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Trip from Arlington, TX to El Paso, TX

Drive Time

10h 24m

Distance

618.5 mi

995 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$94

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 28 min
4 AM
10h 15m ★
6 AM
10h 24m
8 AM
10h 43m
10 AM
10h 31m
12 PM
10h 29m
3 PM
10h 32m
5 PM
10h 42m
8 PM
10h 19m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Arlington, TX, TX

Arlington, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Downtown El Paso, TX, TX

El Paso, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Arlington, TX to El Paso, TX covers 618.5 miles and takes about 10h 24m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on I 20, I 10, West Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 421 miles on I 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $94.48 one way before food or hotel costs.

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

309.3 miles from Arlington, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 17m into the drive .

Drive Character

At 618.5 miles and 10h 24m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are I 20 and I 10.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 421 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and I 10. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near FM 157 / South Cooper Street.

Route Complexity 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 618.5 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.4 miles (FM 157 / South Cooper Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles (I 30 / Tom Landry Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

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

6
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | FM 157 / South Cooper Street

Turn right onto FM 157 / South Cooper Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
7
2.3 mi into trip | ~5m in

Turn left toward I 30 West

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 30 West
5
2.6 mi into trip | ~6m in | I 30 / Tom Landry Freeway

Merge onto I 30 / Tom Landry Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
30.1 mi into trip | ~39m in | I 20

Merge onto I 20

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane.
8
617.8 mi into trip | ~10h 22m in

Take the exit toward Missouri Avenue, Downtown

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 19B Toward Missouri Avenue, Downtown

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 20 421 mi 7h
I 10 166.7 mi 2h 43m
West Freeway 15.5 mi 17m
Tom Landry Freeway 12 mi 15m
South Cooper Street 1.7 mi 3m
West Abram Street 0.4 mi 1m
East Missouri Avenue 0.3 mi <1m
North Mesa Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 20 — 421 mi, about 7h

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, TX and El Paso, TX.

1

Start on West Abram Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · West Abram Street
2

Turn right onto FM 157

1.7 mi · 3 min · South Cooper Street
Use the right lane.
3

Turn left onto West Lamar Boulevard

0.3 mi · 41 sec · West Lamar Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4

Turn left

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward I 30 West Use the left lane.
5

Merge onto I 30

12 mi · 15 min · Tom Landry Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on I 30; US 377

15 mi · 17 min · West Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Merge onto I 20

421 mi · 7 hr · I 20
Use the slight right lane.
8

Merge onto I 10

167 mi · 2 hr 43 min · I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 20 sec
Exit 19B Toward Missouri Avenue, Downtown Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Turn straight onto East Missouri Avenue

0.3 mi · 49 sec · East Missouri Avenue
11

Turn left onto TX 20

0.3 mi · 27 sec · North Mesa Street
12

Arrive at destination

North Mesa Street

Trip Plan

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 309.3 miles from Arlington, TX, or about 5h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 421 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 136 miles or 2h 24m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 309.3 miles or 5h 17m 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 309.3 miles or 5h 17m

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 9h 24m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near El Paso, 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.

+

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 Arlington, TX

Aim for roughly 309 miles and 5.2 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into El Paso, TX

Aim for roughly 309 miles and 5.2 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 136 miles from Arlington, 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 20 for about 421 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 309.3 mi from Arlington, TX · 5h 17m into the drive

Downtown Brownwood, TX, TX

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Brownwood, TX

204 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.

Downtown Kermit, TX, TX

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Kermit, TX

408 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 Kermit, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Big Spring, TX

309 mi · about 5.2h in

A practical overnight split lands near Big Spring, TX after about 309 miles or 5.2 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Wichita Falls, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 136 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Big Spring, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 309.3 miles from Arlington, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 20 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 421 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 309 miles or 5.2 hours on the road.

Arriving in El Paso, TX

The final approach into El Paso, 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 El Paso, TX.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach El Paso, 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Chamizal National Memorial

Chamizal National Memorial

National Memorial

Chamizal is more than just an urban park to recreate or enjoy a quiet afternoon. These grounds are a reminder of the harmonious settlement of a 100-year boundary dispute between the United States and...

2 mi from route ~5 min detour Free near mile 618.5
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$94.48 one way

$188.96 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 216 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $103.54 $207.08
premium $4.59 $111.79 $223.59
diesel $5.64 $137.41 $274.82

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$94

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$224–$334

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 216.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $65 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 185.5 2 $64.94 $29.69
Efficient EV 154.6 1 $54.12 $24.74
EV Truck/SUV 247.4 3 $86.59 $39.58

Gas CO2

216 kg

EV CO2

72 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 data refreshed 4 days ago

Origin

Arlington, TX

Morning in Arlington on Monday

Local time

8:00 AM

CDT

Current temp

80°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

El Paso, TX

Morning in El Paso on Monday

Local time

7:00 AM

MDT

Current temp

55°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

76°F

Brownwood, TX

204 mi in

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

1 hour earlier

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

25 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

10h 24m 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 Arlington, TX to El Paso, TX covers 618.5 miles and takes about 10h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 20, I 10, West Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
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 309 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 309.3 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 $94.48 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 618.5 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (FM 157 / South Cooper Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles (I 30 / Tom Landry Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Arlington, TX to El Paso, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

El Paso, TX to Arlington, TX

Plan the drive back the other way.

618.6 mi 10h 23m

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