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Trip from Scissors, TX to Arlington, TX

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

9h 26m

Distance

510 mi

821 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$77

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
9h 18m ★
6 AM
9h 26m
8 AM
9h 43m
10 AM
9h 32m
12 PM
9h 31m
3 PM
9h 33m
5 PM
9h 42m
8 PM
9h 21m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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hand-operated cutting instrument

Scissors, TX

Wikimedia Commons

suburban city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States

Arlington, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 533.7-mile journey from Scissors, TX, to Arlington, TX, will take you approximately 8 hours and 7 minutes to complete. Given the distance and duration, this is best tackled as a two-day trip, allowing for a more relaxed pace and time to rest. You'll be navigating primarily via Grande Street, Lott Road, and South Salinas Boulevard, with no highway driving on this particular route. The estimated fuel cost for this drive is around $82. This route stays within the Great Plains region, offering a consistent landscape throughout your travels. Planning for two stops along the way will help break up the drive effectively.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

255 miles from Scissors, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 55m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Purple Heart Trail 97.7 mi 1h 39m
I 69C 92 mi 1h 43m
Pickle Parkway 58.5 mi 54m
US 281 57.1 mi 1h
I 35W 45.1 mi 47m
King David Drive 31.8 mi 39m
State Highway 80 North 30.8 mi 35m
State Highway 80 23.6 mi 25m
Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 97.7 mi, about 1h 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Scissors, TX and Arlington, TX.

1

Start on Cortez Street

0.1 mi · 33 sec · Cortez Street
2

At end of road, turn left onto Grande Street

362 ft · 17 sec · Grande Street
3

Turn right onto Lott Road

0.2 mi · 57 sec · Lott Road
4

At end of road, turn left onto FM 493

2.8 mi · 5 min · South Salinas Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Turn left onto West Expressway 83

0.4 mi · 39 sec · West Expressway 83
6

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 28 sec
7

Merge onto I 2; US 83

7.8 mi · 8 min · I 2; US 83
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 1 min
Exit 146A Toward I 69C North, US 281: Edinburg Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on I 69C

22 mi · 23 min · I 69C
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on US 281

57 mi · 1 hr · US 281
11

Keep slight right at fork onto I 69C; US 281

70 mi · 1 hr 19 min · I 69C; US 281
12

Keep slight left at fork onto US 281

11 mi · 14 min · Nueces Street
13

Turn right onto TX 72

32 mi · 39 min · King David Drive
14

Continue on TX 72; TX 239

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
15

Keep slight left at fork onto TX 72; TX 239

233 ft · 3 sec · East Main Street
16

Continue on FM 792

8.4 mi · 10 min · Helena Road
17

Turn straight onto TX 80

24 mi · 25 min · State Highway 80
18

Continue on TX 80

1.0 mi · 2 min · South Nixon Avenue
19

Continue on TX 80; TX 97

31 mi · 35 min · State Highway 80 North
20

Continue on US 183

10 mi · 11 min · US 183
21

Continue on US 183

4.9 mi · 8 min · South Colorado Street
22

Continue on US 183

0.2 mi · 16 sec · United States Highway 183
23

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 35 sec
Toward TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco
24

Merge onto TX 130 Toll

59 mi · 54 min · Pickle Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Toward I 35 North: Waco Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
26

Merge onto I 35

65 mi · 1 hr 6 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27

Continue on I 35

6.6 mi · 7 min · South Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28

Continue on I 35; US 77

33 mi · 33 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W

45 mi · 47 min · I 35W
Toward I 35W: Fort Worth Use the slight left lane.
30

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Exit 45B Toward I 20 East: Dallas Use the right lane.
31

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 58 sec
Toward I 20 East: Dallas Use the slight left lane.
32

Merge onto I 20

5.7 mi · 6 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33

Keep slight left at fork onto I 20

4.6 mi · 4 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Toward I 20 East: Dallas
34

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Exit 449A Toward FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield Use the straight / slight right lanes.
35

Continue on West Interstate 20

0.3 mi · 24 sec · West Interstate 20
36

Turn left onto FM 157

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Cooper Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
37

Keep slight right at fork onto FM 157

1.7 mi · 2 min · South Cooper Street
Use the left lane.
38

Turn right onto Spur 303

0.5 mi · 50 sec · West Pioneer Parkway
Use the right lane.
39

Turn left onto South Center Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · South Center Street
Use the left lane.
40

Continue on South Mesquite Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · South Mesquite Street
41

Turn left onto East Abram Street

0.1 mi · 26 sec · East Abram Street
42

Arrive at destination

West Abram Street

Trip Plan

For this 8-hour, 7-minute drive, splitting it over two days is highly recommended to avoid fatigue. Aim to depart early in the morning to maximize daylight hours and allow ample time for your two planned stops. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge, especially since this route avoids major highways, and plan your refueling stops accordingly. Given the substantial distance, it's wise to break the journey roughly in half, ensuring you have a comfortable overnight rest before continuing your trip to Arlington. Remember to budget approximately $82 for fuel.

