Origin
Roma, TX
Night in Roma on Saturday
Local time
11:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Roma, TX to Fort Worth, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 10m
Distance
509.8 mi
820 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$77
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 2m
★
6 AM
9h 10m
8 AM
9h 27m
10 AM
9h 16m
12 PM
9h 14m
3 PM
9h 17m
5 PM
9h 26m
8 PM
9h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Roma, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Fort Worth, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 509.8-mile journey from Roma, TX, to Fort Worth, TX, is a significant undertaking, requiring approximately 9 hours and 10 minutes of driving time. Given the distance and duration, this is best planned as a 2-day trip to avoid fatigue. The route primarily utilizes the Purple Heart Trail, United States Highway 83, and I-35W, with about 30% of the drive on highways. Expect a fuel cost of around $77 for this trip. As you travel from the Great Plains region of Texas to another part of the Great Plains, you'll experience a long-distance drive that connects two distinct areas within the state.
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
254.9 miles from Roma, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 39m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 332.7 mi | 5h 45m |
| United States Highway 83 | 54.3 mi | 1h 1m |
| I 35W | 49.2 mi | 51m |
| 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
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Roma, TX and Fort Worth, TX.
1
Start on US 83
258 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Grant Street
2
Turn left onto East Franklin Avenue
294 ft
·
18 sec
·
East Franklin Avenue
3
Turn left onto US 83
12 mi
·
14 min
·
North Garcia Street
4
Continue on US 83
54 mi
·
1 hr 1 min
·
United States Highway 83
5
Continue on US 83
14 mi
·
15 min
·
North US Highway 83
6
Continue on US 83
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
South Zapata Highway
7
Turn left onto South Meadow Avenue
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
South Meadow Avenue
8
Turn left onto US 83
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Guadalupe Street
9
Continue on US 83
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Houston Street
10
Turn right onto US 83
278 ft
·
5 sec
·
San Dario Avenue
11
Continue on I 35; I 27; US 83
144 mi
·
2 hr 27 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 35
9.3 mi
·
11 min
·
South Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
South Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
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.
15
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.
16
Continue on I 35
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on I 35
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on I 35
48 mi
·
52 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
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.
20
Continue on I 35
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
South Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Continue on I 35; US 77
33 mi
·
33 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
49 mi
·
51 min
·
I 35W
Toward I 35W: Fort Worth
Use the slight left lane.
23
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 49A
Toward Allen Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
24
Turn straight onto South Freeway
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Freeway
25
Turn left onto East Allen Avenue
210 ft
·
12 sec
·
East Allen Avenue
26
Turn left onto South Freeway
258 ft
·
5 sec
·
South Freeway
27
Arrive at destination
South Freeway
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 9-hour drive, consider splitting it over two days. Departing early in the morning will allow you to cover a significant portion of the 509.8 miles before needing to stop for the night. Plan for at least two stops to refuel and stretch your legs, especially given the longest stretch of 332.7 miles. Keep an eye on fuel levels, as services can be spaced out, particularly on the Purple Heart Trail. The estimated fuel cost of $77 is a good baseline for your budgeting.
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 254.9 miles from Roma, TX, or about 4h 39m 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 112 miles or 2h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 254.9 miles or 4h 39m 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 254.9 miles or 4h 39m
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 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Worth, 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 255 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Fort Worth, TX
Aim for roughly 255 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 112 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
168 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.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
336 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 Austin, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
255 mi · about 4.6h in
A practical overnight split lands near Kirby, TX after about 255 miles or 4.6 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 112 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 254.9 miles from Roma, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 332.7 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 255 miles or 4.6 hours on the road.
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 135 decision points cluster between mile 243.8 and 509.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
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.
8
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...
7
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
7
460.2 mi into trip
|
~8h 17m in
|
I 35W
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W toward I 35W: Fort Worth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35W: Fort Worth
7
509.4 mi into trip
|
~9h 8m in
Take the exit toward Allen Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 49A
Toward Allen Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$77.03 one way
$154.06 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
178 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $84.32 | $168.64 |
| premium | $4.54 | $91.02 | $182.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $112.56 | $225.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$77
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$207–$317
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 178.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $54 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 152.9 | 1 | $53.53 | $24.47 |
| Efficient EV | 127.5 | 1 | $44.61 | $20.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 203.9 | 2 | $71.37 | $32.63 |
Gas CO2
178 kg
EV CO2
60 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.
Destination
Fort Worth, TX
Night in Fort Worth on Saturday
Local time
11:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
20 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 10m 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...
6 mi from route
~16 min detour
Free
near mile 421.9
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 246.1
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
The personality of this drive is predominantly that of a long-distance haul, with a substantial 332.7-mile stretch along the Purple Heart Trail forming the longest uninterrupted segment. While 30% of the route involves highway driving, you'll also encounter sections on US-83 and I-35W, offering a mix of road types. The drive progresses from more rural settings towards the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, gradually shifting in character as you approach your destination. This route is not a winding, scenic byway but rather a functional corridor designed for efficient travel across Texas.
30% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 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 10m, 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 13 significant decision points across 509.8 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.
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 Roma, TX and Fort Worth, 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
About the Cities
Arriving in Fort Worth, TX
Full guide →“Panther city” · Founded 1849
Fort Worth is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of approximately 1,020,000, it is Texas' 5th largest city. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, which has a population exceeding 6 million. Sometimes referred to as Cowtown, it is by far closer to its cowboy roots than neighboring Dallas. This article also covers North Richland Hills, a neighboring community.
Top landmarks
- • Amon Carter Museum of American Art — art museum in Fort Worth, Texas
- • Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth — art museum
- • St. Patrick Cathedral in Fort Worth — church located in Fort Worth, Texas
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Solo Traveler
9h 10m 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 255 miles on day one.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Fort Worth, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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.
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 9.2 hours each way, a round trip means 18.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Fort Worth, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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