The drive from Arlington, TX to Van Horn, TX covers 497.6 miles and takes about 8h 23m 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 highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 421 miles on I 20.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $75.19 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
248.8 miles from Arlington, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 17m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
8h 23m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (99%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 8h 23m highway drive covering 497.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 20 and I 10. The longest continuous stretch is about 421 miles on I 20.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 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 9 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.
Driving Effort5/10
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 497.6 miles you will encounter 9 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 2.1 miles (West Lamar Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 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.
4
2.1 mi into trip|~5m in|West Lamar Boulevard
Turn left onto West Lamar Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left 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.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 20
421 mi
7h
I 10
45.5 mi
42m
West Freeway
15.5 mi
17m
Tom Landry Freeway
12 mi
15m
South Cooper Street
1.7 mi
3m
East Broadway Street
0.6 mi
1m
West Abram Street
0.4 mi
1m
West Lamar Boulevard
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 Van Horn, 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 WestUse 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
45 mi·42 min·I 10
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward I 10 Business
10
Turn right onto I 10 Bus
0.2 mi·19 sec·Ross Drive
11
Continue on I 10 Bus
0.6 mi·1 min·East Broadway Street
12
Turn right onto TX 54
156 ft·2 sec·La Caverna Street
13
Arrive at destination
TX 54
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 248.8 miles from Arlington, TX, or about 4h 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 109 miles or 1h 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 248.8 miles or 4h 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 248.8 miles or 4h 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 7h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Van Horn, 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 249 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Van Horn, TX
Aim for roughly 249 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 109 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 248.8 mi from Arlington, TX
· 4h 17m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$75.19 one way
$150.38 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg174 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$82.30
$164.60
premium
$4.54
$88.84
$177.69
diesel
$5.61
$109.86
$219.73
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$75
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$205–$315
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 174.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $52 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
149.3
1
$52.25
$23.88
Efficient EV
124.4
1
$43.54
$19.90
EV Truck/SUV
199
2
$69.66
$31.85
Gas CO2
174 kg
EV CO2
58 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.
Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Arlington, TX
Afternoon
in Arlington on Friday
Local time
3:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 15 to 20 mph5% chanceLive forecast
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued April 17 at 11:55AM MDT until April 17 at 7:00PM MDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued April 17 at 11:55AM MDT until April 18 at 12:00PM MDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Destination
Van Horn, TX
Afternoon
in Van Horn on Friday
Local time
3:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Patchy Blowing Dust
W 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued April 17 at 11:55AM MDT until April 17 at 7:00PM MDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued April 17 at 11:55AM MDT until April 18 at 12:00PM MDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
59°F
Roscoe, TX
249 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 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
8h 23m 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 Van Horn, TX covers 497.6 miles and takes about 8h 23m 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. 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 249 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 248.8 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 $75.19 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 497.6 miles you will encounter 9 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 2.1 miles (West Lamar Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Arlington, TX to Van Horn, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
