Trip from San Antonio, TX to Forney, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 9m

Distance

286.7 mi

461 km

Drive Score

10/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$39

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min

4 AM

4h 56m ★

6 AM

5h 10m

8 AM

5h 37m

10 AM

5h 19m

12 PM

5h 16m

3 PM

5h 21m

5 PM

5h 35m

8 PM

5h 2m

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

city in Kaufman County, Texas, United States

Forney, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

San Antonio, TX to Forney, TX is 286.7 miles and takes about 5h 9m via Purple Heart Trail and I 35E, with a fuel budget near $45 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive will take you across the Great Plains region of Texas, offering a straightforward trip between two points. With a recommended single day of travel, this route is ideal for those looking to get from point A to point B efficiently. The mixed highway and surface road profile means you'll experience both faster travel and more local cruising.

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

143.4 miles from San Antonio, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 37m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Purple Heart Trail	188.3 mi	3h 18m
I 35E	47.5 mi	49m
North Pan Am Expressway	15.6 mi	18m
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway	11.9 mi	12m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway	7.3 mi	7m
South Jack Kultgen Expressway	6.6 mi	7m
FM 740	3.1 mi	4m
Interstate Highway 35	1.9 mi	2m

Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 188.3 mi, about 3h 18m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 88 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

5 PM

~3,763 veh/hr typical · worst 4,358

Quietest

2 AM

~649 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

5.8×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 51 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 Forney, 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 · 45 sec · East Market Street

Turn left

363 ft · 13 sec

Use the left lane.

Turn straight onto East Commerce Street

216 ft · 12 sec · East Commerce Street

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Toward US 281 North, I 37 North

Merge onto I 37; US 281

0.8 mi · 55 sec · William J Bordelon Freeway

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min

Exit 142A Toward I 35 North: Austin Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto I 35

8.2 mi · 10 min · North Pan Am Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

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

47 mi · 49 min · I 35E

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

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 57 sec

Exit 418B Toward I 20 East: Shreveport Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto I 20

12 mi · 12 min · Lyndon B Johnson Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 20

7.3 mi · 7 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

Toward I 20 East: Shreveport Use the straight / right lanes.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 53 sec

Exit 487 Toward FM 740: Forney Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn left onto FM 740

1.1 mi · 1 min · FM 740

Continue on FM 740

2.0 mi · 2 min · FM 740

Continue on FM 740

1.1 mi · 2 min · South Bois d'Arc Street

Turn left onto West Main Street

52 ft · 2 sec · West Main Street

Arrive at destination

West Main Street

Trip Plan

For this 5-hour drive, leaving San Antonio in the morning is your best bet to arrive in Forney with plenty of daylight. Since it's a single-day trip, you can be flexible with your departure time, but aim to start early to avoid potential delays. With a longest stretch of 188.3 miles on the Purple Heart Trail, plan for a mid-drive stop to stretch your legs and refuel. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you transition from the longer surface road section to the highway portions.

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 143.4 miles from San Antonio, TX, or about 2h 37m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 188.3 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 63 miles or 1h 12m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 143.4 miles or 2h 37m 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 12m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Forney, 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 286.7 miles and 5h 9m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 63 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 Purple Heart Trail for about 188.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Troy, TX

143 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

San Marcos, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 63 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Troy, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 143.4 miles from San Antonio, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

2.3 mi from route

Petro Stopping Centers

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 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 262.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

0.9 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the ramp toward US 281 North, I 37 North

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 281 North, I 37 North

1.9 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the exit toward I 35 North: Austin

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 142A Toward I 35 North: Austin

10.7 mi into trip | ~14m 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

214.9 mi into trip | ~3h 51m 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

262.4 mi into trip | ~4h 40m in

Take the exit toward I 20 East: Shreveport

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 418B Toward I 20 East: Shreveport

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$39.27 one way

$78.54 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 100 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$43.86	$87.73
premium	$4.23	$47.69	$95.38
diesel	$4.80	$54.13	$108.27

