Trip from West Odessa, TX to Houston, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

9h 28m

Distance

541.3 mi

871 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$81

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min

4 AM

9h 20m ★

6 AM

9h 29m

8 AM

9h 46m

10 AM

9h 35m

12 PM

9h 33m

3 PM

9h 35m

5 PM

9h 45m

8 PM

9h 23m

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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West Odessa, TX

Megan Bailey

Houston, TX

Trace Hudson

Trip Overview

West Odessa, TX to Houston, TX is 541.3 miles and takes about 9h 28m via I 10 and South US Highway 385, with a fuel budget near $77 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip spans a significant portion of Texas, starting in the Great Plains and ending in the same region, though the landscape will change considerably. Given the distance, most drivers will find it best to break this trip into two days. It's a long-haul drive, so plan for a full day behind the wheel if you intend to complete it in one go.

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

270.7 miles from West Odessa, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 45m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 10	399 mi	6h 31m
South US Highway 385	49.5 mi	56m
Anderson Loop	25.4 mi	29m
Farm to Market Road 305	18.1 mi	26m
90th Infantry Division Highway	14.9 mi	15m
Katy Freeway	10.7 mi	13m
Northwest Loop 338	6.7 mi	7m
West University Boulevard	5.1 mi	7m

Longest stretch: I 10 — 399 mi, about 6h 31m

Traffic on I-10

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 88 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

2 PM

~1,586 veh/hr typical · worst 2,285

Quietest

2 AM

~237 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.7×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 104 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 West Odessa, TX and Houston, TX.

Start on this road

97 ft · 7 sec · this road

Turn left

79 ft · 10 sec

Turn left onto FM 2020

5.1 mi · 7 min · West University Boulevard

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 55 sec

Merge onto TX 302; Loop 338

6.7 mi · 7 min · Northwest Loop 338

Turn right onto US 385

50 mi · 56 min · South US Highway 385

Continue on FM 305

18 mi · 26 min · Farm to Market Road 305

At end of road, turn right onto US 190

4.2 mi · 6 min · US 190

At end of road, turn left onto I 10 Service Road

412 ft · 8 sec · I 10 Service Road

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 43 sec

Toward I 10 East: San Antonio

Merge onto I 10

243 mi · 3 hr 51 min · I 10

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87

5.4 mi · 5 min · I 10; US 87

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min

Exit 556B Toward Frontage Road Use the slight right lane.

Turn straight onto Interstate 10 West

0.5 mi · 54 sec · Interstate 10 West

Turn left onto North Loop 1604 West

0.4 mi · 43 sec · North Loop 1604 West

Use the straight lane.

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 13 sec

Toward Loop 1604 East

Merge onto Loop 1604

25 mi · 29 min · Anderson Loop

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn left onto Interstate 10 East

0.9 mi · 2 min · Interstate 10 East

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 20 sec

Merge onto I 10; US 90; TX 130

15 mi · 15 min · 90th Infantry Division Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 10; TX 130

151 mi · 2 hr 34 min · I 10; TX 130

Toward I 10 East: Houston, Austin, Waco Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 22 sec

Toward I 10 Toll: Katy Tollway Use the slight left lane.

Merge onto I 10 Toll

3.2 mi · 4 min · Katy Tollway

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 15 sec

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 10; US 90

11 mi · 13 min · Katy Freeway

Use the slight left lane.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 52 sec

Exit 769A Toward Downtown, Theatre District Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on Smith Street

0.1 mi · 29 sec · Smith Street

Turn left onto Preston Street

331 ft · 16 sec · Preston Street

Turn left onto Louisiana Street

179 ft · 5 sec · Louisiana Street

Arrive at destination

Louisiana Street

Trip Plan

Considering the 541.3-mile distance and 9h 28m estimated drive time, this route is best tackled over two days. Aim to depart early in the morning to maximize your driving hours each day. You'll have about 2 stops planned, so use those for fuel and rest. The longest stretch is 399 miles on I 10, so ensure you have ample fuel before embarking on that segment. With a fuel cost estimated at $77, budget accordingly for your fill-ups across the 541.3 miles.

