Origin
Arlington, TX
Afternoon in Arlington on Saturday
Local time
2:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington, TX to Friendswood, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 2m
Distance
277.6 mi
447 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$42
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 49m
★
6 AM
5h 3m
8 AM
5h 30m
10 AM
5h 12m
12 PM
5h 9m
3 PM
5h 13m
5 PM
5h 28m
8 PM
4h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Friendswood, TX
Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE
Trip Overview
Arlington, TX to Friendswood, TX is 277.6 miles and takes about 5h 2m via Julius Schepps Freeway and Gulf Freeway, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This highway-focused drive will take you across Texas, remaining within the state and passing through the Great Plains region. Given its relatively short duration and straightforward path, it's a solid choice for a single-day trip. You'll spend most of your time on major freeways, making it a practical option for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
138.8 miles from Arlington, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 30m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Julius Schepps Freeway | 227.2 mi | 3h 57m |
| Gulf Freeway | 18.3 mi | 21m |
| Lyndon B Johnson Freeway | 15.4 mi | 16m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway | 5.9 mi | 6m |
| South Collins Street | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| Friendswood Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| East Edgewood Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Gulf Freeway Frontage Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Julius Schepps Freeway
— 227.2 mi, about 3h 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, TX and Friendswood, TX.
1
Start on West Abram Street
93 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Abram Street
2
Continue on West Abram Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Abram Street
3
Turn right
153 ft
·
6 sec
Use the right lane.
4
Turn slight right onto South Collins Street
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
South Collins Street
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto East Interstate 20
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
East Interstate 20
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 20 East
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Merge onto I 20
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 20
15 mi
·
16 min
·
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 473C
Toward I 45 South: Houston
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 45
227 mi
·
3 hr 57 min
·
Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 45
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Gulf Freeway
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 29
Toward FM 2351: Friendswood, Clear Lake City Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn straight onto Gulf Freeway Frontage Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Gulf Freeway Frontage Road
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
14
Turn right onto FM 2351
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Friendswood Road
15
Continue on FM 2351
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East Edgewood Avenue
16
Turn left onto FM 518
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
South Friendswood Drive
17
Arrive at destination
FM 518
Trip Plan
With a drive time of just over 5 hours, this trip is easily manageable in a single day, so consider leaving in the morning to give yourself plenty of daylight. The recommended single stop suggests you can break up the journey conveniently. Keep an eye on fuel, as the estimated cost is $42; filling up before you leave Arlington or in a larger town along the way would be wise. Since the longest stretch is over 200 miles, ensure your vehicle is in good condition before embarking.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 138.8 miles from Arlington, TX, or about 2h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 227.2 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 61 miles or 1h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 138.8 miles or 2h 30m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Friendswood, 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 277.6 miles and 5h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Arlington, 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 Julius Schepps Freeway for about 227.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
139 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 61 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 138.8 miles from Arlington, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Julius Schepps Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 227.2 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 272.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Turn right
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
4.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
East Interstate 20
Turn left onto East Interstate 20
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
5.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward I 20 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 20 East
7
26.7 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward I 45 South: Houston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 473C
Toward I 45 South: Houston
8
272.4 mi into trip
|
~4h 53m in
Take the exit toward FM 2351: Friendswood, Clear Lake City Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 29
Toward FM 2351: Friendswood, Clear Lake City Bo...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.95 one way
$83.89 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
97 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $45.91 | $91.83 |
| premium | $4.54 | $49.56 | $99.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $61.29 | $122.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 97.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 83.3 | 1 | $29.15 | $13.32 |
| Efficient EV | 69.4 | 0 | $24.29 | $11.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 111 | 1 | $38.86 | $17.77 |
Gas CO2
97 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Friendswood, TX
Afternoon in Friendswood on Saturday
Local time
2:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
79°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
24 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
5h 2m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is overwhelmingly a highway drive, with a 94% highway share. You can expect long stretches of consistent speed, including one uninterrupted segment of 227.2 miles primarily on the Julius Schepps Freeway. The path is dominated by major roadways like the Julius Schepps Freeway, Lyndon B Johnson Freeway, and Gulf Freeway. While not designed for sightseeing, this highway-focused profile means you'll experience a predictable and efficient journey with minimal deviation from fast-paced travel.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 227.2 mi on Julius Schepps Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Julius Schepps Freeway and Gulf Freeway. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 277.6 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (East Interstate 20): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Arlington, TX
Full guide →Founded 1876
Arlington is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex metropolitan area, in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of almost 400,000 (2019), it is Texas' seventh largest, and the third largest in the Metroplex. Arlington is south of the sprawling DFW International Airport.
Top landmarks
- • Six Flags Over Texas — amusement park
- • Mini Mine Train — Steel roller coaster
- • Arlington Museum of Art — art museum in Texas, United States
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 2m. Total distance: 277.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 227.2 miles on Julius Schepps Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (East Interstate 20): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.0 hours each way, a round trip means 10.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Friendswood, TX before the return drive.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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