Spanning 340.2 miles across the heart of Texas, your journey from San Antonio to Odessa is a manageable trek that typically takes about 5 hours and 55 minutes. You will navigate primarily via local roads like West Market Street, Navarro Street, and San Pedro Avenue rather than high-speed interstates. Budgeting approximately $51 for fuel is a smart starting point for your planning. Because this route involves a turn-heavy local profile, it is best suited as a single-day trip if you are comfortable with sustained attention at the wheel. Both cities are situated within the Great Plains region, offering a consistent environmental backdrop as you head west across the state.
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
170.1 miles from San Antonio, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 10
247.5 mi
3h 56m
US 385
52 mi
1h 1m
Farm to Market Road 305
18.1 mi
26m
McDermott Freeway
12.8 mi
14m
US 190
4 mi
5m
South Burleson Avenue
2.3 mi
3m
East Fredericksburg Road
1.2 mi
2m
Navarro Street
0.8 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 247.5 mi, about 3h 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Antonio, TX and Odessa, TX.
1
Start on Dolorosa Street
143 ft·4 sec·Dolorosa Street
2
Continue on West Market Street
0.2 mi·28 sec·West Market Street
3
Turn left onto Navarro Street
0.8 mi·1 min·Navarro Street
4
Enter roundabout onto San Pedro Avenue
85 ft·1 sec·San Pedro Avenue
5
Continue on San Pedro Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·San Pedro Avenue
6
Turn left onto West Cypress Street
0.1 mi·10 sec·West Cypress Street
Use the left lane.
7
Turn straight onto East Fredericksburg Road
1.2 mi·2 min·East Fredericksburg Road
8
Turn right onto Interstate 10 West
0.1 mi·13 sec·Interstate 10 West
9
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·13 sec
Toward I 10 West, US 87 North
10
Merge onto I 10; US 87
13 mi·14 min·McDermott Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87
247 mi·3 hr 56 min·I 10; US 87
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 307Toward US 190, FM 305: Iraan, McCamey
13
Continue on I 10 Service Road
0.1 mi·18 sec·I 10 Service Road
14
Turn right onto US 190
4.0 mi·5 min·US 190
15
Turn left onto FM 305
18 mi·26 min·Farm to Market Road 305
16
Continue on FM 305
2.3 mi·3 min·South Burleson Avenue
17
Continue on US 385
52 mi·1 hr 1 min·US 385
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Arrive at destination
US 385
Trip Plan
Since this is a nearly six-hour drive, departing early in the morning is your best strategy to avoid the stress of navigating local roads in heavy traffic. Plan for at least one stop to stretch your legs and refuel, keeping your $51 budget in mind as you pace your progress. Because this is a turn-heavy route, ensure your GPS is updated and ready to handle frequent directional changes before you leave San Antonio. Flexibility is your greatest asset here; since the drive is well within the limits of a single day, you can easily adjust your pace to accommodate local traffic patterns. Keep a close watch on your fuel gauge when navigating away from major intersections to avoid unnecessary detours.
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 170.1 miles from San Antonio, TX, or about 2h 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 247.5 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 75 miles or 1h 17m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 170.1 miles or 2h 48m 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 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Odessa, 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 340.2 miles and 5h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 75 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 I 10 for about 247.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 263.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.6 mi into trip|~3m in|West Cypress Street
Turn left onto West Cypress Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
3.1 mi into trip|~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 West, US 87 North
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 10 West, US 87 North
5
3.2 mi into trip|~6m in|I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway
Merge onto I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
16.1 mi into trip|~20m in|I 10; US 87
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
263.5 mi into trip|~4h 17m in
Take the exit toward US 190, FM 305: Iraan, McCamey
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 307
Toward US 190, FM 305: Iraan, McCamey
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.41 one way
$102.81 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg119 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$56.27
$112.53
premium
$4.54
$60.74
$121.48
diesel
$5.61
$75.11
$150.22
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 119 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
102.1
1
$35.72
$16.33
Efficient EV
85.1
0
$29.77
$13.61
EV Truck/SUV
136.1
1
$47.63
$21.77
Gas CO2
119 kg
EV CO2
40 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 Apr 19, 2026
Origin
San Antonio, TX
Late night
in San Antonio on Tuesday
Local time
4:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Odessa, TX
Late night
in Odessa on Tuesday
Local time
4:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°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.
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
14 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 55m 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...
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park tells the story of our 36th president beginning with his ancestors until his final resting place on his beloved LBJ Ranch. This entire "circle of life" gives...
26 mi from route
~65 min detour
Free
near mile 46.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a very different experience than a standard interstate cruise, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will be navigating a turn-heavy, local-road drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Because there are no long, uninterrupted highway stretches, the pace of the drive remains consistent and engaging throughout the 340.2-mile journey. Your time will be spent navigating urban and local thoroughfares, which creates a distinct, hands-on feel compared to the monotony of a typical freeway transit. Stay alert and prepared for frequent adjustments as you maneuver through the local road network.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 247.5 mi on I 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and US 385. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near West Cypress Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 55m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (West Cypress Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.2 miles (I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
Between San Antonio, TX and Odessa, TX, road signs point toward Fm 305: Iraan and Mccamey.
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
Odessa is a city of 120,000 people (2018) in West Texas, 20 mi (32 km) west of its sister city, Midland. Much of the major industry in the area is oil- and gas-related. As such, the Midland/Odessa area is colloquially known as the petroplex. Many of the attractions you will find in the area are in Midland, so if you're visiting Odessa, the Midland article deserves a look as well. It's also notable as the fountainhead for the Friday Night Lights media franchise, which began with a 1990 book that explored football at the city's Permian High School, later followed by a movie that was mostly faithful to the book, and then a TV series that was a looser adaptation.
Top landmarks
•White-Pool House — historic place in Odessa, Ector County, Texas
The longest stretch is about 247.5 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (West Cypress Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.2 miles (I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.9 hours each way, a round trip means 11.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Odessa, TX before the return drive.
