Origin
Arlington, TX
Late night in Arlington on Wednesday
Local time
1:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington, TX to Medina, TX
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
8h 42m
Distance
482.4 mi
776 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$73
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 35m
★
6 AM
8h 43m
8 AM
8h 58m
10 AM
8h 48m
12 PM
8h 47m
3 PM
8h 49m
5 PM
8h 58m
8 PM
8h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Medina, TX
Mark Direen
Trip Overview
The drive from Arlington, TX to Medina, TX covers 482.4 miles and takes about 8h 42m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Purple Heart Trail, South Freeway, I 35 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 244 miles on Purple Heart Trail. At current regular gas prices, budget about $72.89 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
241.2 miles from Arlington, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 20m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
The drive from Arlington, TX to Medina, TX covers 482.4 miles and takes about 8h 42m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Purple Heart Trail is the longest continuous segment at about 244 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15.9 miles in.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 482.4 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 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 195.3 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
15.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward I 35W South, I 35W North: Waco, Denton
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 437
Toward I 35W South, I 35W North: Waco, Denton
7
16.1 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35W South: Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35W South: Waco
8
195.3 mi into trip
|
~3h 30m in
|
I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
8
275.2 mi into trip
|
~4h 59m in
|
I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
8
277.3 mi into trip
|
~5h 1m in
|
I 10; US 87 / South Pan Am Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87 / South Pan Am Expressway toward I 10 East, US 87 South, Spur 536: Houston, South Alamo Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 10 East, US 87 South, Spur 536: Housto...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Arlington, TX and Medina, TX, road signs point toward Laredo and Spur 536: Houston.
Laredo
275.2 mi in
|
~4h 59m
|
via I 35
Spur 536: Houston
277.3 mi in
|
~5h 1m
|
via I 10; US 87
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 244 mi | 4h 12m |
| South Freeway | 78 mi | 1h 20m |
| I 35 | 55.8 mi | 58m |
| United States Highway 83 | 25.7 mi | 28m |
| North Pan Am Expressway | 18.5 mi | 22m |
| US Highway 83 South | 14.2 mi | 15m |
| South Pan Am Expressway | 10.4 mi | 12m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway | 10.3 mi | 11m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 244 mi, about 4h 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, TX and Medina, TX.
1
Start on West Abram Street
93 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Abram Street
2
Continue on West Abram Street
417 ft
·
21 sec
·
West Abram Street
3
Turn right onto South Center Street
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
South Center Street
Use the right lane.
4
Turn right onto Spur 303
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
West Pioneer Parkway
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto FM 157
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
South Cooper Street
Use the left lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto FM 157
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Cooper Street
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 20 West: Fort Worth
8
Merge onto I 20
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 437
Toward I 35W South, I 35W North: Waco, Denton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 35W South: Waco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 35W
78 mi
·
1 hr 20 min
·
South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 35; US 77
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 35
38 mi
·
39 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
56 mi
·
58 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290
50 mi
·
54 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Use the slight left lane.
16
Continue on I 35
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on I 35
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on I 35
10.0 mi
·
11 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
Use the slight left lane.
21
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87
10 mi
·
12 min
·
South Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 10 East, US 87 South, Spur 536: Houston, South Alamo Street
Use the slight right lane.
22
Continue on I 35
144 mi
·
2 hr 26 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Continue on US 83
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Santa Ursula Avenue
24
Turn left onto US 83
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Matamoros Street
25
Continue on US 83
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Chihuahua Street
26
Turn right onto North Meadow Avenue
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
North Meadow Avenue
27
Turn right onto US 83
5.4 mi
·
7 min
·
South Zapata Highway
28
Continue on US 83
14 mi
·
15 min
·
US Highway 83 South
29
Continue on US 83
26 mi
·
28 min
·
United States Highway 83
30
Turn left onto TX 16
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
West 13th Avenue
31
Turn left onto 10th Street
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
10th Street
32
Arrive at destination
10th 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 241.2 miles from Arlington, TX, or about 4h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 244 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 106 miles or 1h 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 241.2 miles or 4h 20m 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 241.2 miles or 4h 20m
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 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Medina, 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 241 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Medina, TX
Aim for roughly 241 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 106 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 Purple Heart Trail for about 244 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 241.2 mi from Arlington, TX · 4h 20m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
241 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 San Antonio, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
241 mi · about 4.4h in
A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 241 miles or 4.4 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 106 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 241.2 miles from Arlington, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 244 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 241 miles or 4.4 hours on the road.
Arriving in Medina, TX
The final approach into Medina, 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 Medina, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Medina, 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
$72.89 one way
$145.78 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
169 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $79.79 | $159.57 |
| premium | $4.54 | $86.13 | $172.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $106.51 | $213.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$73
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$203–$313
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 168.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $51 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 144.7 | 1 | $50.65 | $23.16 |
| Efficient EV | 120.6 | 1 | $42.21 | $19.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 193 | 2 | $67.54 | $30.87 |
Gas CO2
169 kg
EV CO2
56 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
Medina, TX
Late night in Medina on Wednesday
Local time
1:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°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
23 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 42m 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 Medina, TX covers 482.4 miles and takes about 8h 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Purple Heart Trail, South Freeway, I 35. 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 241 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 241.2 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 $72.89 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 is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 482.4 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 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 195.3 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Arlington, TX and Medina, TX, road signs point toward Laredo and Spur 536: Houston.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Medina, TX
Explore more options from Arlington, TX or browse trips ending in Medina, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.
Explore maps for Arlington, TX or Medina, TX on MapSof.net.