Origin
Gardendale, TX
Night in Gardendale on Tuesday
Local time
11:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gardendale, TX to Arlington, TX
Data updated 4 hours ago
Drive Time
5h 58m
Distance
342.8 mi
552 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$52
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 46m
★
6 AM
5h 59m
8 AM
6h 25m
10 AM
6h 8m
12 PM
6h 5m
3 PM
6h 9m
5 PM
6h 23m
8 PM
5h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gardendale, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Arlington, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Gardendale, TX to Arlington, TX covers 342.8 miles and takes about 5h 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 20, West Freeway, Tom Landry Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 299.7 miles on I 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $51.80 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
171.4 miles from Gardendale, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 57m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
This is a 5h 58m highway drive covering 342.8 miles, with most of the trip on I 20 and West Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 299.7 miles on I 20.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 299.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and West Freeway. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Goldenrod Drive.
Route Complexity
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 342.8 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Goldenrod Drive): Navigation decision point; at 312.9 miles (I 30 / West Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 340.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Goldenrod Drive
Turn left onto East Goldenrod Drive
Navigation decision point
8
312.9 mi into trip
|
~5h 20m in
|
I 30 / West Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30 / West Freeway toward I 30 East: Downtown Fort Worth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 421
Toward I 30 East: Downtown Fort Worth
8
340.4 mi into trip
|
~5h 53m in
Take the exit toward Lamar Boulevard, Cooper Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 27A
Toward Lamar Boulevard, Cooper Street
6
341.4 mi into trip
|
~5h 55m in
|
West Randol Mill Road
Turn left onto West Randol Mill Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
341.8 mi into trip
|
~5h 56m in
|
North Center Street
Turn right onto North Center Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 299.7 mi | 5h 3m |
| West Freeway | 15.2 mi | 17m |
| Tom Landry Freeway | 12.3 mi | 15m |
| North Hollyhock Avenue | 6.2 mi | 7m |
| Northeast Loop 338 | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| Ray C. Stoker, Jr. Memorial Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North Center Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Cooper Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 299.7 mi, about 5h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gardendale, TX and Arlington, TX.
1
Start on North Gardendale Avenue
140 ft
·
11 sec
·
North Gardendale Avenue
2
Turn left onto East Goldenrod Drive
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
East Goldenrod Drive
3
Turn right onto FM 554
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
North Hollyhock Avenue
4
Turn left onto Loop 338
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Northeast Loop 338
5
Continue on Loop 338
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Ray C. Stoker, Jr. Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on Loop 338
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Loop 338
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn left onto East Interstate 20
367 ft
·
9 sec
·
East Interstate 20
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 20 East: Midland
9
Merge onto I 20
300 mi
·
5 hr 3 min
·
I 20
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30
15 mi
·
17 min
·
West Freeway
Exit 421
Toward I 30 East: Downtown Fort Worth
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 30
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Tom Landry Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 27A
Toward Lamar Boulevard, Cooper Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto North Cooper Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Cooper Street
14
Turn left onto West Randol Mill Road
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
West Randol Mill Road
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto North Center Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Center Street
Use the right lane.
16
Turn right onto West Abram Street
297 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Abram Street
17
Arrive at destination
West Abram Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 171.4 miles from Gardendale, TX, or about 2h 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 299.7 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 80 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 171.4 miles or 2h 57m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arlington, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Gardendale, 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 Gardendale, TX
This is one driving day of about 342.8 miles and 5h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Gardendale, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 20 for about 299.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 171.4 mi from Gardendale, TX · 2h 57m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
171 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 171.4 miles from Gardendale, 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 299.7 miles.
Arriving in Arlington, TX
The final approach into Arlington, 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 Arlington, TX.
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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.80 one way
$103.60 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
120 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $56.70 | $113.39 |
| premium | $4.54 | $61.20 | $122.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $75.69 | $151.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$52
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$77–$102
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 119.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 102.8 | 1 | $35.99 | $16.45 |
| Efficient EV | 85.7 | 0 | $29.99 | $13.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 137.1 | 1 | $47.99 | $21.94 |
Gas CO2
120 kg
EV CO2
40 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
Arlington, TX
Night in Arlington on Tuesday
Local time
11:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 15 mph
28% chance
Live forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 6:50PM CDT until April 14 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued April 14 at 6:49PM CDT until April 14 at 7:30PM CDT by NWS Lubbock TX
76°F
Brownwood, TX
171 mi in
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
15 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
5h 58m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Gardendale, TX to Arlington, TX covers 342.8 miles and takes about 5h 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 20, West Freeway, Tom Landry 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 171.4 miles from Gardendale, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $51.80 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 342.8 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Goldenrod Drive): Navigation decision point; at 312.9 miles (I 30 / West Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 340.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Gardendale, TX to Arlington, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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