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Trip from Stephenville, TX to Killeen, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 6m

Distance

109 mi

175 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$16

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
1h 58m ★
6 AM
2h 7m
8 AM
2h 25m
10 AM
2h 13m
12 PM
2h 11m
3 PM
2h 14m
5 PM
2h 24m
8 PM
2h 1m

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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city in and the county seat of Erath County, Texas, United States

Stephenville, TX

Wikimedia Commons

city in Bell County, Texas, United States

Killeen, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 109-mile drive from Stephenville, TX to Killeen, TX is a straightforward, highway-focused journey that can easily be completed in about 2 hours and 6 minutes. Given its short duration and manageable distance, it's perfectly suited as a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stops. You can expect a fuel cost of around $16 for this excursion. The route primarily utilizes FM 116 and FM 1241, with a significant portion on North US Highway 281, making it a predominantly highway experience. Both your origin and destination are situated within the Great Plains region, so you'll be traversing familiar Texas terrain throughout.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

54.5 miles from Stephenville, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 1m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
FM 116 22.3 mi 28m
FM 1241 19.9 mi 21m
North US Highway 281 19 mi 20m
South US Highway 281 17.4 mi 19m
US 84 11.6 mi 11m
Central Texas Expressway 4.1 mi 4m
Highway 9 3.3 mi 3m
West Veterans Memorial Boulevard 3 mi 5m
Longest stretch: FM 116 — 22.3 mi, about 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Stephenville, TX and Killeen, TX.

1

Start on TX 108

0.3 mi · 35 sec · North Graham Street
2

Continue on TX 108

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Graham Avenue
3

Continue on TX 108

0.8 mi · 1 min · South State Highway 108
4

At end of road, turn right onto US 281

17 mi · 19 min · South US Highway 281
5

Continue on US 281; TX 6

0.4 mi · 28 sec · North 2nd Street
6

Turn right onto US 281

0.6 mi · 38 sec · North Walnut Street
Use the right lane.
7

Turn straight onto US 281

19 mi · 20 min · North US Highway 281
8

Continue on US 281

1.8 mi · 2 min · North Rice Street
9

Turn left onto East Baker Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · East Baker Street
10

Continue on FM 932

0.6 mi · 1 min · Farm-to-Market Road 932
11

Turn straight onto FM 1241

20 mi · 21 min · FM 1241
12

At end of road, turn right onto FM 932

1.1 mi · 1 min · Farm-to-Market Road 932
13

Continue on FM 932

0.6 mi · 48 sec · Farm-to-Market Road 932
14

Turn left onto US 84

12 mi · 11 min · US 84
15

Take the exit

164 ft · 7 sec
16

Turn straight onto FM 116

22 mi · 28 min · FM 116
17

Continue on FM 116

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Farm-to-Market Road 116
18

Keep slight right at fork onto FM 116

0.2 mi · 32 sec · Farm-to-Market Road 116
19

Turn left onto TX 9

3.3 mi · 3 min · Highway 9
20

Merge onto US 190 Business

0.3 mi · 22 sec · US 190 Business
21

Continue on I 14; US 190

4.1 mi · 4 min · Central Texas Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward T.J. Mills Boulevard Use the slight right lane.
23

Continue on US 190 Bus

3.0 mi · 5 min · West Veterans Memorial Boulevard
24

Turn left

83 ft · 8 sec
25

Turn right

74 ft · 5 sec
26

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

For this relatively short 2-hour drive, flexibility is your best friend. You can easily depart Stephenville at your leisure, as there's no need to split the journey. With 0 designated stops, you have the freedom to pull over whenever you feel the need for a break or a quick refreshment. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the 22.3-mile stretch on FM 116, to ensure a smooth arrival in Killeen. The estimated fuel cost of $16 should help you budget accordingly for this trip.

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 54.5 miles from Stephenville, TX, or about 1h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 22.3 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 24 miles or 27m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 54.5 miles or 1h 1m 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 41m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Stephenville, 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 Stephenville, TX

This is one driving day of about 109 miles and 2h 6m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Stephenville, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on FM 116 for about 22.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Hamilton, TX, TX

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hamilton, TX

55 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

Hico, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 24 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hamilton, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 54.5 miles from Stephenville, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

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

Stops Along Your Drive

Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.

Great Escape of Central Texas

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour

Killeen, Texas

Hours: 3:30–9:30 pm

+12546802686

Visit website

Lions Club Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 3.3 mi from route ~8 min detour

Killeen, Texas

Hours: 5 am–10 pm

+12545016390

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 109 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
1.7 mi into trip | ~2m in | US 281 / South US Highway 281

At end of road, turn right onto US 281 / South US Highway 281

Navigation decision point

5
19.5 mi into trip | ~23m in | US 281 / North Walnut Street

Turn right onto US 281 / North Walnut Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
97.8 mi into trip | ~1h 52m in | FM 116 / Farm-to-Market Road 116

Keep slight right at fork onto FM 116 / Farm-to-Market Road 116

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

6
105.8 mi into trip | ~2h 1m in

Take the exit toward T.J. Mills Boulevard

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward T.J. Mills Boulevard
5
109 mi into trip | ~2h 6m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$16.47 one way

$32.94 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 38 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $18.03 $36.06
premium $4.54 $19.46 $38.92
diesel $5.61 $24.07 $48.13

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$16

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$41–$66

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 38.1 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 32.7 0 $11.44 $5.23
Efficient EV 27.3 0 $9.54 $4.36
EV Truck/SUV 43.6 0 $15.26 $6.98

Gas CO2

38 kg

EV CO2

13 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 20, 2026

Origin

Stephenville, TX

Late night in Stephenville on Tuesday

Local time

4:03 AM

CDT

Current temp

78°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Killeen, TX

Late night in Killeen on Tuesday

Local time

4:03 AM

CDT

Current temp

84°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

61°F

Hamilton, TX

55 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

6 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

2h 6m 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?

The character of this drive is overwhelmingly highway-focused, with 91% of the journey taking place on main roads like FM 116, FM 1241, and North US Highway 281. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 22.3 miles on FM 116, offering a solid block of consistent driving. While the route is predominantly highway, the use of Farm to Market (FM) roads suggests a slightly more local feel compared to a pure interstate experience. Expect a consistent pace for most of your travel time.

91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.3 mi on FM 116.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on FM 116 and FM 1241. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near US 281 / South US Highway 281.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 109 miles you will encounter 12 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 1.7 miles (US 281 / South US Highway 281): Navigation decision point; at 19.5 miles (US 281 / North Walnut Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 97.8 miles (FM 116 / Farm-to-Market Road 116): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

About the Cities

Starting in Stephenville, TX

Full guide →

Stephenville is a city in the Cross Timbers region of Texas. Acclaimed "Cowboy Capital of the World" (okay, maybe there's more than one), it's the home to Tarleton State University, part of the Texas A&M system, and even has an equine therapy program.

Arriving in Killeen, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1872

Killeen is a city in the Central Hill Country of Texas. It is home to U.S. Army installation Fort Cavasos, one of the largest military bases in the world.

Top landmarks

  • • Killeen High School — historic place in Killeen, Bell 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 2h 6m. Total distance: 109 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 22.3 miles on FM 116. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (US 281 / South US Highway 281): Navigation decision point; at 19.5 miles (US 281 / North Walnut Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 97.8 miles (FM 116 / Farm-to-Market Road 116): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Killeen, 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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