Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
14h 5m
Distance
822.6 mi
1,324 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$124
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
El Paso, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Center, TX
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from El Paso, TX to Center, TX covers 822.6 miles and takes about 14h 5m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on I 20, I 10, Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 421.1 miles on I 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $124.30 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
4 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
411.3 miles from El Paso, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 48m into the drive .
At 822.6 miles and 14h 5m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are I 20 and I 10.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and I 10. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near East Franklin Avenue.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 822.6 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 0.2 miles (East Franklin Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 167.6 miles (I 20): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 588.6 miles (I 20 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway): 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.
Turn right onto East Franklin Avenue
Navigation decision point
Keep slight left at fork onto I 20
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 20 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway toward I 20 East: Dallas, Shreveport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 20 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway toward I 20 East: Dallas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 20 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway toward I 20 East: Shreveport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between El Paso, TX and Center, TX, road signs point toward Shreveport, Fm 2011 and Fm 2087.
Shreveport
Fm 2011
Fm 2087
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 421.1 mi | 6h 59m |
| I 10 | 166.8 mi | 2h 43m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway | 147.8 mi | 2h 31m |
| TX 149 | 25.7 mi | 38m |
| Lyndon B Johnson Freeway | 22 mi | 23m |
| US 59 | 16.8 mi | 19m |
| US 96 | 7.8 mi | 8m |
| FM 349 | 4.8 mi | 6m |
Step-by-step road directions between El Paso, TX and Center, TX.
Start on North Mesa Street
Turn right onto East Franklin Avenue
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 10; US 180
Keep slight left at fork onto I 20
Keep slight right at fork onto I 20
Keep slight left at fork onto I 20
Continue on I 20
Keep slight left at fork onto I 20
Take the exit
Continue on FM 2011
Turn left onto FM 349
Turn right onto TX 149
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 79; TX 149
Take the exit
Turn right onto US 59
Continue on US 96
Turn slight left onto TX 87
Turn right onto TX 7; TX 87
Turn left onto TX 7; TX 87
Turn left onto TX 7; TX 87
Turn right onto TX 87
Turn left onto Jackson
Turn right onto Porter 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 181 miles or 2h 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 411.3 miles or 6h 48m 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 411.3 miles or 6h 48m
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 12h 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Center, TX than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving El Paso, 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 El Paso, TX
Aim for roughly 411 miles and 7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Center, TX
Aim for roughly 411 miles and 7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 411.3 mi from El Paso, TX · 6h 48m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
271 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
543 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 Fort Worth, TXNight 1
411 mi · about 7h in
A practical overnight split lands near Brownwood, TX after about 411 miles or 7 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 181 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 411.3 miles from El Paso, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 20 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 421.1 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 411 miles or 7 hours on the road.
The final approach into Center, 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 Center, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Center, 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
$124.30 one way
$248.59 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $136.05 | $272.11 |
| premium | $4.54 | $146.87 | $293.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $181.62 | $363.24 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$124
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$254–$364
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 287.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $86 in charging · 3 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 246.8 | 3 | $86.37 | $39.48 |
| Efficient EV | 205.7 | 2 | $71.98 | $32.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 329 | 4 | $115.16 | $52.65 |
Gas CO2
288 kg
EV CO2
96 kg (67% less)
Plan for 3 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 El Paso on Friday
Local time
2:59 AM
MDT
Current temp
62°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Center on Friday
Local time
3:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°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
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
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.
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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