Origin
Cactus, TX
Afternoon in Cactus on Sunday
Local time
2:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cactus, TX to Arlington, TX
Drive Time
6h 25m
Distance
420.8 mi
677 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$64
one way
Arlington, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Trip Overview
The drive from Cactus, TX to Arlington, TX covers 420.8 miles and takes about 6h 25m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Pan Am Expressway, North Pan Am Expressway, Purple Heart Trail for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $64.28 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
210.4 miles from Cactus, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 12m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 25m drive with frequent turns across 420.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Pan Am Expressway 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
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 25m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cactus, TX to Arlington, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Pan Am Expressway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Pan Am Expressway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Purple Heart Trail | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 35 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Jack Kultgen Expressway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 35W | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 20 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
South Pan Am Expressway
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cactus, TX and Arlington, TX.
1
Start on Purple Heart Trail
116 mi
·
1 hr 56 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
2
Continue on South Pan Am Expressway
9.3 mi
·
11 min
·
South Pan Am Expressway
3
Keep slight left to continue on South Pan Am Expressway
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
South Pan Am Expressway
4
Keep slight right to continue on South Pan Am Expressway
10 mi
·
13 min
·
South Pan Am Expressway
5
Keep slight left to continue on North Pan Am Expressway
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
6
Continue on Purple Heart Trail
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
7
Continue on Interstate Highway 35
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Interstate Highway 35
8
Continue on Purple Heart Trail
48 mi
·
52 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
9
Keep slight right to continue on Purple Heart Trail
96 mi
·
1 hr 40 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
10
Continue on South Jack Kultgen Expressway
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
South Jack Kultgen Expressway
11
Continue on Purple Heart Trail
33 mi
·
33 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
12
Keep slight left to continue on I 35W: Fort Worth
45 mi
·
47 min
·
I 35W: Fort Worth
13
Take the exit slight right toward I 20 East: Dallas
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
I 20 East: Dallas
14
Keep slight left to continue on I 20 East: Dallas
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
I 20 East: Dallas
15
Merge slight left onto Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
16
Keep slight left to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
4.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
17
Take the exit slight right toward FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield
18
Continue on West Interstate 20
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
West Interstate 20
19
Turn left onto South Cooper Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Cooper Street
20
Keep slight right to continue on South Cooper Street
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
South Cooper Street
21
Turn right onto West Pioneer Parkway
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
West Pioneer Parkway
22
Turn left onto South Center Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Center Street
23
Continue on South Mesquite Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Mesquite Street
24
Turn left onto East Abram Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
East Abram Street
25
Arrive at your destination
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 210.4 miles from Cactus, TX, or about 3h 12m 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 93 miles or 1h 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 210.4 miles or 3h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arlington, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cactus, 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 Cactus, TX
This is one driving day of about 420.8 miles and 6h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 93 miles from Cactus, 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 210.4 mi from Cactus, TX · 3h 12m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
210 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 93 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 210.4 miles from Cactus, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Arlington, TX
The final approach into Arlington, 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 Arlington, 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
$64.28 one way
$128.56 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
147 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $70.44 | $140.89 |
| premium | $4.59 | $76.06 | $152.12 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $93.49 | $186.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$64
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$89–$114
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 147.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $44 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 126.2 | 1 | $44.18 | $20.20 |
| Efficient EV | 105.2 | 1 | $36.82 | $16.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 168.3 | 2 | $58.91 | $26.93 |
Gas CO2
147 kg
EV CO2
49 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
Arlington, TX
Afternoon in Arlington on Sunday
Local time
2:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°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
12 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
6h 25m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Cactus, TX to Arlington, TX covers 420.8 miles and takes about 6h 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Pan Am Expressway, North Pan Am Expressway, Purple Heart Trail. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 210.4 miles from Cactus, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $64.28 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 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 25m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cactus, TX to Arlington, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Cactus, TX to Arlington, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Arlington, TX
More from Cactus, TX
More trips to Arlington, TX
Explore more options from Cactus, TX or browse trips ending in Arlington, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.
Explore maps for Cactus, TX or Arlington, TX on MapSof.net.