Trip from San Antonio, TX to Silsbee, 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

5h 27m

Distance

297.7 mi

479 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$45

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

5h 14m ★

6 AM

5h 27m

8 AM

5h 54m

10 AM

5h 36m

12 PM

5h 34m

3 PM

5h 38m

5 PM

5h 53m

8 PM

5h 19m

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

Silsbee, TX

Megan Bailey

Trip Overview

San Antonio to Silsbee is 297.7 miles and takes about 5h 27m via I 10 and East Freeway, with a fuel budget near $43 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Texas, moving from the Great Plains region to another part of the Great Plains. Expect a route that's predominantly highway driving, making for a straightforward trip. With only one recommended stop and a duration under six hours, this is a very manageable one-day drive.

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

148.8 miles from San Antonio, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 36m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 10	151.1 mi	2h 34m
East Freeway	83.6 mi	1h 35m
90th Infantry Division Highway	22.2 mi	23m
Katy Freeway	10.9 mi	13m
Eastex Freeway	10.2 mi	11m
US 96	5.9 mi	8m
East Commerce Street	3.5 mi	5m
Katy Tollway	3.2 mi	4m

Longest stretch: I 10 — 151.1 mi, about 2h 34m

Traffic on I-10

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 84 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

3 PM

~3,017 veh/hr typical · worst 3,881

Quietest

2 AM

~399 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

7.6×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 102 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 Silsbee, 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

0.7 mi · 1 min · East Commerce Street

Keep slight left at fork onto East Commerce Street

2.7 mi · 4 min · East Commerce Street

Turn slight right onto East Houston Street

0.3 mi · 30 sec · East Houston Street

Turn left onto Interstate 10 East

0.1 mi · 11 sec · Interstate 10 East

Use the left / straight lanes.

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 21 sec

Toward I 10 East, US 90 East Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Merge onto I 10; US 90

1.8 mi · 2 min · Jose Lopez Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 10; US 90

22 mi · 23 min · 90th Infantry Division Highway

Use the slight right lane.

Continue on I 10; TX 130

151 mi · 2 hr 34 min · I 10; TX 130

Toward I 10 East: Houston, Austin, Waco Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 22 sec

Toward I 10 Toll: Katy Tollway Use the slight left lane.

Merge onto I 10 Toll

3.2 mi · 4 min · Katy Tollway

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 15 sec

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 10; US 90

11 mi · 13 min · Katy Freeway

Use the slight left lane.

Continue on I 10; US 90

5.8 mi · 7 min · East Freeway

Use the straight / right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10

13 mi · 16 min · East Freeway

Use the straight / right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10

64 mi · 1 hr 11 min · East Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit onto US 69; US 96; US 287

10 mi · 11 min · Eastex Freeway

Exit 853A Toward US 69 North, US 96 North, US 287 North: Lufkin, Jasper

Keep slight right at fork onto US 96

5.9 mi · 8 min · US 96

Toward US 96 North: Lumberton, Jasper

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min

Toward US 96 Business North: Silsbee

Continue on US 96 Business

2.6 mi · 4 min · 5th Street

Arrive at destination

US 96 Business

Trip Plan

Aim to leave San Antonio in the morning to take advantage of the full daylight and complete the 5h 27m drive. With only one recommended stop and 297.7 miles to cover, you have flexibility in pacing yourself. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially before embarking on the 151.1-mile stretch on I 10, as the $43 fuel cost estimate suggests efficient travel. Since this is a one-day trip, consider leaving a bit earlier if you prefer a more relaxed pace with extra time for a break.

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 148.8 miles from San Antonio, TX, or about 2h 36m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 151.1 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 65 miles or 1h 10m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 148.8 miles or 2h 36m 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 23m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Silsbee, 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 297.7 miles and 5h 27m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 65 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 151.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Houston, TX

149 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

Brownsboro, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 65 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Houston, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 148.8 miles from San Antonio, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.1 mi from route

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+12102077527

Visit website

GO RIO San Antonio River Cruises

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 10 am–10 pm

+12102274746

Visit website

San Antonio | The Saga

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0 mi from route

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 9–9:30 pm

+12102259800

Visit website

Hemisfair

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 5 am–12 pm

+12107094750

Visit website

San Antonio Fire Museum

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~1 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 10 am–3:30 pm

+12103907236

Visit website

The Amazing Mirror Maze

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 10:30 am–8 pm

+12102242288

Visit website

SEA LIFE San Antonio

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+12106101160

Visit website

San Antonio River Lock & Dam

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 200.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

0.8 mi into trip | ~1m in

Turn left

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

4.6 mi into trip | ~7m in | Interstate 10 East

Turn left onto Interstate 10 East

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.

4.7 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the ramp toward I 10 East, US 90 East

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Toward I 10 East, US 90 East

179.9 mi into trip | ~3h 7m in

Take the exit toward I 10 Toll: Katy Tollway

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

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 10 Toll: Katy Tollway

200.3 mi into trip | ~3h 33m in | I 10 / East Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / East Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$44.69 one way

$89.38 round trip

$3.81/gal 25.4 MPG avg 104 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.22	$49.45	$98.90
premium	$4.57	$53.50	$107.01
diesel	$6.28	$73.56	$147.12

Estimated Tolls: $0.23

Katy Tollway (3.2 mi) $0.23

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$45

Tolls

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$70–$95

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 104.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.

Driving Electric?

About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	89.3	1	$31.26	$14.29
Efficient EV	74.4	0	$26.05	$11.91
EV Truck/SUV	119.1	1	$41.68	$19.05

Gas CO2

104 kg

EV CO2

35 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 Oct 19, 2026

Origin

San Antonio, TX

Afternoon in San Antonio on Thursday

Local time

4:38 PM

CDT

Current temp

55°F

Mostly Cloudy

NE 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Destination

Silsbee, TX

Afternoon in Silsbee on Thursday

Local time

4:38 PM

CDT

Current temp

78°F

Mostly Sunny

NE 0 to 5 mph 0% 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

23 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 27m 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...

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 be on the highway for 89% of this 297.7-mile trip. The longest continuous stretch on I 10 measures 151.1 miles, so be prepared for extended periods of high-speed cruising. Surface roads will likely begin after this long highway section, offering a change of pace as you approach your destination. Expect a significant number of exits and potential merging traffic as you navigate through more developed areas.

89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 151.1 mi on I 10.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and East Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 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 15 significant decision points across 297.7 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 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (Interstate 10 East): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

649 ft 12 ft

Total Climb

74 ft

Total Descent

643 ft

Highest Point

649 ft

Elevation Range

637 ft

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 Silsbee, TX, road signs point toward Austin, Waco and Jasper.

Austin

28.8 mi in | ~33m | via I 10; TX 130

Waco

28.8 mi in | ~33m | via I 10; TX 130

Jasper

278.2 mi in | ~5h 1m | via US 69; US 96; US 287

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 Silsbee, 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 5h 27m. Total distance: 297.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 151.1 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.23 in tolls one way, starting with Katy Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

Yes — we found about 42 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 Silsbee, 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 42 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.

Not recommended in a single day. At 5.5 hours each way, a round trip means 10.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Silsbee, 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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