Trip from San Antonio, TX to Citrus City, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 22, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 26m

Distance

241.2 mi

388 km

Drive Score

10/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$36

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 13m ★

6 AM

4h 26m

8 AM

4h 53m

10 AM

4h 35m

12 PM

4h 33m

3 PM

4h 37m

5 PM

4h 51m

8 PM

4h 18m

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

Best Time

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San Antonio, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Citrus City, TX

Aimbere Elorza

Trip Overview

San Antonio to Citrus City is 241.2 miles and takes about 4 hours 26 minutes via Lucian Adams Freeway, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive takes you across the Great Plains within Texas, offering a straightforward path with a mostly highway profile. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, it's a manageable trip for a single day. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to cover ground between these two Texas locations without extensive planning.

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

120.6 miles from San Antonio, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 9m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Lucian Adams Freeway	66.8 mi	1h 8m
South Nueces Street	66.2 mi	1h 10m
Falfurrias Expressway	55.8 mi	58m
I 69C	16.7 mi	18m
US 281 South	15.2 mi	19m
West University Drive	9.1 mi	13m
7 Mile Line	3.9 mi	6m
US 281 Business	3 mi	4m

Longest stretch: Lucian Adams Freeway — 66.8 mi, about 1h 8m

Traffic on I-37

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 28 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~2,741 veh/hr typical · worst 3,405

Quietest

2 AM

~239 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

11.5×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 103 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 San Antonio, TX and Citrus City, TX.

Start on Dolorosa Street

143 ft · 4 sec · Dolorosa Street

Continue on West Market Street

0.4 mi · 42 sec · West Market Street

Continue on East Market Street

0.4 mi · 40 sec · East Market Street

Turn right onto Tower of the Americas Way

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Tower of the Americas Way

Use the right lane.

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec

Toward I 37 South, US 281 South

Merge onto I 37; US 281

1.4 mi · 1 min · William J Bordelon Freeway

Continue on I 37; US 281

67 mi · 1 hr 8 min · Lucian Adams Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit onto US 281 South

15 mi · 19 min · US 281 South

Toward US 281 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto US 281

66 mi · 1 hr 10 min · South Nueces Street

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

9.5 mi · 10 min · I 69C; US 281

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

56 mi · 58 min · Falfurrias Expressway

Use the straight / right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

7.2 mi · 7 min · I 69C; US 281

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 23 sec

Exit 10 Toward US 281 Business South: Edinburg Use the slight right lane.

Continue on North Expressway 281

0.4 mi · 38 sec · North Expressway 281

Continue on US 281 Business

3.0 mi · 4 min · US 281 Business

Turn right onto US 281 Business; TX 107

377 ft · 13 sec · West McIntyre Street

Turn left onto US 281 Business; TX 107

360 ft · 10 sec · North 10th Avenue

Use the left / right lanes.

Turn right onto TX 107

9.1 mi · 13 min · West University Drive

Continue on 7 Mile Line

3.9 mi · 6 min · 7 Mile Line

Continue on FM 2221

0.9 mi · 1 min · FM 2221

Turn left onto R Street

36 ft · 1 sec · R Street

Arrive at destination

R Street

Trip Plan

For this 4-hour, 26-minute drive, leaving in the morning should give you plenty of daylight to reach Citrus City comfortably. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in when and where you choose to pull over, though it's wise to factor in a break around the halfway point. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 66.8-mile stretch on Lucian Adams Freeway, as services might be less frequent on rural highway segments. The estimated fuel cost of $35 is a helpful budget point for planning.

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 120.6 miles from San Antonio, TX, or about 2h 9m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 66.8 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 53 miles or 55m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 120.6 miles or 2h 9m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 31m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving San Antonio, 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 San Antonio, TX

This is one driving day of about 241.2 miles and 4h 26m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 53 miles from San Antonio, 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 Lucian Adams Freeway for about 66.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Alice, TX

121 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

Jourdanton, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 53 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Alice, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 120.6 miles from San Antonio, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Lucian Adams Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 66.8 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 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 69.5 and 227.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

69.5 mi into trip | ~1h 12m in | US 281 South

Take the exit onto US 281 South toward US 281 South

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 281 South

160.4 mi into trip | ~2h 52m in | I 69C; US 281 / Falfurrias Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281 / Falfurrias Expressway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

216.2 mi into trip | ~3h 51m in | I 69C; US 281

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

223.4 mi into trip | ~3h 58m in

Take the exit toward US 281 Business South: Edinburg

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 10 Toward US 281 Business South: Edinburg

227.2 mi into trip | ~4h 4m in | US 281 Business; TX 107 / North 10th Avenue

Turn left onto US 281 Business; TX 107 / North 10th Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$36.21 one way

$72.42 round trip

$3.81/gal 25.4 MPG avg 84 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.22	$40.06	$80.13
premium	$4.57	$43.35	$86.70
diesel	$6.28	$59.60	$119.19

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$36

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$61–$86

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 84.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.

Driving Electric?

About $25 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	72.4	0	$25.33	$11.58
Efficient EV	60.3	0	$21.11	$9.65
EV Truck/SUV	96.5	1	$33.77	$15.44

Gas CO2

84 kg

EV CO2

28 kg (67% 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 Oct 19, 2026

Origin

San Antonio, TX

Morning in San Antonio on Thursday

Local time

6:19 AM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Mostly Sunny

ENE 5 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Destination

Citrus City, TX

Morning in Citrus City on Thursday

Local time

6:19 AM

CDT

Current temp

86°F

Partly Sunny

NNE 3 to 7 mph 2% chance 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.

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

7 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

4h 26m 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 8.3

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

You'll spend about 66% of your time on highways, which means a good portion of this 241.2-mile trip involves higher speeds and fewer intersections. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 66.8 miles on Lucian Adams Freeway. Expect to transition from highway cruising to surface streets as you approach your destination.

66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 66.8 mi on Lucian Adams Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Lucian Adams Freeway and South Nueces Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 69.5 miles in near US 281 South.

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 241.2 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 69.5 miles (US 281 South): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 160.4 miles (I 69C; US 281 / Falfurrias Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 216.2 miles (I 69C; US 281): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

649 ft 71 ft

Total Climb

197 ft

Total Descent

629 ft

Highest Point

649 ft

Elevation Range

578 ft

About the Cities

Starting 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 — 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, United States

Arriving in Citrus City, TX

Full guide →

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 26m. Total distance: 241.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 66.8 miles on Lucian Adams Freeway. 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 Citrus City, 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. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Possible but tiring. At 4.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Citrus City, 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from San Antonio, TX or browse trips ending in Citrus City, TX.

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Trip from San Antonio, TX to Citrus City, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-37

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Brooks County Rest Area

TA

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Rest Area

Rest Area

Live Oak County Southbound Rest Area

Live Oak County Northbound Rest Area

Picnic Area

Picnic Area

Pilot Travel Center

QuikTrip

Pilot Travel Center

Flying J Travel Center

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

San Antonio, TX

Citrus City, TX

Same local time

7 degrees warmer at arrival

4h 26m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

About the Cities

Starting in San Antonio, TX

Arriving in Citrus City, 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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