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$39

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$64–$89

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 100.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

EV Charging Along Route

8 DC fast chargers · Coverage: good

San Antonio, TX - Broadway - Tesla Supercharger

San Antonio, TX

Tesla

16 DCFC

San Antonio, TX - East Basse Road - Tesla Supercharger

San Antonio, TX

Tesla

12 DCFC

TA, I-10 East, San Antonio, TX

San Antonio, TX

BP_PULSE

12 DCFC

3600 N PanAm Expy

San Antonio, TX

SYNERGEV

6 DCFC

Circle K - San Antonio

San Antonio, TX

CIRCLE_K

4 DCFC

Flying J 737

San Antonio, TX

eVgo Network

4 DCFC

Meals on Wheels

San Antonio, TX

LOOP

4 DCFC

DCFC Level 3 Hyper Charger

Windcrest, TX

Non-Networked

2 DCFC

Tesla: 2 SYNERGEV: 1 CIRCLE_K: 1 BP_PULSE: 1 eVgo Network: 1 LOOP: 1 Non-Networked: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $30 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	86	1	$30.10	$13.76
Efficient EV	71.7	0	$25.09	$11.47
EV Truck/SUV	114.7	1	$40.14	$18.35

Gas CO2

100 kg

EV CO2

34 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 21, 2026

Origin

San Antonio, TX

Evening in San Antonio on Monday

Local time

7:55 PM

CDT

Current temp

73°F

Mostly Clear

SSE 0 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 20 at 6:38PM CDT until July 21 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 20 at 4:22PM CDT until July 22 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Destination

Forney, TX

Evening in Forney on Monday

Local time

7:55 PM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Clear

S 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 20 at 6:38PM CDT until July 21 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 20 at 4:22PM CDT until July 22 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

96°F

Troy, TX

143 mi in

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

6 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

5h 9m 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.

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 ~14 min detour Free near mile 178

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 ~22 min detour Free

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 31% of this 286.7-mile drive on highways, primarily I 35E. The longest continuous stretch on surface roads, the Purple Heart Trail, extends for 188.3 miles. Expect to transition from faster highway speeds to more local traffic patterns as you move between these road types. The profile is mixed, so be prepared for varying speeds and exit densities.

31% 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: 188.3 mi on Purple Heart Trail.

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 0.9 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 286.7 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 0.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.7 miles (North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

848 ft 474 ft

Total Climb

664 ft

Total Descent

839 ft

Highest Point

848 ft

~102.4 mi in

Elevation Range

374 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 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

Arriving in Forney, TX

Full guide →

Forney is a part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex located in North Central Texas, just east of Dallas.

Top landmarks

• Brooks, William and Blanche, House — historic place in Forney, Kaufman County, 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 5h 9m. Total distance: 286.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 188.3 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 36 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 Forney, 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 36 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 5.2 hours each way, a round trip means 10.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Forney, 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, NREL for EV charging, 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

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

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.

Trip from San Antonio, TX to Forney, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-35

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Hill County Northbound Rest Area

Service Plaza

TA

Flying J Travel Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Hill County Southbound Rest Area

Buc-ee's

Service Plaza

Service Plaza

Flying J Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

QuikTrip

Love's Travel Stop

Petro Stopping Centers

Buc-ee's

Service Plaza

QuikTrip

Ascent Travel Center

TA

Flying J Travel Center

Bell County Northbound Rest Area

Bell County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Walburg Travel Center & Food Court

Road Ranger

Love's Travel Stop

Buc-ee's

Pilot Travel Center

TA

Service Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Marlstone Retail Center

Love's Travel Stop

Pilot Travel Center

Petro Stopping Centers

QuikTrip

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

Forney, TX

Same local time

6 degrees warmer at arrival

5h 9m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Waco Mammoth National Monument

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 Forney, 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?