Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 53m
Distance
414.8 mi
668 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$60
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Antonio, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Redwater, TX
Артем Дворецкий
San Antonio to Redwater is 414.8 miles and takes about 7h 53m via Purple Heart Trail and State Highway 155, with a fuel budget near $59 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Texas, traversing across the Great Plains region. The majority of this route utilizes surface roads, offering a more relaxed pace compared to interstate travel. It's a straightforward drive, ideal if you prefer to cover ground without the constant hustle of major highways. Consider this if you're looking for a manageable one-day trip with a clear destination.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
207.4 miles from San Antonio, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 47m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 155.2 mi | 2h 45m |
| State Highway 155 | 40.1 mi | 45m |
| State Highway 31 | 35.8 mi | 38m |
| State Highway 8 | 21.3 mi | 25m |
| State Highway 31 East | 21.1 mi | 24m |
| North Pan Am Expressway | 15.6 mi | 18m |
| North Tyler Street | 14.9 mi | 17m |
| Corsicana Bypass | 11.8 mi | 13m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 80 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~3,797 veh/hr typical · worst 4,457
Quietest
2 AM
~660 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between San Antonio, TX and Redwater, TX.
Start on Dolorosa Street
Continue on West Market Street
Continue on East Market Street
Turn left
Turn straight onto East Commerce Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 37; US 281
Take the exit
Merge onto I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto North Pan Am Expressway
Continue on I 35
Continue on I 35
Continue on I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290
Continue on I 35
Take the exit
Turn straight onto North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Turn right onto US 84
Continue on US 84
Continue on US 84
Continue on TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Turn right onto TX 31
Turn right onto TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Turn left onto TX 31
Merge onto TX 31; Loop 7
Take the exit onto TX 31
Turn left onto TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Continue on TX 31
Turn left onto US 271; TX 155
Continue on US 271; TX 155
Continue on US 271; TX 155
Turn left onto TX 155
Continue on TX 155
Continue on TX 155
At end of road, turn right onto US 80; TX 155
Turn left onto TX 155
Turn right onto TX 155
Turn sharp left onto TX 8
Continue on TX 8
Continue on TX 8
Turn slight right
Turn straight onto US 67
Turn right onto Page Street
Turn right onto FM 991
Turn left onto Church Street
Arrive at destination
Given the 7h 53m estimated drive time, leaving San Antonio in the morning is recommended to maximize daylight. With only 2 planned stops, you'll want to make them count for fuel and a break. The longest stretch, 155.2 miles on the Purple Heart Trail, is a good segment to monitor your fuel level closely. Since this is a one-day trip, you have the flexibility to adjust your departure time slightly if needed. Keep an eye out for speed limit changes as you move from highway segments to surface roads.
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 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 91 miles or 1h 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 207.4 miles or 3h 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Redwater, TX than in the middle of the route.
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.
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from San Antonio, TX
This is one driving day of about 414.8 miles and 7h 53m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
207 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.
A short stop after about 91 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 207.4 miles from San Antonio, 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 155.2 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 181.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward US 281 North, I 37 North
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 35 North: Austin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35: Austin
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 84: Waco Drive, Bellmead Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$60.18 one way
$120.36 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.08 | $66.68 | $133.36 |
| premium | $4.43 | $72.38 | $144.76 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $91.44 | $182.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$60
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$85–$110
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 145.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $44 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 124.4 | 1 | $43.55 | $19.91 |
| Efficient EV | 103.7 | 1 | $36.30 | $16.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 165.9 | 2 | $58.07 | $26.55 |
Gas CO2
145 kg
EV CO2
49 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in San Antonio on Wednesday
Local time
12:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Mostly Clear
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 29 at 11:03PM CDT until August 30 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX
Destination
Late night in Redwater on Wednesday
Local time
12:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Clear
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 29 at 11:03PM CDT until August 30 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX
99°F
Italy, TX
207 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This drive is mostly surface roads, with 45% of the total mileage on highways. You'll experience a long stretch of 155.2 miles on the Purple Heart Trail. After that, expect to transition to State Highway 155 and State Highway 31. The long stretch on the Purple Heart Trail means you'll likely encounter more local traffic and fewer high-speed interchanges for a significant portion of your drive.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 24 significant decision points across 414.8 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 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; 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.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
593 ft
Total Descent
951 ft
Highest Point
899 ft
~118.5 mi in
Elevation Range
608 ft
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 53m. Total distance: 414.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 53m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from San Antonio, TX or browse trips ending in Redwater, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.
