Origin
Arlington, TX
Afternoon in Arlington on Sunday
Local time
2:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington, TX to Dallas, TX
Drive Time
27m
Distance
20.2 mi
32 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
Arlington, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Dallas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Arlington and Dallas covers a short distance of 21.5 miles, making it an easy trip to complete in about 26 minutes. Because the drive is strictly local, you won't need to worry about booking overnight stays, as it functions perfectly as a quick day trip. You can expect to spend approximately $3 on fuel for the entire journey. Navigating through the heart of the Great Plains, this route relies entirely on surface streets rather than major interstates. It is a straightforward, practical commute for anyone looking to move between these two Texas hubs efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
10.1 miles from Arlington, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 15m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous highway cruise, this 21.5-mile route utilizes West Abram Street, South Mesquite Street, and North Center Street to navigate the urban landscape. With a highway share of 0%, you should prepare for frequent stops and turns rather than long, uninterrupted stretches of road. The character of the drive remains consistent throughout, prioritizing local connectivity over high-speed travel. Your focus will be on navigating city streets, which provides a very different experience than a typical interstate trek.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tom Landry Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 15.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Tom Landry Freeway and South Mesquite Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 18.6 miles in.
Route Complexity
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 20.2 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 18.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
18.6 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward I 35E North: Denton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 45A
Toward I 35E North: Denton
9
18.7 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E North: Denton, Commerce Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35E North: Denton, Commerce Street
7
18.9 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E North: Denton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35E North: Denton
8
19.6 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward Continental Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 429A
Toward Continental Avenue
6
19.8 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
Continental Avenue
Turn right onto Continental Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Landry Freeway | 15.5 mi | 17m |
| South Mesquite Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| East Copeland Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| North Center Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Interstate 30 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Continental Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Stemmons Freeway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Abram Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tom Landry Freeway
— 15.5 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, TX and Dallas, TX.
1
Start on West Abram Street
93 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Abram Street
2
Continue on West Abram Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Abram Street
Use the none lane.
3
Turn left onto South Mesquite Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Mesquite Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn straight onto North Center Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Center Street
Use the none lane.
5
Turn slight right
218 ft
·
9 sec
Use the right lane.
6
Turn straight onto East Interstate 30
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Interstate 30
7
Continue on East Copeland Road
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
East Copeland Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 30 East
Use the straight / left lanes.
9
Merge onto I 30
16 mi
·
17 min
·
Tom Landry Freeway
Use the none lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 45A
Toward I 35E North: Denton
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 35E North: Denton, Commerce Street
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 35E North: Denton
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 35E
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
North Stemmons Freeway
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 429A
Toward Continental Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn right onto Continental Avenue
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Continental Avenue
Use the right lane.
16
Turn slight right onto North Lamar Street
433 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Lamar Street
17
Arrive at destination
North Lamar Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a quick 26-minute trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. You won't need to plan for any scheduled stops along the way, allowing you to head straight to your destination. Keep in mind that because you are sticking to local roads, traffic patterns on streets like North Center Street can shift throughout the day. Budgeting around $3 for fuel is a safe bet for this short distance. My best advice is to familiarize yourself with the turn-heavy nature of the route before you pull out of your driveway to ensure a smooth, stress-free arrival.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 10.1 miles from Arlington, TX, or about 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 15.5 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 20.2 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 10.1 miles or 15m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dallas, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Arlington, 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 Arlington, TX
This is one driving day of about 20.2 miles and 27m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Arlington, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Tom Landry Freeway for about 15.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 10.1 mi from Arlington, TX · 15m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
10 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 20.2 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 10.1 miles from Arlington, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Dallas, TX
The final approach into Dallas, 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 Dallas, 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
$3.09 one way
$6.17 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $3.38 | $6.76 |
| premium | $4.59 | $3.65 | $7.30 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $4.49 | $8.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$28–$53
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.12 | $0.97 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.77 | $0.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Dallas, TX
Afternoon in Dallas on Sunday
Local time
2:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°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
19 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
27m 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 Arlington, TX to Dallas, TX covers 20.2 miles and takes about 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tom Landry Freeway, South Mesquite Street, East Copeland 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 10.1 miles from Arlington, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.09 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.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 20.2 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 18.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Arlington, TX to Dallas, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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