Origin
Dallas, TX
Afternoon in Dallas on Sunday
Local time
2:36 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dallas, TX to Donna, TX
Drive Time
9h 5m
Distance
525.6 mi
846 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$80
one way
Dallas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Donna, TX
Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE
Trip Overview
The drive from Dallas, TX to Donna, TX covers 525.6 miles and takes about 9h 5m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Elm Street, I 30, I 30 West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $80.29 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
262.8 miles from Dallas, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 33m into the drive .
Drive Character
At 525.6 miles and 9h 5m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Elm Street and I 30.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 36 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Elm Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 9h 5m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. 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 9h 5m, 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 Dallas, TX to Donna, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Elm Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 30 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 30 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 35E South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Stemmons Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South R L Thornton Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Jack Kultgen Expressway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Purple Heart Trail | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Elm Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dallas, TX and Donna, TX.
1
Start on North Lamar Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
North Lamar Street
2
Turn right onto Elm Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Elm Street
3
Continue on Elm Street
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Elm Street
4
Take the ramp straight toward I 30, I 35E
328 ft
·
8 sec
·
I 30, I 35E
5
Keep slight left to continue on I 30 West, I 35E South
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
I 30 West, I 35E South
6
Keep slight right to continue on I 35E South
331 ft
·
8 sec
·
I 35E South
7
Merge slight right onto South Stemmons Freeway
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Stemmons Freeway
8
Continue on South R L Thornton Freeway
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
9
Continue on South R L Thornton Freeway
89 mi
·
1 hr 31 min
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
10
Continue on North Jack Kultgen Expressway
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
11
Continue on Purple Heart Trail
38 mi
·
39 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
12
Keep slight left
26 mi
·
26 min
13
Take the exit slight right toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
0.7 mi
·
56 sec
·
TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
14
Continue straight
86 mi
·
1 hr 19 min
15
Keep slight right to continue on I 10 West: San Antonio
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 10 West: San Antonio
16
Merge slight left
11 mi
·
11 min
17
Continue straight
9.4 mi
·
9 min
18
Keep slight left
12 mi
·
12 min
19
Keep slight right to continue on Connally Loop
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Connally Loop
20
Merge slight left onto Connally Loop
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Connally Loop
21
Take the exit slight right toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi
22
Keep slight left to continue on I 37 South: Corpus Christi
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 37 South: Corpus Christi
23
Merge slight left
60 mi
·
1 hr 1 min
24
Take the exit slight right toward US 281 South
15 mi
·
19 min
·
US 281 South
25
Keep slight left to continue on South Nueces Street
66 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
South Nueces Street
26
Keep slight left
9.5 mi
·
10 min
27
Keep slight left to continue on Falfurrias Expressway
56 mi
·
58 min
·
Falfurrias Expressway
28
Keep slight left
18 mi
·
20 min
29
Merge slight left
0.5 mi
·
34 sec
30
Continue straight
6.5 mi
·
7 min
31
Take the exit slight right toward Spur 433: Main Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Spur 433: Main Street
32
Turn straight onto East Expressway 83
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
East Expressway 83
33
Turn right onto North Main Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
34
Turn left onto Hooks Avenue
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Hooks Avenue
35
Turn right onto South 11th Street
23 ft
·
1 sec
·
South 11th Street
36
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.
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 262.8 miles from Dallas, TX, or about 4h 33m into the drive.
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 116 miles or 2h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 262.8 miles or 4h 33m 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 262.8 miles or 4h 33m
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 8h 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Donna, 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.
+
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 Dallas, TX
Aim for roughly 263 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Donna, TX
Aim for roughly 263 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 116 miles from Dallas, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 262.8 mi from Dallas, TX · 4h 33m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
173 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
347 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 San Antonio, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
263 mi · about 4.5h in
A practical overnight split lands near Austin, TX after about 263 miles or 4.5 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 116 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 262.8 miles from Dallas, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 263 miles or 4.5 hours on the road.
Arriving in Donna, TX
The final approach into Donna, 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 Donna, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Donna, TX with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$80.29 one way
$160.58 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
184 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $87.99 | $175.97 |
| premium | $4.59 | $95.00 | $190.00 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $116.77 | $233.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$80
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$210–$320
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 183.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $55 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 157.7 | 1 | $55.19 | $25.23 |
| Efficient EV | 131.4 | 1 | $45.99 | $21.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 210.2 | 2 | $73.58 | $33.64 |
Gas CO2
184 kg
EV CO2
61 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
Donna, TX
Afternoon in Donna on Sunday
Local time
2:36 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°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.
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
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
9h 5m 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 Dallas, TX to Donna, TX covers 525.6 miles and takes about 9h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Elm Street, I 30, I 30 West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
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 263 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 262.8 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 $80.29 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.
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 5m, 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 Dallas, TX to Donna, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Dallas, TX to Donna, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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