This 198.5-mile drive from Texarkana, TX to Arlington, TX is a straightforward journey that can easily be completed in a single day, taking approximately 3 hours and 33 minutes. The route is heavily focused on highway travel, with 96% of the drive on major roads like I 30. Budget around $30 for fuel for this trip. You'll primarily be traversing the Great Plains region throughout your journey, as both your starting and ending points are within Texas. It's a practical, efficient route for getting from Point A to Point B, with a comfortable duration for a day trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
99.3 miles from Texarkana, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 30
190.9 mi
3h 18m
New Boston Road
2.1 mi
3m
North Center Street
1.8 mi
4m
West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
0.8 mi
1m
Summerhill Road
0.8 mi
1m
Wet N Wild Way
0.5 mi
<1m
Jarvis Parkway
0.2 mi
<1m
Sowell Lane
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 30
— 190.9 mi, about 3h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Texarkana, TX and Arlington, TX.
1
Start on US 67; US 82
298 ft·10 sec·West 7th Street
2
Turn left onto Main Street
384 ft·15 sec·Main Street
3
Turn left onto US 67; US 82
0.8 mi·1 min·West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
4
Turn right onto TX 93
0.8 mi·1 min·Summerhill Road
5
Turn left onto US 82
2.1 mi·3 min·New Boston Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto Sowell Lane
474 ft·9 sec·Sowell Lane
7
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·16 sec
8
Merge onto I 369; US 59
0.2 mi·15 sec·Jarvis Parkway
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·46 sec
Toward I 30 West: Dallas
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·51 sec
11
Merge onto I 30
191 mi·3 hr 18 min·I 30
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 28BToward FM 157: Collins StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn straight onto Wet N Wild Way
0.5 mi·59 sec·Wet N Wild Way
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto North Center Street
1.8 mi·4 min·North Center Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Turn right onto West Abram Street
297 ft·8 sec·West Abram Street
16
Arrive at destination
West Abram Street
Trip Plan
Given this drive's manageable 3-hour 33-minute duration and 198.5-mile length, a single day trip is highly recommended. Plan to depart in the morning to take advantage of lighter traffic and ample daylight. With only one suggested stop, you have considerable flexibility in pacing your journey. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially during the longest stretch of 190.9 miles on I 30, and aim to refuel before hitting that extended section if needed. The estimated fuel cost is approximately $30, so factor that into your planning.
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 99.3 miles from Texarkana, TX, or about 1h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 190.9 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 44 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 99.3 miles or 1h 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 53m
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 Texarkana, 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 Texarkana, TX
This is one driving day of about 198.5 miles and 3h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Texarkana, 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 30 for about 190.9 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 195.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Main Street
Turn left onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
1.7 mi into trip|~3m in|US 82 / New Boston Road
Turn left onto US 82 / New Boston Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
4.2 mi into trip|~7m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 30 West: Dallas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 30 West: Dallas
5
5 mi into trip|~9m in|I 30
Merge onto I 30
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
195.8 mi into trip|~3h 27m in
Take the exit toward FM 157: Collins Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 28B
Toward FM 157: Collins Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.99 one way
$59.99 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg70 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$32.83
$65.66
premium
$4.54
$35.44
$70.88
diesel
$5.61
$43.83
$87.65
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 69.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
59.6
0
$20.84
$9.53
Efficient EV
49.6
0
$17.37
$7.94
EV Truck/SUV
79.4
0
$27.79
$12.70
Gas CO2
69 kg
EV CO2
23 kg (67% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Texarkana, TX
Night
in Texarkana on Saturday
Local time
9:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 10 mph27% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 18 at 12:44AM CDT by NWS Norman OK
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 12:34AM CDT until April 18 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX
Destination
Arlington, TX
Night
in Arlington on Saturday
Local time
9:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSW 15 mph64% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 18 at 12:44AM CDT by NWS Norman OK
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 12:34AM CDT until April 18 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX
83°F
Greenville, TX
99 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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 33m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience on this trip, with 96% of your journey utilizing major roadways. The vast majority of this drive, a continuous stretch of 190.9 miles, will be on I 30. This means you'll encounter primarily interstate conditions, facilitating steady progress. While the route is largely consistent, you'll transition from New Boston Road and North Center Street onto the main interstate, shaping the driving feel as you move toward your destination. The character of this drive is one of efficient transit rather than winding scenic byways.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 190.9 mi on I 30.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 30 and New Boston Road. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Main Street.
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 198.5 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.1 miles (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 82 / New Boston Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 33m. Total distance: 198.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 190.9 miles on I 30. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 82 / New Boston Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Possible but tiring. At 3.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Arlington, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.