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 270.7 miles from West Odessa, TX, or about 4h 45m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 399 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 119 miles or 2h 20m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 270.7 miles or 4h 45m 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 270.7 miles or 4h 45m

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 8h 22m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving West Odessa, 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 West Odessa, TX

Aim for roughly 271 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Houston, TX

Aim for roughly 271 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 119 miles from West Odessa, 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 I 10 for about 399 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in and county seat of Kimble County, Texas, United States

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Junction, TX

179 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

San Antonio, TX

357 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 San Antonio, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Kerrville, TX

271 mi · about 4.7h in

A practical overnight split lands near Kerrville, TX after about 271 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Big Lake, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 119 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Kerrville, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 270.7 miles from West Odessa, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 10 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 399 miles.

Overnight split

1.5 mi from route

Main Street Market

1.6 mi from route

Downtown Aquarium

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Houston, Texas

Hours: 10 am–8:30 pm

+17132233474

Visit website

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.2 mi from route ~5 min detour

Junction, Texas

+13254463880

Visit website

Children's Museum Houston

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour

Houston, Texas

Hours: 9 am–8 pm

+17135221138

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 22

5 decision points cluster between mile 326.9 and 540.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

326.9 mi into trip | ~5h 38m in | I 10; US 87

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

332.3 mi into trip | ~5h 44m in

Take the exit toward Frontage Road

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 556B Toward Frontage Road

333.4 mi into trip | ~5h 46m in | North Loop 1604 West

Turn left onto North Loop 1604 West

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

526.3 mi into trip | ~9h 8m in

Take the exit toward I 10 Toll: Katy Tollway

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

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 10 Toll: Katy Tollway

540.7 mi into trip | ~9h 26m in

Take the exit toward Downtown, Theatre District

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 769A Toward Downtown, Theatre District

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$80.94 one way

$161.88 round trip

$3.80/gal 25.4 MPG avg 189 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.31	$91.81	$183.62
premium	$4.68	$99.76	$199.51
diesel	$5.79	$123.37	$246.74

Estimated Tolls: $0.23

Katy Tollway (3.2 mi) $0.23

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$81

Tolls

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$211–$321

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 189.4 kg one way.

Driving Electric?

About $57 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	162.4	2	$56.84	$25.98
Efficient EV	135.3	1	$47.36	$21.65
EV Truck/SUV	216.5	2	$75.78	$34.64

Gas CO2

189 kg

EV CO2

63 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 18, 2026

Origin

West Odessa, TX

Afternoon in West Odessa on Sunday

Local time

1:37 PM

CDT

Current temp

40°F

Mostly Clear

SE 0 to 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued October 17 at 8:00PM CDT until October 20 at 7:32PM CDT by NWS Norman OK

Rip Current Statement

Rip Current Statement issued October 17 at 6:06PM CDT until October 18 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Brownsville TX

Destination

Houston, TX

Afternoon in Houston on Sunday

Local time

1:37 PM

CDT

Current temp

54°F

Partly Cloudy

N 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued October 17 at 8:00PM CDT until October 20 at 7:32PM CDT by NWS Norman OK

Rip Current Statement

Rip Current Statement issued October 17 at 6:06PM CDT until October 18 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Brownsville TX

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

14 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

9h 28m 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...

17 mi from route ~42 min detour Free near mile 354.7

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...

26 mi from route ~66 min detour Free near mile 298.7

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

This route is primarily highway driving, with 86% of the 541.3 miles on major roads like I 10. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch of highway at 399 miles on I 10. After the highway portion, expect to transition to surface roads for the remainder of the trip. With a total duration of 9 hours and 28 minutes, much of your time will be spent in steady cruising.

86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 399 mi on I 10.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and South US Highway 385. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 326.9 miles in near I 10; US 87.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 541.3 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 326.9 miles (I 10; US 87): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 332.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 333.4 miles (North Loop 1604 West): Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

2,963 ft 35 ft

Total Climb

441 ft

Total Descent

3,369 ft

Highest Point

2,963 ft

Elevation Range

2,928 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between West Odessa, TX and Houston, TX, road signs point toward Loop 1604 East, Austin and Waco.

Loop 1604 East

333.8 mi in | ~5h 47m

Austin

375.2 mi in | ~6h 34m | via I 10; TX 130

Waco

375.2 mi in | ~6h 34m | via I 10; TX 130

About the Cities

Starting in West Odessa, TX

Full guide →

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).

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 399 miles on I 10. 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 271 miles on day one.

Expect about $0.23 in tolls one way, starting with Katy Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

Yes — we found about 59 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 Houston, 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 59 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 9.5 hours each way, a round trip means 19.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Houston, 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, 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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