Trip from Amarillo, TX to Austin, TX

Drive Time

8h 54m

Distance

494.5 mi

796 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$76

one way

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Amarillo, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Austin, TX

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Trip Overview

Stretching 495.8 miles across the heart of Texas, your journey from Amarillo to Austin takes approximately 7 hours and 37 minutes of active driving time. While it is technically possible to complete this trip in a single day, be prepared for a long stint behind the wheel. You should budget around $74 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Great Plains locations. Since the route relies heavily on local roads rather than major interstates, plan for a steady pace rather than a quick sprint. Assessing your comfort level with a full day of driving is essential before committing to this transit, as it remains a substantial trek across 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

247.2 miles from Amarillo, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 18m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will navigate through North Pierce Street, the Canyon Expressway, and the Marshall Formby Memorial Highway, which creates a very different experience than a standard interstate cruise. Because the path relies on local infrastructure, the road personality is more technical and requires frequent adjustments rather than long, mindless stretches of highway driving. Be ready to transition through various road types as you move southward, keeping your focus sharp through every turn. This isn't the type of trip where you can set the cruise control and relax, so prepare for a more hands-on driving experience.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 52 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Marshall Formby Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 103.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Marshall Formby Memorial Highway and US Highway 84. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 127.8 miles in.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 29 significant decision points across 494.5 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 127.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 238 miles (US 84): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 244.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 29 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

127.8 mi into trip | ~2h 14m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Spur 331: Southeast Drive

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward Spur 331: Southeast Drive

238 mi into trip | ~4h 8m 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

244.5 mi into trip | ~4h 14m 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,...

485.3 mi into trip | ~8h 41m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Loop 1 South: Mopac Boulevard South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward Loop 1 South: Mopac Boulevard South

492.7 mi into trip | ~8h 50m in

Keep slight left at fork toward West 5th Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Toward West 5th Street

Towns Along This Route

Between Amarillo, TX and Austin, TX, road signs point toward Loop 289, Sh 70 South, Sh 70 Business: Sweetwater and San Angelo.

Loop 289

119.1 mi in | ~2h 3m

Sh 70 South

244.5 mi in | ~4h 14m

Sh 70 Business: Sweetwater

244.5 mi in | ~4h 14m

San Angelo

244.5 mi in | ~4h 14m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Marshall Formby Memorial Highway	103.7 mi	1h 43m
US Highway 84	73.9 mi	1h 14m
State Highway 153	69 mi	1h 14m
US 183	44.5 mi	49m
South US Highway 183	35.3 mi	38m
US Highway 84 East	29.2 mi	33m
East Highway 84	26.9 mi	26m
US 67	21.5 mi	24m

Longest stretch: Marshall Formby Memorial Highway — 103.7 mi, about 1h 43m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Amarillo, TX and Austin, TX.

Start on I 40 Business; Original US Route 66; US 60

286 ft · 8 sec · East Amarillo Boulevard

Turn right onto US 60; US 87; US 66 Access

0.4 mi · 57 sec · North Pierce Street

Continue on US 60; US 87; US 66 Access

1.0 mi · 2 min · North Pierce Street

Continue on US 60; US 87

14 mi · 16 min · Canyon Expressway

Use the none lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 27

104 mi · 1 hr 43 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

Use the none lane.

Continue on US 84

1.0 mi · 1 min · North US Highway 84

Use the none lane.

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

69 mi · 1 hr 14 min · State Highway 153

Continue on TX 153

1.0 mi · 1 min · West Walnut Street

Use the none lane.

Continue on TX 153

0.9 mi · 1 min · East Walnut Street

At end of road, turn left onto US 84; US 283

9.4 mi · 10 min · US 84; US 283

Continue on US 67; US 84

21 mi · 24 min · US 67; US 84

Turn right onto US 84; US 183

1.3 mi · 1 min · Garmon Drive

Continue on US 84; US 183

29 mi · 33 min · US Highway 84 East

Turn right onto US 183; TX 16

22 mi · 25 min · US 183; TX 16

Continue on US 183; US 190

15 mi · 15 min · US 183; US 190

Merge onto US 183; US 190; US 281

260 ft · 4 sec · North US Highway 281

Continue on US 183; US 190; US 281

2.3 mi · 4 min · North Key Avenue

Continue on US 183

35 mi · 38 min · South US Highway 183

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 29 sec · this road

Keep slight left at fork onto 183A Toll

14 mi · 14 min · 183A Toll Road

Use the none lane.

