Origin
Austin, TX
Afternoon in Austin on Sunday
Local time
2:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Austin, TX to Amarillo, TX
Drive Time
8h 54m
Distance
495.5 mi
797 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$76
one way
Austin, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Amarillo, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 496.3 miles, the journey from Austin to Amarillo takes approximately 7 hours and 36 minutes of pure drive time. Since both cities are located within the Great Plains, you will experience a consistent regional landscape throughout your travel across Texas. While it is technically possible to complete this trip in a single day, it is a significant haul that will require your full focus. Budgeting roughly $74 for fuel is a smart way to prepare for the costs ahead. Because the route relies on local streets like Red River Street and East 7th Street before transitioning to Interstate 35, you should anticipate a mix of city navigation and highway travel. Planning for one full day on the road is the standard recommendation for this trek.
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
247.7 miles from Austin, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 37m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive as you exit the city, which demands more alertness than a standard interstate cruise. The route transitions away from the initial urban congestion, though you should be prepared for varying road conditions as you navigate away from the starting point. With a highway share of 0%, this drive prioritizes local road navigation rather than relying on long-distance interstate stretches. Because the road personality is defined by these technical turns, you will find it requires more active steering and attention than a monotonous highway slog. Keep in mind that the character of the pavement changes frequently, so stay alert to the shifting requirements of the road surface.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 47 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Marshall Formby Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 109.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Marshall Formby Memorial Highway and US 84. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Red River Street.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 32 significant decision points across 495.5 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 0.3 miles (Red River Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (East 7th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 32 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Red River Street
Turn left onto Red River Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East 7th Street
Turn right onto East 7th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
7
5.5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward US 183 North: Lampasas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 240B
Toward US 183 North: Lampasas
7
493.8 mi into trip
|
~8h 50m in
|
US 87
Keep slight left at fork onto US 87 toward US 87 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward US 87 North
Towns Along This Route
On the drive from Austin, TX to Amarillo, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Lubbock along the way.
Lubbock
256.9 mi in
|
~4h 47m
|
via US 84
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Marshall Formby Memorial Highway | 109.9 mi | 1h 51m |
| US 84 | 104.9 mi | 1h 49m |
| North US Highway 183 | 72.6 mi | 1h 18m |
| State Highway 153 | 69 mi | 1h 14m |
| East Commerce Street | 22 mi | 25m |
| Highway 84 | 20 mi | 19m |
| 183A Toll | 14.6 mi | 14m |
| Canyon Expressway | 13.5 mi | 15m |
Longest stretch:
Marshall Formby Memorial Highway
— 109.9 mi, about 1h 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Austin, TX and Amarillo, TX.
1
Start on East 5th Street
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
East 5th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Turn left onto Red River Street
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Red River Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto East 7th Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
East 7th Street
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto North Interstate 35
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
North Interstate 35
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 35 North, US 290 East
6
Merge onto I 35; US 290
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the none lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 240B
Toward US 183 North: Lampasas
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto US 183
11 mi
·
13 min
·
US 183
Use the none lane.
10
Continue on 183A Toll
15 mi
·
14 min
·
183A Toll
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on US 183
36 mi
·
38 min
·
North US Highway 183
Use the none lane.
12
Continue on US 183
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
South Key Avenue
13
Continue on US 183; US 190; US 281
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
North US Highway 281
14
Keep slight left at fork onto US 183; US 190
37 mi
·
40 min
·
North US Highway 183
15
At end of road, turn left onto US 84; US 183; TX 16
30 mi
·
34 min
·
US 84; US 183; TX 16
16
Turn left onto US 67; US 84; US 183; US 377
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Early Boulevard
17
Continue on US 67; US 84; US 377
22 mi
·
25 min
·
East Commerce Street
18
Keep slight right at fork onto US 84; US 283
7.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Wallis Avenue
19
Turn right onto TX 153
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Walnut Street
20
Continue on TX 153; TX 206
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West Walnut Street
Use the none lane.
