Origin
Rockdale, TX
Late night in Rockdale on Tuesday
Local time
5:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rockdale, TX to Austin, 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 17m
Distance
61.3 mi
99 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockdale, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Austin, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Rockdale to Austin is 61.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 17 minutes via West Cameron Avenue, Pickle Parkway, and East 2nd Street, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive moves you from the Great Plains region of Texas to another part of the same region, offering a straightforward journey between two Texas cities. With a short duration and minimal cost, it’s an easy day trip or a simple leg of a longer adventure. You can expect a mixed driving experience that balances highway speeds with some local road navigation.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Cameron Avenue | 25.4 mi | 32m |
| Pickle Parkway | 10 mi | 9m |
| East 2nd Street | 6.9 mi | 8m |
| Manor Expressway | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| US 290 | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| US 79 | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Chris Kelley Boulevard | 2.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
West Cameron Avenue
— 25.4 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockdale, TX and Austin, TX.
1
Start on FM 908
48 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 79; FM 487
25 mi
·
32 min
·
West Cameron Avenue
3
Turn left onto Porter Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Porter Street
4
Turn right onto East 2nd Street
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
East 2nd Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on US 79
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
US 79
6
Turn left onto FM 685
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Chris Kelley Boulevard
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left onto FM 685
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
TX 130 Frontage Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
10 sec
Exit 426
Toward TX 130 Toll South: Austin, Pflugerville
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
14 sec
·
this road
Exit 426
Toward Toll 130 South: Austin, Pflugerville
10
Merge onto TX 130 Toll
10 mi
·
9 min
·
Pickle Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
1.4 mi
·
2 min
Exit 437B
Toward 290 Toll West: Austin
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto 290 Toll
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Manor Expressway
13
Continue on US 290
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 290
14
Take the exit onto US 290
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 290
Toward I 35 South, US 290 West
Use the slight right lane.
15
Merge onto I 35; US 290
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Use the slight left lane.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 234B
Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University
Use the slight right lane.
18
Turn straight onto North Interstate 35
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Interstate 35
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Turn right onto East 6th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East 6th Street
Use the right lane.
20
Turn left onto Congress Avenue
357 ft
·
17 sec
·
Congress Avenue
21
Turn left onto East 5th Street
28 ft
·
0 sec
·
East 5th Street
Use the left lane.
22
Arrive at destination
East 5th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.7 miles from Rockdale, 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 185 decision points cluster between mile 38.4 and 60.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
38.4 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the ramp toward TX 130 Toll South: Austin, Pflugerville
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 426
Toward TX 130 Toll South: Austin, Pflugerville
7
48.8 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward 290 Toll West: Austin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 437B
Toward 290 Toll West: Austin
7
55.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
US 290
Take the exit onto US 290 toward I 35 South, US 290 West
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 35 South, US 290 West
8
58 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
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
Use the slight left lane.
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
8
60.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
Take the exit toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University
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 234B
Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson Univer...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.26 one way
$18.53 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $10.14 | $20.28 |
| premium | $4.54 | $10.94 | $21.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.53 | $27.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.4 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 | 18.4 | 0 | $6.44 | $2.94 |
| Efficient EV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.36 | $2.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.5 | 0 | $8.58 | $3.92 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Austin, TX
Late night in Austin on Tuesday
Local time
5:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 5 to 10 mph
5% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 18 at 12:44AM CDT by NWS Norman OK
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 12:34AM CDT until April 18 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX
82°F
Taylor, TX
31 mi in
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
1h 17m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route offers a mixed drive, with 34% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 25.4 miles on West Cameron Avenue, providing a good opportunity for consistent travel. The drive transitions between different road types, so be prepared for a blend of faster sections and potentially more local traffic as you approach your destination. This variety means you won't be stuck in a monotonous highway crawl for the entire trip.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.4 mi on West Cameron Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 38.4 miles in.
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 61.3 miles you will encounter 18 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 38.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 48.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 55.9 miles (US 290): 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 Rockdale, TX and Austin, TX, road signs point toward Pflugerville, Toll 130 South: Austin and 290 Toll West: Austin.
Pflugerville
38.4 mi in
|
~49m
Toll 130 South: Austin
38.5 mi in
|
~49m
290 Toll West: Austin
48.8 mi in
|
~59m
About the Cities
Starting in Rockdale, TX
Full guide →Arriving in Austin, TX
Full guide →“City of the Violet Crown” · Founded 1835
Austin is a city of about 1,054,000 (2026) surpassing Fort Worth to become the 4th most populous city in Texas. It is on the southeast edge of the Hill Country region of Texas, making it the fourth-largest city in the state and the 11th-largest in the country. It is the capital of Texas and a college town, and also a center of an alternative culture away from the major cities on the US coasts, though the city is rapidly gentrifying with its rising popularity. Austin's attitude is commonly emblazoned about town on T-shirts and bumper stickers that read: "Keep Austin Weird." Austin is also marketed as the Live Music Capital of the World due to the large number of venues.
Top landmarks
- • Texas State Capitol — capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Texas
- • Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum — presidential library and museum for U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson in Austin,...
- • Texas State Cemetery — historic cemetery in Austin, Texas, USA
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 17m. Total distance: 61.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.4 miles on West Cameron Avenue. 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 Austin, 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 38.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 48.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 55.9 miles (US 290): 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 Austin, 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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