Origin
South Houston, TX
Morning in South Houston on Sunday
Local time
9:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from South Houston, TX to Houston, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
17m
Distance
12.3 mi
20 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 16m
★
6 AM
0h 17m
8 AM
0h 20m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 18m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 20m
8 PM
0h 16m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Houston, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Houston, TX
Trace Hudson
Trip Overview
This short, 12.3-mile drive from South Houston, TX, to Houston, TX, is easily manageable as a day trip, taking approximately 17 minutes. Predominantly following the Gulf Freeway, with portions on Winkler Drive and Galveston Road, this route is focused on highway travel. With a fuel cost estimated at $2, it's an economical option for getting around the Great Plains region of Texas. Given its brevity and lack of designated stops, you can complete this journey without needing an overnight stay, making it a convenient segment for local transit or connecting to further destinations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Gulf Freeway | 9 mi | 10m |
| Winkler Drive | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Galveston Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Louisiana Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Rusk Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Gulf Freeway Frontage Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Memorial Drive Frontage Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Monroe Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Gulf Freeway
— 9 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Houston, TX and Houston, TX.
1
Start on TX 3
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Galveston Road
2
Turn left onto TX 3
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Winkler Drive
Use the right lane.
3
Continue on TX 3
486 ft
·
8 sec
·
Monroe Road
4
Turn right onto Gulf Freeway Frontage Road
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Gulf Freeway Frontage Road
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 45 North
Use the slight left lane.
6
Merge onto I 45
9.0 mi
·
10 min
·
Gulf Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 47B
Toward Houston Avenue, Memorial Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
444 ft
·
14 sec
Toward Memorial Drive
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto Memorial Drive Frontage Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Memorial Drive Frontage Road
10
Continue on Rusk Street
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
Rusk Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn left onto Louisiana Street
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Louisiana Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
Louisiana Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 12 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
TX 3 / Winkler Drive
Turn left onto TX 3 / Winkler Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 45 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 45 North
8
11.2 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward Houston Avenue, Memorial Drive
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 47B
Toward Houston Avenue, Memorial Drive
8
11.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Memorial Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Memorial Drive
6
12 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Louisiana Street
Turn left onto Louisiana Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.86 one way
$3.72 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $2.03 | $4.07 |
| premium | $4.54 | $2.20 | $4.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.72 | $5.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.29 | $0.59 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.08 | $0.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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.
Destination
Houston, TX
Morning in Houston on Sunday
Local time
9:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
17m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience on this 12.3-mile trip, with 75% of the drive utilizing major roadways. You'll spend a significant uninterrupted stretch of 9 miles on the Gulf Freeway, which sets the tone for the route. While the majority is highway, brief segments on Winkler Drive and Galveston Road offer a slight variation before you reach your destination. This drive prioritizes efficiency over scenic detours, providing a straightforward commute.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9 mi on Gulf Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Gulf Freeway and Winkler Drive. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near TX 3 / Winkler Drive.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 12.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 17m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (TX 3 / Winkler Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 11.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Houston, TX
Full guide →“Space City” · Founded 1836
Houston is a sprawling port city in Southeastern Texas. An oil boom and continuing international immigration has brought explosive growth to the city, and it is now the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States and the most diverse large city since 2021. While at first glance, the city appears to be a 9-5 central business district surrounded by a sea of suburbs and strip malls, there are many hidden gems to be discovered.
Top landmarks
- • Museum of Fine Arts, Houston — art museum in Houston, Texas
- • Astrodome — historic place in Houston, Harris County, Texas
- • Rothko Chapel — building in Houston, Harris County, Texas
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 17m. Total distance: 12.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9 miles on Gulf Freeway. 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 Houston, 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 0.6 miles (TX 3 / Winkler Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 11.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Houston, TX before heading back.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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