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 drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 255 miles from Scissors, TX, or about 4h 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 97.7 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 112 miles or 2h 6m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 255 miles or 4h 55m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 255 miles or 4h 55m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 8h 17m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arlington, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Scissors, 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.

+

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Scissors, TX

Aim for roughly 255 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Arlington, TX

Aim for roughly 255 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 112 miles from Scissors, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Purple Heart Trail for about 97.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in Texas, United States, that is the seat of Comal County

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

New Braunfels, TX

168 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Popular next leg

New Braunfels, TX to Killeen, TX

114.9 mi · 2h 11m

city in Bell County, Texas, United States

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Killeen, TX

337 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Killeen, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Austin, TX

255 mi · about 4.7h in

A practical overnight split lands near Austin, TX after about 255 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

San Diego, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 112 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Austin, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 255 miles from Scissors, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 97.7 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 255 miles or 4.7 hours on the road.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Village of Salado Visitors Center

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

2.2 mi from route ~6 min detour mile 364.3

Salado, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+12549478634

Visit website

Gibson Park

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour

Weslaco, Texas

Hours: 7 am–9 pm

+19564473407

Visit website

La Sal Del Rey

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~10 min detour

4.2 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 36.4

Edinburg, Texas

Hours: 7 am–8 pm

+19567847500

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 24

5 decision points cluster between mile 11.6 and 504.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
11.6 mi into trip | ~17m in

Take the exit toward I 69C North, US 281: Edinburg

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 146A Toward I 69C North, US 281: Edinburg
7
343.3 mi into trip | ~6h 27m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 35 North: Waco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 35 North: Waco
7
448.1 mi into trip | ~8h 15m in | I 35W

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W toward I 35W: Fort Worth

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 35W: Fort Worth
7
493.2 mi into trip | ~9h 2m in

Take the exit toward I 20 East: Dallas

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

Use the right lane. Exit 45B Toward I 20 East: Dallas
8
504.2 mi into trip | ~9h 15m in

Take the exit toward FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield

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 449A Toward FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$77.06 one way

$154.12 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 178 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $84.35 $168.70
premium $4.54 $91.06 $182.11
diesel $5.61 $112.60 $225.20

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$77

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$207–$317

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 178.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $54 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 153 1 $53.55 $24.48
Efficient EV 127.5 1 $44.63 $20.40
EV Truck/SUV 204 2 $71.40 $32.64

Gas CO2

178 kg

EV CO2

60 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 18, 2026

Origin

Scissors, TX

Night in Scissors on Saturday

Local time

9:44 PM

CDT

Current temp

91°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Arlington, TX

Night in Arlington on Saturday

Local time

9:44 PM

CDT

Current temp

55°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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

36 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

9h 26m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

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

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...

7 mi from route ~18 min detour Free near mile 441.7
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a drive that relies on local and county roads, as this route has a 0% highway share. You'll be covering 533.7 miles primarily on Grande Street, Lott Road, and South Salinas Boulevard. While there's no 'longest stretch' data available, the absence of highway driving suggests a more varied pace, potentially involving more towns and varying speed limits. This road type means you'll likely experience a more grounded connection to the Texas landscape as you travel between Scissors and Arlington.

65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
42 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 97.7 mi on Purple Heart Trail.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

At 9h 26m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 11.6 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 24 significant decision points across 510 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 11.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 343.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 448.1 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.

On the drive from Scissors, TX to Arlington, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Waco along the way.

Waco

284.4 mi in | ~5h 32m

About the Cities

Arriving in Arlington, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1876

Arlington is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex metropolitan area, in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of almost 400,000 (2019), it is Texas' seventh largest, and the third largest in the Metroplex. Arlington is south of the sprawling DFW International Airport.

Top landmarks

  • • Six Flags Over Texas — amusement park
  • • Mini Mine Train — Steel roller coaster
  • • Arlington Museum of Art — art museum in Texas, United States

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 97.7 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 255 miles on day one.

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.

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 Arlington, 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 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 11.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 343.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 448.1 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 9.4 hours each way, a round trip means 18.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Arlington, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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