21
Continue on TX 153
69 mi
·
1 hr 14 min
·
State Highway 153
22
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 153
19 ft
·
0 sec
·
State Highway 153
23
Turn right onto TX 70
10 mi
·
10 min
·
State Highway 70
24
Continue on TX 70
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Lamar Street
25
Turn left onto Northwest Georgia Avenue
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Northwest Georgia Avenue
26
Take the ramp
340 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 20 West: Midland
27
Merge onto I 20; US 84
6.0 mi
·
5 min
·
I 20; US 84
28
Take the exit onto US 84
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
·
US 84
Exit 238A
Toward US 84 West: Snyder, Lubbock
29
Keep slight left at fork onto US 84
74 mi
·
1 hr 14 min
·
US 84
30
Turn right onto Loop 46
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Avenue F
31
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 207
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
North Avenue F
32
Turn straight onto TX 207
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Ralls Road
33
Turn left onto Spur 575
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
East 15th Street
34
Turn right onto US 84
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North US Highway 84
Use the none lane.
35
Continue on US 84
20 mi
·
19 min
·
Highway 84
Use the none lane.
36
Continue on US 84
4.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Trooper Jerry Don Davis Memorial Highway
37
Continue on US 84
6.8 mi
·
6 min
·
East Highway 84
38
Continue on US 84
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Slaton Road
39
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
40
Turn slight right onto Interstate 27
321 ft
·
6 sec
·
Interstate 27
41
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
42
Merge onto I 27; US 87
110 mi
·
1 hr 51 min
·
Marshall Formby Memorial Highway
43
Continue on I 27; US 60; US 87
13 mi
·
15 min
·
Canyon Expressway
Use the none / straight / right lanes.
44
Keep slight left at fork onto US 87
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
US 87
Toward US 87 North
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
45
Keep slight right at fork onto US 87; Original US Route 66
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Fillmore Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
46
Turn right onto I 40 Business; Original US Route 66; US 60
105 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Amarillo Boulevard
47
Arrive at destination
I 40 Business; Original US Route 66; US 60
Trip Plan
To tackle this 496.3-mile trip effectively, aim to depart early in the morning to avoid peak traffic congestion on the local streets. You are planning for two designated stops, which will be essential for maintaining your energy over the 7 hour and 36 minute duration. Since your fuel budget is approximately $74, keep an eye on your gauge during your two stops to ensure you do not run low in more isolated areas. Flexibility is your best asset on this drive; use those two stops to stretch your legs and reset your focus before tackling the next segment of the journey. A practical tip: because of the turn-heavy nature of this route, prioritize checking your tire pressure before you leave to ensure a smoother experience on the local sections.
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 247.7 miles from Austin, TX, or about 4h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 109.9 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 2h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 247.7 miles or 4h 37m 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 247.7 miles or 4h 37m
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 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Amarillo, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Austin, 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 Austin, TX
Aim for roughly 248 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Amarillo, TX
Aim for roughly 248 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 109 miles from Austin, 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 Marshall Formby Memorial Highway for about 109.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 247.7 mi from Austin, TX · 4h 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
248 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 Sweetwater, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
248 mi · about 4.5h in
A practical overnight split lands near Sweetwater, TX after about 248 miles or 4.5 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 109 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 247.7 miles from Austin, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Marshall Formby Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 109.9 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 248 miles or 4.5 hours on the road.
Arriving in Amarillo, TX
The final approach into Amarillo, 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 Amarillo, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Amarillo, 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
$75.69 one way
$151.38 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
173 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $82.95 | $165.89 |
| premium | $4.59 | $89.56 | $179.12 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $110.08 | $220.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$76
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$206–$316
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 173.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 148.7 | 1 | $52.03 | $23.78 |
| Efficient EV | 123.9 | 1 | $43.36 | $19.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 198.2 | 2 | $69.37 | $31.71 |
Gas CO2
173 kg
EV CO2
58 kg (66% 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
Amarillo, TX
Afternoon in Amarillo on Sunday
Local time
2:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
55°F
Sweetwater, TX
248 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
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
8h 54m 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 Austin, TX to Amarillo, TX covers 495.5 miles and takes about 8h 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Marshall Formby Memorial Highway, US 84, North US Highway 183. 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 248 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 247.7 miles from Austin, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $75.69 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 32 significant decision points across 495.5 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 0.3 miles (Red River Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (East 7th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Austin, TX to Amarillo, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Lubbock along the way.
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