Trip from Roma, TX to Dallas, TX

Pin this trip

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

Drive Time

9h 19m

Distance

518.8 mi

835 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$71

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min

4 AM

9h 11m ★

6 AM

9h 19m

8 AM

9h 36m

10 AM

9h 25m

12 PM

9h 24m

3 PM

9h 26m

5 PM

9h 35m

8 PM

9h 14m

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

Best Time

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

city in Starr County, Texas, United States

Roma, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Dallas, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Roma, TX to Dallas, TX is 518.8 miles and takes about 9h 19m via Purple Heart Trail and I-35E, with a fuel budget near $75 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip spans the Great Plains region in Texas, transitioning from the southern edge to the more central plains as you head north. It's a long-haul drive, best suited for a two-day trip to avoid fatigue, with a recommended two stops along the way. You'll spend a good portion of your time on major highways, making it a straightforward, albeit lengthy, transit.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

259.4 miles from Roma, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 44m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Purple Heart Trail	332.7 mi	5h 45m
I 35E	58.1 mi	1h
United States Highway 83	54.3 mi	1h 1m
South Pan Am Expressway	21.5 mi	26m
North US Highway 83	14.2 mi	15m
North Garcia Street	12.5 mi	14m
North Pan Am Expressway	7.4 mi	8m
South Jack Kultgen Expressway	6.6 mi	7m

Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 332.7 mi, about 5h 45m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 72 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

5 PM

~3,149 veh/hr typical · worst 3,641

Quietest

2 AM

~516 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.1×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 52 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 Roma, TX and Dallas, TX.

Start on US 83

258 ft · 8 sec · North Grant Street

Turn left onto East Franklin Avenue

294 ft · 18 sec · East Franklin Avenue

Turn left onto US 83

12 mi · 14 min · North Garcia Street

Continue on US 83

54 mi · 1 hr 1 min · United States Highway 83

Continue on US 83

14 mi · 15 min · North US Highway 83

Continue on US 83

5.4 mi · 8 min · South Zapata Highway

Turn left onto South Meadow Avenue

2.1 mi · 4 min · South Meadow Avenue

Turn left onto US 83

1.0 mi · 2 min · Guadalupe Street

Continue on US 83

0.4 mi · 48 sec · Houston Street

Turn right onto US 83

278 ft · 5 sec · San Dario Avenue

Continue on I 35; I 27; US 83

144 mi · 2 hr 27 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

9.3 mi · 11 min · South Pan Am Expressway

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

1.7 mi · 2 min · South Pan Am Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35

10 mi · 13 min · South Pan Am Expressway

Toward I 37, US 281: Upper Level, Corpus Christi, Johnson City Use the straight lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto North Pan Am Expressway

7.4 mi · 8 min · North Pan Am Expressway

Toward I 35: Austin Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

12 mi · 12 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

1.9 mi · 2 min · Interstate Highway 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

48 mi · 52 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290

96 mi · 1 hr 40 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

6.6 mi · 7 min · South Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35; US 77

33 mi · 33 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E

58 mi · 1 hr · I 35E

Toward I 35E: Dallas Use the slight right lane.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 30 sec

Exit 429A Toward Continental Avenue Use the slight right lane.

Turn right onto Continental Avenue

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Continental Avenue

Use the right lane.

Turn slight right onto North Lamar Street

433 ft · 10 sec · North Lamar Street

Arrive at destination

North Lamar Street

Trip Plan

Given the 9-hour drive time, splitting this into two days is highly recommended for safety and comfort. Plan to leave early in the morning on your first day, aiming to cover roughly half the distance. Utilize your two recommended stops to break up the driving segments and refuel. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially when transitioning to surface roads, as services may be less frequent than on the interstate. The longest continuous stretch on the Purple Heart Trail is over 300 miles, so ensure you're well-rested before starting that segment.

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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 259.4 miles from Roma, TX, or about 4h 44m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 332.7 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 114 miles or 2h 11m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 259.4 miles or 4h 44m 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 259.4 miles or 4h 44m

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 8h 15m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dallas, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Roma, 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 Roma, TX

Aim for roughly 259 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Dallas, TX

Aim for roughly 259 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 114 miles from Roma, TX.

This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.

Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on Purple Heart Trail for about 332.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Natalia, TX

171 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Popular next leg

Natalia, TX to Dallas, TX

303.4 mi · 5h 26m

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

San Antonio, TX

342 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in San Antonio, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

San Antonio, TX

259 mi · about 4.7h in

A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 259 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Laredo, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 114 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

San Antonio, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 259.4 miles from Roma, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 332.7 miles.

