Origin
Austin, TX
Afternoon in Austin on Sunday
Local time
3:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Austin, TX to Big Spring, TX
Drive Time
5h 42m
Distance
291.3 mi
469 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$45
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 29m
★
6 AM
5h 42m
8 AM
6h 9m
10 AM
5h 51m
12 PM
5h 49m
3 PM
5h 53m
5 PM
6h 7m
8 PM
5h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Austin, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Big Spring, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Trip Overview
The drive from Austin, TX to Big Spring, TX covers 291.3 miles and takes about 5h 42m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Brazos Street, East 6th Street, Atlanta Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $44.50 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
145.6 miles from Austin, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 51m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 42m drive with frequent turns across 291.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Brazos Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 5h 42m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Austin, TX to Big Spring, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Brazos Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East 6th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Atlanta Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Loop 1 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Mopac Expressway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 290 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 71 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Young Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Brazos Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Austin, TX and Big Spring, TX.
1
Start on East 5th Street
417 ft
·
16 sec
·
East 5th Street
2
Turn left onto Brazos Street
358 ft
·
23 sec
·
Brazos Street
3
Turn left onto East 6th Street
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
East 6th Street
4
Turn left onto Atlanta Street
233 ft
·
7 sec
·
Atlanta Street
5
Take the ramp straight toward Loop 1 South
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Loop 1 South
6
Merge slight left onto South Mopac Expressway
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
South Mopac Expressway
7
Take the exit slight right toward US 290 West, TX 71 West: Johnson City, Llano
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 290 West, TX 71 West: Johnson City, Llano
8
Keep slight left to continue on US 290 West, TX 71 West
318 ft
·
8 sec
·
US 290 West, TX 71 West
9
Merge slight left
2.5 mi
·
3 min
10
Turn slight right onto West Highway 71
22 mi
·
31 min
·
West Highway 71
11
Continue on East State Highway 71
42 mi
·
56 min
·
East State Highway 71
12
Keep slight right
1.5 mi
·
2 min
13
Turn left onto West Young Street
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
West Young Street
14
Continue straight
47 mi
·
50 min
15
Turn right
2.8 mi
·
3 min
16
At the end of the road, turn left onto Commerce Street
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
·
Commerce Street
17
Turn straight onto United States Highway 87
71 mi
·
1 hr 16 min
·
United States Highway 87
18
Continue on South Bryant Boulevard
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
South Bryant Boulevard
19
Continue on South Koenigheim Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Koenigheim Street
20
Continue on North Bryant Boulevard
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
North Bryant Boulevard
21
Continue on US Highway 87 North
23 mi
·
23 min
·
US Highway 87 North
22
Continue straight
16 mi
·
16 min
23
Turn straight onto US Highway 87 North
38 mi
·
37 min
·
US Highway 87 North
24
Take the exit slight right toward US 87 Business North: Big Spring
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
US 87 Business North: Big Spring
25
Continue on South US Highway 87
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
South US Highway 87
26
Continue on South Gregg Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South Gregg Street
27
Turn left onto West 5th Street
384 ft
·
19 sec
·
West 5th Street
28
Turn right onto South Lancaster Street
377 ft
·
19 sec
·
South Lancaster Street
29
Turn right onto West 4th Street
302 ft
·
6 sec
·
West 4th Street
30
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
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 145.6 miles from Austin, TX, or about 2h 51m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 145.6 miles or 2h 51m 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 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Big Spring, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Austin, TX
This is one driving day of about 291.3 miles and 5h 42m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Austin, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 145.6 mi from Austin, TX · 2h 51m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
146 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 145.6 miles from Austin, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Big Spring, TX
The final approach into Big Spring, 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 Big Spring, TX.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.50 one way
$89.00 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
102 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $48.76 | $97.53 |
| premium | $4.59 | $52.65 | $105.30 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $64.72 | $129.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 101.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 87.4 | 1 | $30.59 | $13.98 |
| Efficient EV | 72.8 | 0 | $25.49 | $11.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 116.5 | 1 | $40.78 | $18.64 |
Gas CO2
102 kg
EV CO2
34 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
Big Spring, TX
Afternoon in Big Spring on Sunday
Local time
3:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
63°F
Ames, TX
146 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.
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
13 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
5h 42m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Austin, TX to Big Spring, TX covers 291.3 miles and takes about 5h 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Brazos Street, East 6th Street, Atlanta Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 145.6 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 $44.50 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 42m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Austin, TX to Big Spring, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Austin, TX to Big Spring, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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