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Drive Time
8h 33m
Distance
479 mi
771 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$72
one way
EV Charging
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station data
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dallas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Medina, TX
Mark Direen
The drive from Dallas, TX to Medina, TX covers 479 miles and takes about 8h 33m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Purple Heart Trail, South R L Thornton Freeway, I 35 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 244 miles on Purple Heart Trail. At current regular gas prices, budget about $72.38 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
239.5 miles from Dallas, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 13m into the drive .
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The drive from Dallas, TX to Medina, TX covers 479 miles and takes about 8h 33m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 479 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 0.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 191.9 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Keep slight left at fork toward I 30 West, I 35E South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 35E South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87 / South Pan Am Expressway toward I 10 East, US 87 South, Spur 536: Houston, South Alamo Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Dallas, TX and Medina, TX, road signs point toward Laredo and Spur 536: Houston.
Laredo
Spur 536: Houston
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 244 mi | 4h 12m |
| South R L Thornton Freeway | 89.9 mi | 1h 32m |
| I 35 | 55.8 mi | 58m |
| United States Highway 83 | 25.7 mi | 28m |
| North Pan Am Expressway | 18.5 mi | 22m |
| US Highway 83 South | 14.2 mi | 15m |
| South Pan Am Expressway | 10.4 mi | 12m |
| North Jack Kultgen Expressway | 6.6 mi | 7m |
Step-by-step road directions between Dallas, TX and Medina, TX.
Start on North Lamar Street
Turn right onto Elm Street
Continue on Elm Street
Take the ramp
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 35E
Continue on I 35E
Continue on I 35E
Continue on I 35; US 77
Continue on I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290
Continue on I 35
Continue on I 35
Continue on I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87
Continue on I 35
Continue on US 83
Turn left onto US 83
Continue on US 83
Turn right onto North Meadow Avenue
Turn right onto US 83
Continue on US 83
Continue on US 83
Turn left onto TX 16
Turn left onto 10th Street
Arrive at destination
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.
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 105 miles or 1h 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 239.5 miles or 4h 13m 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 239.5 miles or 4h 13m
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 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Medina, TX than in the middle of the route.
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 240 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Medina, TX
Aim for roughly 240 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 239.5 mi from Dallas, TX · 4h 13m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
240 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, TXNight 1
240 mi · about 4.3h in
A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 240 miles or 4.3 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 105 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 239.5 miles from Dallas, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 244 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 240 miles or 4.3 hours on the road.
The final approach into Medina, 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 Medina, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Medina, 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.
Regular Gas
$72.38 one way
$144.76 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $79.22 | $158.45 |
| premium | $4.54 | $85.52 | $171.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $105.76 | $211.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$72
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$202–$312
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 167.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $50 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 143.7 | 1 | $50.29 | $22.99 |
| Efficient EV | 119.8 | 1 | $41.91 | $19.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 191.6 | 2 | $67.06 | $30.66 |
Gas CO2
168 kg
EV CO2
56 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Dallas on Wednesday
Local time
1:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Late night in Medina on Wednesday
Local time
1:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
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