Trip from Tulia, TX to Corpus Christi, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

10h 29m

Distance

601 mi

967 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$92

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 28 min

4 AM

10h 20m ★

6 AM

10h 30m

8 AM

10h 48m

10 AM

10h 36m

12 PM

10h 34m

3 PM

10h 37m

5 PM

10h 47m

8 PM

10h 24m

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

Best Time

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Tulia, TX

Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE

city and county seat of Nueces County, Texas, United States

Corpus Christi, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Tulia to Corpus Christi is 601 miles and takes about 10h 29m via Lucian Adams Freeway and US Highway 84, with a fuel budget near $88 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route covers a significant portion of Texas, moving from the Great Plains region down towards the coast. It's a long-haul drive, best suited for someone who is comfortable spending a full day on the road or prefers to break it into two days. You'll experience a consistent landscape as you remain within Texas for the entire trip. Consider this drive if you're looking for a straightforward way to traverse the state.

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

300.5 miles from Tulia, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 19m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Lucian Adams Freeway	140.3 mi	2h 23m
US Highway 84	73.9 mi	1h 14m
I 10	71.7 mi	1h 14m
Marshall Formby Memorial Highway	67 mi	1h 7m
Grassmeyer Street	41.9 mi	44m
US 83	40 mi	38m
State Highway 153	29.5 mi	33m
Ellis Street	29.4 mi	31m

Longest stretch: Lucian Adams Freeway — 140.3 mi, about 2h 23m

Traffic on I-37

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 44 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~2,279 veh/hr typical · worst 2,875

Quietest

2 AM

~201 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

11.3×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 103 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Tulia, TX and Corpus Christi, TX.

Start on TX 86

0.3 mi · 30 sec · Southeast 2nd Street

Continue on TX 86

0.7 mi · 1 min · Southwest 2nd Street

Turn left onto US 87; TX 86

0.5 mi · 42 sec · South US Highway 87

Turn slight right onto TX 86

1.0 mi · 2 min · TX 86

Turn left onto I-27 Frontage Road

515 ft · 10 sec · I-27 Frontage Road

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 58 sec

Merge onto I 27

67 mi · 1 hr 7 min · Marshall Formby Memorial Highway

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec

Exit 536B Toward Loop 289

Turn straight onto North Interstate 27

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Interstate 27

Turn left onto North Loop 289

0.2 mi · 24 sec · North Loop 289

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 21 sec

Merge onto Loop 289

7.5 mi · 8 min · Loop 289

Take the exit

421 ft · 10 sec

Toward Spur 331: Southeast Drive

Keep slight right at fork

233 ft · 5 sec

Toward Spur 331: Southeast Drive

Turn straight onto Southeast Loop 289

0.1 mi · 16 sec · Southeast Loop 289

Turn right onto Spur 331

1.9 mi · 2 min · Southeast Drive

Merge onto US 84

0.2 mi · 13 sec · Slaton Road

Continue on US 84

6.9 mi · 6 min · East Highway 84

Continue on US 84

4.5 mi · 4 min · Trooper Jerry Don Davis Memorial Highway

Continue on US 84

20 mi · 20 min · East Highway 84

Continue on US 84

1.0 mi · 1 min · North US Highway 84

Turn left onto Spur 575

0.1 mi · 16 sec · East 15th Street

Turn right onto TX 207

0.4 mi · 37 sec · Ralls Road

Turn straight onto TX 207

1.1 mi · 2 min · North Avenue F

At end of road, turn left onto US 84

74 mi · 1 hr 14 min · US Highway 84

Keep slight left at fork onto US 84

6.5 mi · 6 min · US 84

Toward I 20 East, US 84 East: Abilene

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 18 sec

Exit 244 Toward SH 70 South, SH 70 Business: Sweetwater, San Angelo

Turn slight left onto Southwest Georgia Avenue

0.1 mi · 16 sec · Southwest Georgia Avenue

Turn right onto TX 70

0.7 mi · 1 min · Lamar Street

Continue on TX 70

10 mi · 10 min · State Highway 70

Turn left onto TX 153

29 mi · 33 min · State Highway 153

Turn right onto FM 2111

12 mi · 13 min · FM 2111

Turn left onto TX 158

6.3 mi · 7 min · TX 158

At end of road, turn right onto US 67; US 83

387 ft · 18 sec · Hutchings Avenue

Turn left onto US 83

17 mi · 18 min · South 7th Street

Use the left lane.