Continue on US 183

7.5 mi · 8 min · US 183

Use the none lane.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 52 sec

Toward Loop 1: Mopac Boulevard Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 51 sec

Toward Loop 1 South: Mopac Boulevard South Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto Loop 1

2.4 mi · 2 min · North Mopac Expressway

Use the none lane.

Take the exit

423 ft · 10 sec

Toward Express 1 Toll Use the slight left lane.

Merge onto Express 1 Toll

3.9 mi · 4 min · Express 1 Toll

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 39 sec

Toward West 5th Street Use the slight left / straight lanes.

Turn straight onto West 5th Street

1.5 mi · 3 min · West 5th Street

Use the none / straight lanes.

Arrive at destination

East 5th Street

Trip Plan

To tackle this 495.8-mile journey effectively, aim for an early morning departure to maximize daylight hours for navigating the local roads. Since the trip includes two recommended stops, use these breaks strategically to stretch your legs and reset after the more demanding, turn-heavy sections. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge throughout the drive, as the $74 estimate can fluctuate based on your vehicle's efficiency and local pricing along these specific corridors. Because this route involves navigating local infrastructure like the Canyon Expressway, rely on real-time navigation tools to help manage the frequent turns. Flexibility is your greatest asset here, so don't hesitate to pull over if you find the technical nature of the drive becoming fatiguing.

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 247.2 miles from Amarillo, TX, or about 4h 18m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 103.7 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 109 miles or 1h 53m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 247.2 miles or 4h 18m 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 247.2 miles or 4h 18m

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 7h 47m

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 Amarillo, 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 Amarillo, TX

Aim for roughly 247 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Austin, TX

Aim for roughly 247 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 109 miles from Amarillo, 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 Marshall Formby Memorial Highway for about 103.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 247.2 mi from Amarillo, TX · 4h 18m into the drive

Mid-route town

Overnight candidate

Anson, TX

247 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 Anson, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Anson, TX

247 mi · about 4.5h in

A practical overnight split lands near Anson, TX after about 247 miles or 4.5 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Abernathy, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 109 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Anson, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 247.2 miles from Amarillo, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Marshall Formby Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 103.7 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 247 miles or 4.5 hours on the road.

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.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Austin, TX with some flexibility left in the schedule.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$75.54 one way

$151.08 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 173 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$82.78	$165.56
premium	$4.59	$89.38	$178.76
diesel	$5.64	$109.86	$219.72

Estimated Tolls: $1.00

183A Toll Road (14.3 mi) $1.00

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

$76

Tolls

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$207–$317

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 173 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	148.4	1	$51.92	$23.74
Efficient EV	123.6	1	$43.27	$19.78
EV Truck/SUV	197.8	2	$69.23	$31.65

Gas CO2

173 kg

EV CO2

58 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Amarillo, TX

Afternoon in Amarillo on Sunday

Local time

2:16 PM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Austin, TX

Afternoon in Austin on Sunday

Local time

2:16 PM

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.

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

19 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

8h 54m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Amarillo, TX to Austin, TX covers 494.5 miles and takes about 8h 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Marshall Formby Memorial Highway, US Highway 84, State Highway 153. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 247 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 247.2 miles from Amarillo, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $75.54 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Between Amarillo, TX and Austin, TX, road signs point toward Loop 289, Sh 70 South, Sh 70 Business: Sweetwater and San Angelo.

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Return Trip

Austin, TX to Amarillo, TX

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495.5 mi 8h 54m

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Trip from Amarillo, TX to Austin, TX

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Towns Along This Route

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Overnight Options

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Austin, TX

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Amarillo, TX

Austin, TX

Same local time

19 degrees warmer at arrival

8h 54m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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