Origin
Grapevine, TX
Late night in Grapevine on Wednesday
Local time
5:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Grapevine, TX to San Antonio, TX
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
5h 13m
Distance
288.7 mi
465 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$44
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 0m
★
6 AM
5h 13m
8 AM
5h 40m
10 AM
5h 23m
12 PM
5h 20m
3 PM
5h 24m
5 PM
5h 39m
8 PM
5h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grapevine, TX
Wikimedia Commons
San Antonio, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Grapevine, TX to San Antonio, TX covers 288.7 miles and takes about 5h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Purple Heart Trail, North South Freeway, I 35 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 99.6 miles on Purple Heart Trail. At current regular gas prices, budget about $43.62 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
144.4 miles from Grapevine, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 34m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
This is a 5h 13m highway drive covering 288.7 miles, with most of the trip on Purple Heart Trail and North South Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 99.6 miles on Purple Heart Trail.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Purple Heart Trail is the longest continuous segment at about 99.6 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
846 ft
510 ft
Total Climb
740 ft
Total Descent
730 ft
Highest Point
846 ft
~268.1 mi in
Elevation Range
337 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Purple Heart Trail and North South Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14.1 miles in near TX 121 / Airport Freeway.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 288.7 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 14.1 miles (TX 121 / Airport Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 207.1 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
9
14.1 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
TX 121 / Airport Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 121 / Airport Freeway toward TX 121 South: Downtown, Fort Worth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 25A
Toward TX 121 South: Downtown, Fort Worth
8
21.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35W South, US 287 South, US 377 South: Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35W South, US 287 South, US 377 South:...
8
207.1 mi into trip
|
~3h 40m in
|
I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
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
Use the slight left lane.
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
8
287 mi into trip
|
~5h 9m in
|
I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway
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
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
8
287.5 mi into trip
|
~5h 10m in
Take the exit toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 157A
Toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro...
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 99.6 mi | 1h 46m |
| North South Freeway | 85 mi | 1h 28m |
| I 35 | 55.8 mi | 58m |
| North Pan Am Expressway | 17 mi | 20m |
| TX 121 | 12.8 mi | 14m |
| Airport Freeway | 7.2 mi | 8m |
| North Jack Kultgen Expressway | 6.6 mi | 7m |
| Interstate Highway 35 | 1.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 99.6 mi, about 1h 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grapevine, TX and San Antonio, TX.
1
Start on East Hudgins Street
98 ft
·
11 sec
·
East Hudgins Street
2
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
3
Turn slight right
186 ft
·
8 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Turn straight onto TX 26
262 ft
·
4 sec
·
West State Highway 114
5
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward TX 121 South
6
Merge onto TX 121
13 mi
·
14 min
·
TX 121
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 121
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Airport Freeway
Exit 25A
Toward TX 121 South: Downtown, Fort Worth
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on TX 121
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Airport Freeway
Exit 24B
Toward TX 121 South: Downtown, Ft Worth
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 35W South, US 287 South, US 377 South: Waco
Use the slight left lane.
10
Merge onto I 35W; US 287; US 377
85 mi
·
1 hr 28 min
·
North South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 35; US 77
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 35
38 mi
·
39 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
56 mi
·
58 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290
50 mi
·
54 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Use the slight left lane.
15
Continue on I 35
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 35
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on I 35
10.0 mi
·
11 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
Use the slight left lane.
20
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 157A
Toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
21
Turn straight onto East Elmira Street
526 ft
·
17 sec
·
East Elmira Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
22
Turn left onto North Main Avenue
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
North Main Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
23
Enter roundabout onto Navarro Street
159 ft
·
3 sec
·
Navarro Street
24
Continue on Navarro Street
111 ft
·
2 sec
·
Navarro Street
25
Keep slight right at fork onto North Main Avenue
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
North Main Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
26
Turn right onto West Travis Street
222 ft
·
10 sec
·
West Travis Street
27
Turn left onto North Flores Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
North Flores Street
28
Continue on Military Plaza
392 ft
·
15 sec
·
Military Plaza
29
Turn left onto Dolorosa Street
327 ft
·
8 sec
·
Dolorosa Street
30
Arrive at destination
Dolorosa 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 144.4 miles from Grapevine, TX, or about 2h 34m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.6 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 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 144.4 miles or 2h 34m 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 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Antonio, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Grapevine, 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 Grapevine, TX
This is one driving day of about 288.7 miles and 5h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Grapevine, 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 Purple Heart Trail for about 99.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 144.4 mi from Grapevine, TX · 2h 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
144 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 144.4 miles from Grapevine, 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 99.6 miles.
Arriving in San Antonio, TX
The final approach into San Antonio, 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 San Antonio, 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
$43.62 one way
$87.25 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
101 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $47.75 | $95.50 |
| premium | $4.54 | $51.55 | $103.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $63.74 | $127.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 101 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 86.6 | 1 | $30.31 | $13.86 |
| Efficient EV | 72.2 | 0 | $25.26 | $11.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 115.5 | 1 | $40.42 | $18.48 |
Gas CO2
101 kg
EV CO2
34 kg (66% 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
San Antonio, TX
Late night in San Antonio on Wednesday
Local time
5:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSE 5 to 10 mph
15% chance
Live forecast
High Wind Watch
High Wind Watch issued April 12 at 11:58PM MDT until April 14 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 13 at 12:38AM CDT until April 13 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX
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
11 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 13m 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 Grapevine, TX to San Antonio, TX covers 288.7 miles and takes about 5h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Purple Heart Trail, North South Freeway, I 35. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 144.4 miles from Grapevine, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $43.62 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 is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 288.7 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 14.1 miles (TX 121 / Airport Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 207.1 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Grapevine, TX to San Antonio, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 510 ft to 846 ft elevation with about 740 ft of total climbing.
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