Origin
Dallas, TX
Morning in Dallas on Saturday
Local time
10:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dallas, TX to Red Oak, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
25m
Distance
20.5 mi
33 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dallas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Red Oak, TX
Eddie O.
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Dallas to Red Oak, you are facing a quick 20.5-mile journey that typically takes about 25 minutes. Because this trip is entirely local, you will not need to worry about overnight lodging, making it a perfect one-day excursion. Budgeting about $3 for fuel should be more than sufficient for the trip. You will stay within the Great Plains region for the duration of your drive, ensuring a consistent landscape throughout. Navigating through local streets rather than highways keeps the trip straightforward and stress-free. It is an ideal route for those who prefer to avoid high-speed interstate travel.
About the Cities
Starting in Dallas, TX
Full guide →“Big D” · Founded 1841
Dallas, with a population of more than 1.3 million residents, is the ninth largest city in the United States and the third largest in the state of Texas. It is an impressive melting pot of culture and character. Boasting high-end luxury hotels, innumerable fine dining spots, and one of the busiest airports in the world, Dallas maintains an upscale ethos reflected by an affluent population, world-class museums, and a shimmering modern skyline. Its history was marred by the infamous assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, but there is more historic and contemporary heritage to be discovered in the city. As a center of the oil and cotton industries in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Dallas was a classic American boom town and remains one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.
Top landmarks
- • Dallas Museum of Art — art museum in Dallas, Texas
- • Texas School Book Depository — building in Dallas, Texas, United States
- • George W. Bush Presidential Center — Presidential library and museum for U.S. President George W. Bush, located in Da...
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 25m. Total distance: 20.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Since there is zero highway usage on this route, you will spend your time navigating through city streets like Ross Avenue, North Houston Street, and Elm Street. You will not encounter any long, monotonous stretches, as the longest uninterrupted portion is 0 miles on Ross Avenue. The character of this road is defined by frequent turns and urban navigation rather than high-speed cruising. You should be prepared for a drive that demands your full attention to street-level transitions rather than long-distance highway maintenance.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South R L Thornton Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 17.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South R L Thornton Freeway and West Red Oak Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 20.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; 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.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 30, I 35E
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 30, I 35E
9
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
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
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 30 West, I 35E South
8
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 35E South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35E South
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 35E / South Stemmons Freeway
Merge onto I 35E / South Stemmons Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
18.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward Red Oak Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 410A
Toward Red Oak Road
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Dallas, TX to Red Oak, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Dallas Zoo along the way.
Dallas Zoo
2.3 mi in
|
~3m
|
via I 35E
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South R L Thornton Freeway | 17.2 mi | 18m |
| West Red Oak Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| South Stemmons Freeway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Elm Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Lamar Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Interstate 35E | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South R L Thornton Freeway
— 17.2 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dallas, TX and Red Oak, TX.
1
Start on North Lamar Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
North Lamar Street
2
Turn right onto Elm Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Elm Street
3
Continue on Elm Street
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Elm Street
4
Take the ramp
327 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 30, I 35E
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 30 West, I 35E South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
330 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 35E South
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 35E
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Stemmons Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 35E
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
9
Continue on I 35E
17 mi
·
17 min
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
Exit 426
Toward Dallas Zoo
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 410A
Toward Red Oak Road
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn straight onto North Interstate 35E
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
North Interstate 35E
12
Turn right
391 ft
·
24 sec
13
Turn sharp left onto West Red Oak Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
West Red Oak Road
14
Turn left
113 ft
·
8 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.10 one way
$6.20 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $3.39 | $6.78 |
| premium | $4.54 | $3.66 | $7.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.53 | $9.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.15 | $0.98 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.79 | $0.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.87 | $1.31 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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
Red Oak, TX
Morning in Red Oak on Saturday
Local time
10:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live 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
1 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
25m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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 Red Oak, TX covers 20.5 miles and takes about 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South R L Thornton Freeway, West Red Oak Road, South Stemmons Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.3 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 $3.10 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 20.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; 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.
On the drive from Dallas, TX to Red Oak, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Dallas Zoo along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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