Continue on US 83

42 mi · 44 min · Grassmeyer Street

Continue on US 83

29 mi · 31 min · Ellis Street

Take the exit onto US 83

40 mi · 38 min · US 83

Toward I 10 East: San Antonio Use the left lane.

Continue on I 10

54 mi · 54 min · I 10

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87

17 mi · 19 min · I 10; US 87

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87

1.7 mi · 2 min · McDermott Freeway

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min

Exit 569C Toward Santa Rosa Street, Downtown Use the slight right lane.

Turn straight onto North Pecos-La Trinidad

0.2 mi · 16 sec · North Pecos-La Trinidad

Keep slight right at fork onto North Pecos-La Trinidad

0.6 mi · 1 min · North Pecos-La Trinidad

Use the straight lane.

Turn left onto Dolorosa Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Dolorosa Street

Use the straight / left lanes.

Continue on West Market Street

0.4 mi · 42 sec · West Market Street

Continue on East Market Street

0.4 mi · 40 sec · East Market Street

Turn right onto Tower of the Americas Way

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Tower of the Americas Way

Use the right lane.

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec

Toward I 37 South, US 281 South

Merge onto I 37; US 281

1.4 mi · 1 min · William J Bordelon Freeway

Continue on I 37; US 281

140 mi · 2 hr 23 min · Lucian Adams Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on Interstate Highway 37

387 ft · 10 sec · Interstate Highway 37

Continue on Interstate Highway 37

444 ft · 15 sec · Interstate Highway 37

Continue on I 37

483 ft · 9 sec · I 37

Arrive at destination

I 37

Trip Plan

Given the 10h 29m duration, planning to leave early in the morning is advisable if you aim to complete this trip in one day. For a more relaxed pace, splitting the drive over two days is recommended, with an overnight stop around the halfway point. With 2 planned stops, ensure they are strategically located for fuel and rest. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially on the longer highway stretches, as services can sometimes be spread out. The fuel cost estimate of $88 is based on current averages, so factor that into your budget.

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 300.5 miles from Tulia, TX, or about 5h 19m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 140.3 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 132 miles or 2h 19m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 300.5 miles or 5h 19m 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 300.5 miles or 5h 19m

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 9h 28m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Tulia, 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 Tulia, TX

Aim for roughly 301 miles and 5.2 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Corpus Christi, TX

Aim for roughly 301 miles and 5.2 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 132 miles from Tulia, 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 Lucian Adams Freeway for about 140.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Rotan, TX

198 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.

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Kerrville, TX

397 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 Kerrville, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Live Oak, TX

301 mi · about 5.2h in

A practical overnight split lands near Live Oak, TX after about 301 miles or 5.2 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Post, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 132 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Live Oak, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 300.5 miles from Tulia, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Lucian Adams Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 140.3 miles.

Overnight split

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour

Corpus Christi, Texas

Hours: 6 am–10 pm

+13618267529

Visit website

Harbor Playhouse

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.6 mi from route ~1 min detour

Corpus Christi, Texas

+13618825500

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour

Corpus Christi, Texas

Hours: 6 am–10 pm

+13618263460

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 31

5 decision points cluster between mile 78.7 and 456.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

78.7 mi into trip | ~1h 23m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Spur 331: Southeast Drive

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward Spur 331: Southeast Drive

189 mi into trip | ~3h 17m in | US 84

Keep slight left at fork onto US 84 toward I 20 East, US 84 East: Abilene

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 20 East, US 84 East: Abilene

195.5 mi into trip | ~3h 23m in

Take the exit toward SH 70 South, SH 70 Business: Sweetwater, San Angelo

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 244 Toward SH 70 South, SH 70 Business: Sweetwater,...

