Traveling from San Antonio to Smithville covers 101.3 miles and takes approximately 1 hour and 58 minutes. This route is designed as a direct, one-day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations along the way. You will primarily navigate via West Market Street, East Market Street, and East Commerce Street. Budgeting about $15 for fuel should cover your transit costs comfortably. Since both cities are located within the Great Plains region of Texas, the geography remains consistent throughout the journey. It is a straightforward trip that works well for those looking to reach their destination without the complexity of a multi-day itinerary.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
50.7 miles from San Antonio, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 10
39.4 mi
39m
90th Infantry Division Highway
22.2 mi
23m
TX 304
20.9 mi
23m
FM 535
10.7 mi
18m
East Commerce Street
3.5 mi
5m
Jose Lopez Freeway
1.8 mi
2m
State Highway 95
0.9 mi
1m
East Market Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 39.4 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Antonio, TX and Smithville, TX.
1
Start on Dolorosa Street
143 ft·4 sec·Dolorosa Street
2
Continue on West Market Street
0.4 mi·42 sec·West Market Street
3
Continue on East Market Street
0.4 mi·45 sec·East Market Street
4
Turn left
363 ft·13 sec
Use the left lane.
5
Turn straight onto East Commerce Street
0.7 mi·1 min·East Commerce Street
6
Keep slight left at fork onto East Commerce Street
2.7 mi·4 min·East Commerce Street
7
Turn slight right onto East Houston Street
0.3 mi·30 sec·East Houston Street
8
Turn left onto Interstate 10 East
0.1 mi·11 sec·Interstate 10 East
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 10 East, US 90 EastUse the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Merge onto I 10; US 90
1.8 mi·2 min·Jose Lopez Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 10; US 90
22 mi·23 min·90th Infantry Division Highway
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on I 10; TX 130
39 mi·39 min·I 10; TX 130
Toward I 10 East: Houston, Austin, WacoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·49 sec
Exit 642Toward TX 304: Bastrop, GonzalesUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn left onto TX 304
21 mi·23 min·TX 304
15
Turn right onto FM 535
11 mi·18 min·FM 535
16
Turn left onto TX 95
0.9 mi·1 min·State Highway 95
17
Turn slight right
194 ft·8 sec
18
Turn slight right onto Loop 230
0.2 mi·31 sec·3rd Street
19
Turn left onto Main Street
43 ft·1 sec·Main Street
20
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Trip Plan
Given the 1 hour and 58 minute duration, you have the flexibility to depart whenever suits your schedule best. Since there are no designated stops on this route, make sure your vehicle is prepared and your fuel tank is ready for the full distance before you leave San Antonio. Budgeting your $15 for gas is a smart move, but keep in mind that local road driving can sometimes consume fuel differently than highway travel. Take advantage of the trip's short length to maintain a steady, relaxed pace. My best tip is to double-check your navigation before hitting the turn-heavy local segments, as the transition between Market and Commerce streets requires careful attention to your route map.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 50.7 miles from San Antonio, TX, or about 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 39.4 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 22 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 50.7 miles or 55m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Smithville, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from San Antonio, TX
This is one driving day of about 101.3 miles and 1h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from San Antonio, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 10 for about 39.4 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 68.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
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.
7
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
5
4.9 mi into trip|~8m in|I 10; US 90 / Jose Lopez Freeway
Merge onto I 10; US 90 / Jose Lopez Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
68.2 mi into trip|~1h 12m in
Take the exit toward TX 304: Bastrop, Gonzales
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 642
Toward TX 304: Bastrop, Gonzales
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.31 one way
$30.61 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg35 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$16.75
$33.51
premium
$4.54
$18.09
$36.17
diesel
$5.61
$22.37
$44.73
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 35.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
30.4
0
$10.64
$4.86
Efficient EV
25.3
0
$8.86
$4.05
EV Truck/SUV
40.5
0
$14.18
$6.48
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (66% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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 15, 2026
Origin
San Antonio, TX
Late night
in San Antonio on Sunday
Local time
3:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Smithville, TX
Late night
in Smithville on Sunday
Local time
3:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
63°F
Luling, TX
51 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
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 58m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel rather than settling into a monotonous interstate cruise. Because this route features 0% highway share, you will be navigating local roads for the entire 101.3-mile duration. There are no long, uninterrupted stretches, as the longest segment on West Market Street is 0 miles. The road’s personality is defined by frequent turns, requiring your full attention as you transition between city streets. This is an ideal path for drivers who prefer slower-paced, local navigation over the high-speed, repetitive nature of major expressways.
73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.4 mi on I 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and 90th Infantry Division Highway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 101.3 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
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.
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 Smithville, TX, road signs point toward Austin, Waco and Gonzales.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 58m. Total distance: 101.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.4 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Smithville, TX before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
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.
Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Smithville, TX before heading back.
