretch: US 281 — 123.2 mi, about 2h 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rio Hondo, TX and San Antonio, TX.

Start on FM 106

0.7 mi · 1 min · Colorado Avenue

Keep slight right at fork onto West Colorado Avenue

0.3 mi · 22 sec · West Colorado Avenue

Turn straight onto FM 508

8.5 mi · 11 min · Combes Rio Hondo Road

Continue on FM 508

0.3 mi · 32 sec · Templeton Street

Turn right onto Interstate 69E Frontage Road

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Interstate 69E Frontage Road

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 23 sec

Merge onto I 69E; US 77

84 mi · 1 hr 33 min · U.S. Highway 77

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 8 sec

Keep slight right at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min

Turn left onto FM 772

0.2 mi · 17 sec · FM 772

Turn straight onto US 77 Business

4.4 mi · 7 min · South 6th Street

Turn left onto TX 141

14 mi · 17 min · West King Avenue

Take the ramp

0.6 mi · 1 min

Merge onto US 281

54 mi · 1 hr 1 min · US 281

Keep slight left at fork onto US 281

15 mi · 18 min · Nueces Street

Continue on US 281

0.2 mi · 15 sec · US 281

Take the exit onto US 281

69 mi · 1 hr 11 min · US 281

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec

Exit 141 Toward Commerce Street, Downtown, The Alamo Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto Interstate 37 South

380 ft · 11 sec · Interstate 37 South

Turn left onto East Commerce Street

0.9 mi · 1 min · East Commerce Street

Turn left onto Military Plaza

392 ft · 15 sec · Military Plaza

Turn left onto Dolorosa Street

327 ft · 8 sec · Dolorosa Street

Arrive at destination

Dolorosa Street

Trip Plan

Since this is a turn-heavy, local route, prioritize a departure time that allows you to drive during daylight hours to maintain better visibility on smaller roads. You should plan for at least one dedicated stop to break up the nearly four-hour drive, which helps manage the fatigue that comes with constant maneuvering on local streets. Keep your $39 fuel budget in mind, and consider topping off your tank before you leave Rio Hondo to avoid searching for stations along the more winding sections of the route. Because you are avoiding major highways, be prepared for slower transit speeds than you might expect on a typical 257-mile trip. Staying flexible with your pace is your biggest advantage here, so don't rush the navigation through the local road segments.

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 126.8 miles from Rio Hondo, TX, or about 2h 30m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 123.2 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 56 miles or 1h 5m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 126.8 miles or 2h 30m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 2m

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 Rio Hondo, 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 Rio Hondo, TX

This is one driving day of about 253.7 miles and 4h 51m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Rio Hondo, TX.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on US 281 for about 123.2 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Alice, TX

127 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

Lyford, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 56 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Alice, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 126.8 miles from Rio Hondo, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before US 281 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 123.2 miles.

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

+12102271373

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 253.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

0.7 mi into trip | ~1m in | West Colorado Avenue

Keep slight right at fork onto West Colorado Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

10.1 mi into trip | ~14m in | I 69E; US 77 / U.S. Highway 77

Merge onto I 69E; US 77 / U.S. Highway 77

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

183.5 mi into trip | ~3h 37m in | US 281

Take the exit onto US 281

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

252.3 mi into trip | ~4h 48m in

Take the exit toward Commerce Street, Downtown, The Alamo

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 141 Toward Commerce Street, Downtown, The Alamo

253.6 mi into trip | ~4h 51m in | Dolorosa Street

Turn left onto Dolorosa Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$34.75 one way

$69.50 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 89 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$38.81	$77.63
premium	$4.23	$42.20	$84.40
diesel	$4.80	$47.90	$95.81

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$35

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$60–$85

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 88.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	76.1	0	$26.64	$12.18
Efficient EV	63.4	0	$22.20	$10.15
EV Truck/SUV	101.5	1	$35.52	$16.24

Gas CO2

89 kg

EV CO2

30 kg (66% less)

Plan for 0 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 Jul 18, 2026

Origin

Rio Hondo, TX

Late night in Rio Hondo on Sunday

Local time

1:43 AM

CDT

Current temp

78°F

Mostly Clear

SE 9 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 4:38AM CDT until July 19 at 6:46PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 4:37AM CDT until July 20 at 12:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Destination

San Antonio, TX

Late night in San Antonio on Sunday

Local time

1:43 AM

CDT

Current temp

77°F

Mostly Cloudy

SSE 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 4:38AM CDT until July 19 at 6:46PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 4:37AM CDT until July 20 at 12:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

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 cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

4h 51m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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...

2 mi from route ~4 min detour Free near mile 244.9

View on nps.gov

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park

National Historical Park

On May 8, 1846, U.S. and Mexican troops clashed on the prairie of Palo Alto. The battle was the first in a two-year long war that changed the map of North America. Although the two countries have deve...

16 mi from route ~41 min detour Free

View on nps.gov

Padre Island National Seashore

National Seashore

Protecting sixty-six miles of wild coastline along the Gulf of America, the narrow barrier island is home to one of the last intact coastal prairie habitats in the United States. Along the hypersaline...

27 mi from route ~67 min detour $25 near mile 70

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 very different experience than a standard interstate cruise, as this route is defined by a turn-heavy, local road profile. You will navigate via West Colorado Avenue, Combes Rio Hondo Road, and Templeton Street rather than relying on high-speed expressways. With a highway share of 0%, this drive demands your full attention as you navigate local thoroughfares rather than setting cruise control on a monotonous slab of asphalt. The road's personality is technical and winding, requiring you to stay alert through every turn. You will find that the lack of highway stretches makes the 257-mile distance feel more involved and hands-on than a typical long-distance commute.

82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 123.2 mi on US 281.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 281 and U.S. Highway 77. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near West Colorado Avenue.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 253.7 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 0.7 miles (West Colorado Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 10.1 miles (I 69E; US 77 / U.S. Highway 77): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 183.5 miles (US 281): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

649 ft 24 ft

Total Climb

742 ft

Total Descent

118 ft

Highest Point

649 ft

~253.7 mi in

Elevation Range

625 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Rio Hondo, 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 4h 51m. Total distance: 253.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 123.2 miles on US 281. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 14 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 San Antonio, 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 1 meaningful breaks. There are 14 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park and Padre Island National Seashore. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Possible but tiring. At 4.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.7 hours — manageable with a long break at San Antonio, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.

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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Rio Hondo, TX or browse trips ending in San Antonio, TX.

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Trip from Rio Hondo, TX to San Antonio, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Rest Area

Picnic Area

Service Plaza

Love's Travel Stop

Kenedy County Rest Area

Rest Area

Live Oak County Southbound Rest Area

Picnic Area

Love's Travel Stop

Road Ranger

QuikTrip

Pilot Travel Center

Live Oak County Northbound Rest Area

Love's Travel Stop

Spanish Governor's Palace

GO RIO San Antonio River Cruises

San Antonio | The Saga

Hemisfair

San Antonio Fire Museum

The Amazing Mirror Maze

SEA LIFE San Antonio

San Antonio River Lock & Dam

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Rio Hondo, TX

San Antonio, TX

Same local time

1 degrees cooler at arrival

4h 51m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park

Padre Island National Seashore

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

About the Cities

Starting in Rio Hondo, TX

Arriving in San Antonio, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Are there national parks near this route?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

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