Trip from Dallas, TX to Texas City, TX

Drive Time

5h 3m

Distance

281.1 mi

Route Type

Turn-heavy local drive

Long day trip

Trip Overview

The drive from Dallas, TX to Texas City, TX covers 281.1 miles and takes about 5h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on McKinney Avenue, US 75 North, Woodall Rodgers Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $41.82 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

140.6 miles from Dallas, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 31m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 5h 3m drive with frequent turns across 281.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

McKinney Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
McKinney Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
US 75 North	Unavailable	Refreshing
Woodall Rodgers Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 45 South	Unavailable	Refreshing
Julius Schepps Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing
Gulf Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing
FM 1764	Unavailable	Refreshing
Palmer Highway	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: McKinney Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Dallas, TX and Texas City, TX.

1

Start on North Lamar Street

433 ft · 16 sec · North Lamar Street

2

Turn right onto McKinney Avenue

0.2 mi · 25 sec · McKinney Avenue

3

Take the ramp slight left toward US 75 North

0.2 mi · 30 sec · US 75 North

4

Merge slight left onto Woodall Rodgers Freeway

0.4 mi · 37 sec · Woodall Rodgers Freeway

5

Keep slight right to continue on I 45 South: Houston

0.5 mi · 49 sec · I 45 South: Houston

6

Merge slight left onto Julius Schepps Freeway

3.1 mi · 3 min · Julius Schepps Freeway

7

Keep slight left to continue on Julius Schepps Freeway

234 mi · 4 hr 5 min · Julius Schepps Freeway

8

Continue on Gulf Freeway

33 mi · 38 min · Gulf Freeway

9

Take the exit slight right toward FM 1764: Texas City

5.8 mi · 7 min · FM 1764: Texas City

10

Continue on Palmer Highway

1.6 mi · 2 min · Palmer Highway

11

Continue on 9th Avenue North

1.4 mi · 2 min · 9th Avenue North

12

Turn right onto 6th Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · 6th Street

13

Turn right

49 ft · 4 sec

14

Arrive at your destination

When to Leave

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 140.6 miles from Dallas, TX, or about 2h 31m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Drive Plan

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 26m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 140.6 miles or 2h 31m 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 9m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Texas City, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Dallas, 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.

Trip Strategy

Day 1

Settle into the route from Dallas, TX

This is one driving day of about 281.1 miles and 5h 3m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Dallas, 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.

Best Stop Towns on This Route

These towns line up with the pace of this drive and give you clearer places to stop with a purpose.

Late stop town

Meal stop

Houston, TX

141 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.

Travel Advice

Arrival Notes

The final approach into Texas City, 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 Texas City, TX.

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.

Stops Along the Way

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 140.6 mi from Dallas, TX

Grand Prairie, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Houston, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 140.6 miles from Dallas, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions for the drive, so the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
regular	$3.78	$41.82	$83.64
midgrade	$4.25	$47.06	$94.11
premium	$4.59	$50.81	$101.62
diesel	$3.99	$44.19	$88.38

Based on 25.4 MPG average. Estimated CO2 emission: 98.4 kg one way.

Travel Intel

Local time and weather at both ends of the drive

Compare the departure city with the arrival city before you leave so the route feels predictable, not reactive.

Forecast data refreshed 1 day ago

Origin

Dallas, TX

Late night in Dallas on Saturday

Local time

2:59 AM

CDT

Current temp

61°F

Forecast unavailable right now

CDT Live mapsof forecast

Destination

Texas City, TX

Late night in Texas City on Saturday

Local time

2:59 AM

CDT

Current temp

57°F

Forecast unavailable right now

CDT Live mapsof forecast

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

4 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 3m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Dallas, TX to Texas City, TX covers 281.1 miles and takes about 5h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are McKinney Avenue, US 75 North, Woodall Rodgers Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 140.6 miles from Dallas, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $41.82 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.