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Trip from Fort Worth, TX to Dallas, TX

Drive Time

42m

Distance

32.9 mi

53 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

Downtown Fort Worth, TX, TX

Fort Worth, TX

Talena Reese

Downtown Dallas, TX, TX

Dallas, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Traveling between Fort Worth and Dallas covers a short 34-mile span that typically takes about 36 minutes to complete. This journey stays entirely within the Great Plains region of Texas, making it a straightforward trip that easily fits into a single day. You won't need to worry about extensive trip planning or overnight stays, as the route is manageable in less than an hour. With a fuel budget of just $5, it is an economical way to navigate between these two major hubs. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a quick excursion, this drive offers a simple connection between the cities.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

16.5 miles from Fort Worth, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 21m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you off the major interstates entirely. Since the highway share for this route is 0%, you will spend the entire 36 minutes navigating local streets like Elmwood Avenue, Epps Street, and East Maddox Avenue. There are no long, monotonous highway stretches here, as the longest uninterrupted portion is 0 miles on Elmwood Avenue. This path requires your full attention at the wheel, as the constant turns demand a more active driving style than a typical highway cruise.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tom Landry Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 29 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Tom Landry Freeway and South Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near East Allen Avenue.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 32.9 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 0.4 miles (East Allen Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | East Allen Avenue

Turn left onto East Allen Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.
7
1.6 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the exit toward I 30 East: Dallas

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 51C Toward I 30 East: Dallas
7
31.3 mi into trip | ~39m in

Take the exit toward I 35E North: Denton

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 45A Toward I 35E North: Denton
9
31.5 mi into trip | ~39m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E North: Denton, Commerce Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 35E North: Denton, Commerce Street
8
32.4 mi into trip | ~41m in

Take the exit toward Continental Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 429A Toward Continental Avenue

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Tom Landry Freeway 29 mi 34m
South Freeway 1.1 mi 1m
Continental Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
North Stemmons Freeway 0.2 mi <1m
US 287 Bus 0.2 mi <1m
Epps Street 0.1 mi <1m
Elmwood Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
North Lamar Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Tom Landry Freeway — 29 mi, about 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fort Worth, TX and Dallas, TX.

1

Start on South Freeway

54 ft · 2 sec · South Freeway
2

Turn right onto Elmwood Avenue

475 ft · 23 sec · Elmwood Avenue
3

At end of road, turn right onto Epps Street

0.1 mi · 27 sec · Epps Street
4

Continue on East Maddox Avenue

412 ft · 20 sec · East Maddox Avenue
5

At end of road, turn right onto South Freeway

321 ft · 13 sec · South Freeway
6

Turn left onto East Allen Avenue

210 ft · 13 sec · East Allen Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
7

Turn left onto South Freeway

0.5 mi · 56 sec · South Freeway
Use the straight / left lanes.
8

Take the ramp onto US 287 Bus

0.2 mi · 29 sec · US 287 Bus
Toward I 35W North
9

Merge onto I 35W; US 287 Bus

0.4 mi · 28 sec · South Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Exit 51C Toward I 30 East: Dallas Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Merge onto I 30

29 mi · 34 min · Tom Landry Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 14 sec
Exit 45A Toward I 35E North: Denton Use the slight right lane.
13

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 15 sec
Toward I 35E North: Denton, Commerce Street Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 35E North: Denton Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
15

Merge onto I 35E

0.2 mi · 19 sec · North Stemmons Freeway
16

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Exit 429A Toward Continental Avenue Use the slight right lane.
17

Turn right onto Continental Avenue

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Continental Avenue
Use the right lane.
18

Turn slight right onto North Lamar Street

433 ft · 10 sec · North Lamar Street
19

Arrive at destination

North Lamar Street

Trip Plan

Because this is a quick 34-mile trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. Since the entire route consists of local roads, avoid rushing and stay alert for frequent turns that could slow your progress. You will not need to plan for any stops along the way, allowing you to head straight to your destination without interruption. Keep your $5 fuel budget in mind when planning your vehicle's needs before you leave. A helpful tip for this specific drive is to use a reliable GPS to navigate the turns on Elmwood Avenue, Epps Street, and East Maddox Avenue, as the local street network can be complex.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 16.5 miles from Fort Worth, TX, or about 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 29 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 32.9 miles or 42m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 16.5 miles or 21m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 35m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Fort Worth, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Fort Worth, TX

This is one driving day of about 32.9 miles and 42m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Fort Worth, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Tom Landry Freeway for about 29 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 16.5 mi from Fort Worth, TX · 21m into the drive

Downtown Grand Prairie, TX, TX

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Grand Prairie, TX

16 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.

Popular next leg

Grand Prairie, TX to Dallas, TX

13.2 mi · 17m

Pacing Suggestions

Irving, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 32.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Grand Prairie, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 16.5 miles from Fort Worth, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Dallas, TX

The final approach into Dallas, 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 Dallas, TX.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.03 one way

$10.05 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 12 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $5.51 $11.02
premium $4.59 $5.95 $11.89
diesel $5.64 $7.31 $14.62

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$5

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$30–$55

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9.9 0 $3.45 $1.58
Efficient EV 8.2 0 $2.88 $1.32
EV Truck/SUV 13.2 0 $4.61 $2.11

Gas CO2

12 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (67% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Fort Worth, TX

Afternoon in Fort Worth on Sunday

Local time

2:26 PM

CDT

Current temp

81°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Dallas, TX

Afternoon in Dallas on Sunday

Local time

2:26 PM

CDT

Current temp

61°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.

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

20 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

42m 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 Fort Worth, TX to Dallas, TX covers 32.9 miles and takes about 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tom Landry Freeway, South Freeway, Continental Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.5 miles from Fort Worth, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.03 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 demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 32.9 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (East Allen Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Fort Worth, TX to Dallas, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Dallas, TX to Fort Worth, TX

Plan the drive back the other way.

32.5 mi 41m

Explore more options from Fort Worth, TX or browse trips ending in Dallas, TX.

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Explore maps for Fort Worth, TX or Dallas, TX on MapSof.net.