Overnight split

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.4 mi from route ~3 min detour

Dallas, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+19724823055

Visit website

Pioneer Farms

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Final third 1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 10 am–2 pm

+15128371215

Visit website

Morgan's Wonderland

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.3 mi from route ~6 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 10 am–3 pm

+12104955888

Visit website

Children's Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.3 mi from route ~6 min detour

San Marcos, Texas

Hours: 6 am–11 pm

+15123938400

Visit website

Calaboose African American History Museum

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.6 mi from route ~7 min detour

San Marcos, Texas

Hours: 10 am–2 pm

+15123938421

Visit website

G2 Ranch

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour

Early stretch 3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour

Pearsall, Texas

+12104194442

Visit website

Village of Salado Visitors Center

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third 3.4 mi from route ~8 min detour

Salado, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+12549478634

Visit website

Toybrary Austin

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour

Final third 5 mi from route ~12 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 10 am–6 pm

+15124343927

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 243.8 and 518.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

243.8 mi into trip | ~4h 25m in | I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

245.5 mi into trip | ~4h 27m in | I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway toward I 37, US 281: Upper Level, Corpus Christi, Johnson City

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight lane. Toward I 37, US 281: Upper Level, Corpus Christ...

255.9 mi into trip | ~4h 40m in | North Pan Am Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35: Austin

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 35: Austin

460.2 mi into trip | ~8h 17m in | I 35E

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E toward I 35E: Dallas

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 35E: Dallas

518.2 mi into trip | ~9h 18m in

Take the exit toward Continental Avenue

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 429A Toward Continental Avenue

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$71.06 one way

$142.12 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 182 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$79.37	$158.74
premium	$4.23	$86.30	$172.59
diesel	$4.80	$97.96	$195.92

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$71

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$201–$311

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 181.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $54 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	155.6	1	$54.47	$24.90
Efficient EV	129.7	1	$45.40	$20.75
EV Truck/SUV	207.5	2	$72.63	$33.20

Gas CO2

182 kg

EV CO2

61 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 16, 2026

Origin

Roma, TX

Morning in Roma on Sunday

Local time

9:41 AM

CDT

Current temp

100°F

Partly Sunny

SE 13 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 16 at 5:05PM CDT until July 16 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 5:00PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA

Destination

Dallas, TX

Morning in Dallas on Sunday

Local time

9:41 AM

CDT

Current temp

90°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 10 mph 46% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 16 at 5:05PM CDT until July 16 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 5:00PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA

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

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

10 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

9h 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.

Waco Mammoth National Monument

National Monument

Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation's first and...

5 mi from route ~11 min detour Free near mile 429.3

View on nps.gov

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...

9 mi from route ~23 min detour Free near mile 250.4

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

This route involves 32% highway driving. You'll encounter a continuous stretch of 332.7 miles on the Purple Heart Trail before transitioning to Interstate 35E. Expect to see dense exits and merging traffic as you approach and travel through more populated areas on the interstates. The remainder of the drive will be on surface roads, offering a different pace.

32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.

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

Longest single stretch: 332.7 mi on Purple Heart Trail.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

At 9h 19m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 243.8 miles in near I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway.

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 12 significant decision points across 518.8 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 243.8 miles (I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 245.5 miles (I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 255.9 miles (North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

941 ft 209 ft

Total Climb

943 ft

Total Descent

724 ft

Highest Point

941 ft

~259.4 mi in

Elevation Range

732 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Roma, TX and Dallas, TX, road signs point toward Corpus Christi and Johnson City.

Corpus Christi

245.5 mi in | ~4h 27m | via I 35

Johnson City

245.5 mi in | ~4h 27m | via I 35

Detours Along the Way

Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.

Opening Bell Coffee

Cafe

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour

Dallas, TX

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Hours: Mo-We 07:00-18:00; Th-Fr 07:00-21:00; Sa...

Visit website

AllGood Cafe

Cafe

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour

Dallas, TX

Hours: Mo-We 08:00-15:00; Th-Sa 08:00-21:00; Su...

Visit website

Hope Coffee

Cafe

Park

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

Museum

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

Dallas, TX

Hours: We-Su 10:00-17:00

Visit website

Waples-Platter Buildings

Yes

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.2 mi from route

Manuel Guerra Home and Store

Memorial

Near the start, right off the route

0.2 mi from route

First Chapel in Roma

Memorial

Near the start, right off the route

0.2 mi from route

West End Historic District

District

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

Harrow

Artwork

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.

About the Cities

Starting in Roma, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1936

Arriving in Dallas, TX

Full guide →

“Big D” · Founded 1841

Dallas, with a population of more than 1.3 million residents, is the ninth largest city in the United States and the third largest in the state of Texas. It is an impressive melting pot of culture and character. Boasting high-end luxury hotels, innumerable fine dining spots, and one of the busiest airports in the world, Dallas maintains an upscale ethos reflected by an affluent population, world-class museums, and a shimmering modern skyline. Its history was marred by the infamous assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, but there is more historic and contemporary heritage to be discovered in the city. As a center of the oil and cotton industries in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Dallas was a classic American boom town and remains one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.

Top landmarks

• Dallas Museum of Art — art museum in Dallas, Texas
• Texas School Book Depository — building in Dallas, Texas, United States
• George W. Bush Presidential Center — Presidential library and museum for U.S. President George W. Bush, located in Da...

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Solo Traveler

9h 19m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Long-haul drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 332.7 miles on Purple Heart Trail. 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 259 miles on day one.

Yes — we found about 53 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 Dallas, 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 2 meaningful breaks. There are 53 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument 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 9.3 hours each way, a round trip means 18.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Dallas, TX before the return drive.

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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Roma, TX or browse trips ending in Dallas, TX.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.