342.8 mi into trip | ~6h 3m in | US 83

Take the exit onto US 83 toward I 10 East: San Antonio

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

Use the left lane. Toward I 10 East: San Antonio

456.1 mi into trip | ~7h 58m in

Take the exit toward Santa Rosa Street, Downtown

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 569C Toward Santa Rosa Street, Downtown

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$92.02 one way

$184.04 round trip

$3.89/gal 25.4 MPG avg 210 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.29	$101.55	$203.11
premium	$4.64	$109.74	$219.48
diesel	$6.18	$146.20	$292.41

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$92

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$222–$332

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 210.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.

Driving Electric?

About $63 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	180.3	2	$63.11	$28.85
Efficient EV	150.3	1	$52.59	$24.04
EV Truck/SUV	240.4	3	$84.14	$38.46

Gas CO2

210 kg

EV CO2

70 kg (67% less)

Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 Oct 17, 2026

Origin

Tulia, TX

Morning in Tulia on Saturday

Local time

8:46 AM

CDT

Current temp

31°F

Patchy Frost

NNW 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Rip Current Statement

Rip Current Statement issued October 17 at 3:25AM CDT until October 18 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Brownsville TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued October 17 at 2:37AM CDT until October 20 at 4:00AM CDT by NWS Norman OK

Destination

Corpus Christi, TX

Morning in Corpus Christi on Saturday

Local time

8:46 AM

CDT

Current temp

60°F

Mostly Clear

N 28 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Rip Current Statement

Rip Current Statement issued October 17 at 3:25AM CDT until October 18 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Brownsville TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued October 17 at 2:37AM CDT until October 20 at 4:00AM CDT by NWS Norman OK

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

29 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

10h 29m 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.

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...

8 mi from route ~21 min detour Free near mile 473.6

View on nps.gov

Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park tells the story of our 36th president beginning with his ancestors until his final resting place on his beloved LBJ Ranch. This entire "circle of life" gives...

27 mi from route ~68 min detour Free near mile 411.8

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is primarily on major highways, with 71% of the 601 miles spent on Lucian Adams Freeway and US Highway 84. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch of highway at 140.3 miles on Lucian Adams Freeway. After that, expect a transition to surface roads as you approach your destination. The initial part of the drive will feature more rural cruising, with fewer exits compared to an interstate experience.

71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

55 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 140.3 mi on Lucian Adams Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Lucian Adams Freeway and US Highway 84. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 78.7 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 31 significant decision points across 601 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 78.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 189 miles (US 84): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 195.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes

3,482 ft 7 ft

Total Climb

1,087 ft

Total Descent

4,562 ft

Highest Point

3,482 ft

Elevation Range

3,475 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Tulia, TX and Corpus Christi, TX, road signs point toward Loop 289, Sh 70 South, Sh 70 Business: Sweetwater, San Angelo and Downtown.

Loop 289

70.1 mi in | ~1h 12m

Sh 70 South

195.5 mi in | ~3h 23m

Sh 70 Business: Sweetwater

195.5 mi in | ~3h 23m

San Angelo

195.5 mi in | ~3h 23m

Downtown

456.1 mi in | ~7h 58m

About the Cities

Starting in Tulia, TX

Full guide →

Arriving in Corpus Christi, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1839

Corpus Christi (called Corpus by the locals) is Texas's largest coastal city and the gateway to Padre Island. While Corpus Christi isn't on the way to much of anything except itself (and the islands off its coast), it offers enough to fill a visit in its own right, or a multi-day trip from San Antonio, Austin, or Houston. The name is Latin for "Body of Christ".

Top landmarks

• USS Lexington — 1942 Essex-class aircraft carrier
• Corpus Christi Cathedral — historic place in Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas
• Old Nueces County Courthouse — historic place in Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 140.3 miles on Lucian Adams Freeway. 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 301 miles on day one.

Yes — we found about 49 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 Corpus Christi, 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. There are 49 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 10.5 hours each way, a round trip means 21.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Corpus Christi, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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