Origin
Alief, TX
Late night in Alief on Wednesday
Local time
2:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alief, TX to Austin, TX
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
2h 50m
Distance
152.2 mi
245 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$23
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 40m
★
6 AM
2h 51m
8 AM
3h 13m
10 AM
2h 58m
12 PM
2h 56m
3 PM
2h 59m
5 PM
3h 11m
8 PM
2h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alief, TX
Thomas balabaud
Austin, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Alief, TX to Austin, TX covers 152.2 miles and takes about 2h 50m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on TX 71, Katy Freeway, South Dairy Ashford Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 77.7 miles on TX 71. At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.00 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
76.1 miles from Alief, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 25m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
This is a 2h 50m highway drive covering 152.2 miles, with most of the trip on TX 71 and Katy Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 77.7 miles on TX 71.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
TX 71 is the longest continuous segment at about 77.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on TX 71 and Katy Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.7 miles in near Katy Freeway Frontage Road.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 152.2 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 5.7 miles (Katy Freeway Frontage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 65.4 miles (TX 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 146.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
5.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
Katy Freeway Frontage Road
Turn left onto Katy Freeway Frontage Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
65.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
TX 71
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 71
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
146.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 40m in
Take the exit toward US 183 North, 183 Toll North: Lampasas
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.
Toward US 183 North, 183 Toll North: Lampasas
7
148.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 43m 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...
7
152.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 50m in
|
East 5th Street
Turn left onto East 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| TX 71 | 77.7 mi | 1h 22m |
| Katy Freeway | 58.5 mi | 1h 1m |
| South Dairy Ashford Road | 4.9 mi | 9m |
| East 7th Street | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| East State Highway 71 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Bastrop Freeway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Bergstrom Expressway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| East 6th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
TX 71
— 77.7 mi, about 1h 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alief, TX and Austin, TX.
1
Start on Cook Road
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Cook Road
2
Turn left onto Alief Clodine Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Alief Clodine Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto South Dairy Ashford Road
4.9 mi
·
9 min
·
South Dairy Ashford Road
4
Turn left onto Katy Freeway Frontage Road
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Katy Freeway Frontage Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 10 West
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 10; US 90
59 mi
·
1 hr 1 min
·
Katy Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto TX 71
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
TX 71
Toward TX 71 West: La Grange, Austin
8
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 71
77 mi
·
1 hr 22 min
·
TX 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on 71 Toll
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Bastrop Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on TX 71
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
East State Highway 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 183 North, 183 Toll North: Lampasas
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto US 183
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
·
Bastrop Highway
13
Continue on 183 Toll
0.7 mi
·
40 sec
·
Bergstrom Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
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.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto East 7th Street
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
East 7th Street
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
16
Turn left onto Brushy Street
352 ft
·
17 sec
·
Brushy Street
17
Turn right onto East 6th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 6th Street
18
Turn left onto Congress Avenue
357 ft
·
17 sec
·
Congress Avenue
19
Turn left onto East 5th Street
28 ft
·
0 sec
·
East 5th Street
Use the left lane.
20
Arrive at destination
East 5th Street
Trip Plan
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 76.1 miles from Alief, TX, or about 1h 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 77.7 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 80 miles or 1h 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 76.1 miles or 1h 25m 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 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Austin, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Alief, 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 Alief, TX
This is one driving day of about 152.2 miles and 2h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Alief, 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 TX 71 for about 77.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 76.1 mi from Alief, TX · 1h 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
76 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 76.1 miles from Alief, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before TX 71 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 77.7 miles.
Arriving in Austin, TX
The final approach into Austin, TX usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Austin, TX.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.00 one way
$46.00 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
53 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $25.17 | $50.35 |
| premium | $4.54 | $27.17 | $54.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $33.60 | $67.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 45.7 | 0 | $15.98 | $7.31 |
| Efficient EV | 38.1 | 0 | $13.32 | $6.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 60.9 | 0 | $21.31 | $9.74 |
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 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.
Destination
Austin, TX
Late night in Austin on Wednesday
Local time
2:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
2h 50m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Alief, TX to Austin, TX covers 152.2 miles and takes about 2h 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are TX 71, Katy Freeway, South Dairy Ashford Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 76.1 miles from Alief, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $23.00 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 152.2 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 5.7 miles (Katy Freeway Frontage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 65.4 miles (TX 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 146.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Alief, TX to Austin, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Austin, TX
Explore more options from Alief, TX or browse trips ending in Austin, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.
Explore maps for Alief, TX or Austin, TX on MapSof.net.