Origin
Waelder, TX
Morning in Waelder on Sunday
Local time
6:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waelder, TX to Montopolis, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
64.5 mi
104 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waelder, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Waelder to Montopolis is 64.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 18 minutes via I 10 and US Highway 183 South, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Texas, beginning in the Great Plains region and ending in the same area. Expect a highway-focused experience for most of the trip, making it a straightforward journey. With a duration under two hours and a low fuel cost, this route is ideal for a quick trip where you want to maximize your time at your destination.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 10 | 17 mi | 16m |
| US Highway 183 South | 11.8 mi | 15m |
| US 183 | 10.1 mi | 11m |
| Pickle Parkway | 9.8 mi | 8m |
| South Colorado Street | 4.9 mi | 8m |
| East Pierce Street | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| South Magnolia Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| TX 97 | 1.2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 17 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waelder, TX and Montopolis, TX.
1
Start on Northwest 2nd Street
86 ft
·
5 sec
·
Northwest 2nd Street
2
Turn right onto FM 1115
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North E Avenue
3
Continue on TX 97
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
TX 97
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
5
Merge onto I 10
17 mi
·
16 min
·
I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 632
Toward US 90, US 183: Luling, Lockhart
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto US 183
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
East Pierce Street
8
Turn right onto US 183; TX 80
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Magnolia Avenue
9
Continue on US 183
10 mi
·
11 min
·
US 183
10
Continue on US 183
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
South Colorado Street
11
Continue on US 183
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
United States Highway 183
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
Toward TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco
13
Merge onto TX 130 Toll
9.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Pickle Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 460
Toward US 183 North: Austin
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on US 183
12 mi
·
15 min
·
US Highway 183 South
Use the left lane.
16
Continue on 183 Toll
0.7 mi
·
40 sec
·
Bergstrom Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
Toward Loop 111: Cesar Chavez Street, 5th Street, 6th Street, 7th Street, Airport Boulevard
Use the right lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto Loop 111
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Airport Boulevard
19
Continue on Loop 111
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Airport Boulevard
20
Continue on US 183
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
Ed Bluestein Boulevard
21
Take the ramp
486 ft
·
11 sec
Toward 183 Toll South: Lockhart
22
Arrive at destination
Toward 183 Toll South: Lockhart
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.3 miles from Waelder, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 2.2 and 63 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 10
Merge onto I 10
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
19.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward US 90, US 183: Luling, Lockhart
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 632
Toward US 90, US 183: Luling, Lockhart
6
39.9 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Keep slight left at fork toward TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco
7
50.2 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward US 183 North: Austin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 460
Toward US 183 North: Austin
7
63 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward Loop 111: Cesar Chavez Street, 5th Street, 6th Street, 7th Street, Airport Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward Loop 111: Cesar Chavez Street, 5th Stree...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.75 one way
$19.49 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $10.67 | $21.34 |
| premium | $4.54 | $11.52 | $23.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.24 | $28.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.77 | $3.10 |
| Efficient EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.8 | 0 | $9.03 | $4.13 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Montopolis, TX
Morning in Montopolis on Sunday
Local time
6:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°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
14 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
1h 18m 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?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 79% of the route utilizing major highways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on I 10, including a continuous stretch of 17 miles. The transition to US Highway 183 South will offer a slight change in scenery and driving pace as you approach Montopolis. While largely a high-speed route, be prepared for varying traffic conditions as you get closer to urban areas.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17 mi on I 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and US Highway 183 South. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in near I 10.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 64.5 miles you will encounter 13 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 2.2 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Waelder, TX and Montopolis, TX, road signs point toward Lockhart and Waco.
Lockhart
19.2 mi in
|
~21m
Waco
39.9 mi in
|
~50m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 64.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17 miles on I 10. 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 Montopolis, 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 2.2 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Montopolis, 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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