This 280.1-mile drive from Groves, TX to Garland, TX will take you approximately 5 hours and 40 minutes. It's a straightforward, highway-focused journey that's perfectly manageable as a single day trip, though you could easily split it if you prefer a more leisurely pace. You'll be spending about 75% of your time on highways, making for efficient travel. Budget around $42 for fuel for this trip, which stays within the familiar Great Plains region of Texas. This route offers a practical and uncomplicated way to get from point A to point B.
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
140.1 miles from Groves, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 50m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 40m. Total distance: 280.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this trip, with about 75% of the route utilizing major highways. You'll primarily be on US 96, East End Boulevard South, and State Highway 62 South. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is a significant 120.6 miles on US 96, so plan your breaks accordingly. While the profile suggests a highway focus, be prepared for the road conditions to vary as you transition between these main arteries. This isn't a winding, scenic byway, but rather a direct path designed for getting you to your destination efficiently.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 96 is the longest continuous segment at about 120.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 96 and East End Boulevard South. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Main Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 40m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Main Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 167 miles (US 59 Business / North Saint Mary Street): Navigation decision point; at 226.6 miles (TX 155): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|Main Avenue
Turn left onto Main Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
167 mi into trip|~3h 21m in|US 59 Business / North Saint Mary Street
Turn right onto US 59 Business / North Saint Mary Street
Navigation decision point
4
226.6 mi into trip|~4h 29m in|TX 155
Turn left onto TX 155
Navigation decision point
5
250.8 mi into trip|~4h 58m in|US 67; TX 8 / Broadway Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto US 67; TX 8 / Broadway Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
266.8 mi into trip|~5h 20m in
Take the exit toward US 82: New Boston, De Kalb, Clarksville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 82: New Boston, De Kalb, Clarksville
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 96
120.6 mi
2h 15m
East End Boulevard South
36.7 mi
43m
State Highway 62 South
28.2 mi
40m
North Saint Mary Street
22.9 mi
25m
State Highway 8
21.3 mi
25m
TX 8
10.7 mi
16m
TX 73
9.8 mi
12m
US Highway 82
8.2 mi
9m
Longest stretch:
US 96
— 120.6 mi, about 2h 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Groves, TX and Garland, TX.
1
Start on 39th Street
0.3 mi·47 sec·39th Street
2
Turn left onto Main Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·Main Avenue
3
Turn left onto West Parkway Street
0.5 mi·53 sec·West Parkway Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·20 sec
Toward TX 73 East
5
Merge onto TX 73
9.8 mi·12 min·TX 73
6
Turn slight left onto TX 62; TX 73
2.1 mi·3 min·State Highway 62 South
7
Continue on TX 62; TX 73
1.1 mi·1 min·South Dorman Road
8
Continue on TX 62; TX 73
26 mi·37 min·State Highway 62 South
Use the left lane.
9
Turn right onto US 96
121 mi·2 hr 15 min·US 96
10
Continue on US 59
5.9 mi·7 min·US 59
11
Turn slight left onto US 59 Business; US 79 Business
323 ft·10 sec·US 59 Business; US 79 Business
12
Turn right onto US 59 Business
23 mi·25 min·North Saint Mary Street
13
Continue on US 59
37 mi·43 min·East End Boulevard South
14
Turn left onto TX 155
0.1 mi·7 sec·TX 155
15
Turn right onto TX 8
12 mi·13 min·State Highway 8
16
Continue on TX 8
2.7 mi·3 min·South Street
17
Continue on TX 8
8.8 mi·11 min·State Highway 8
18
At end of road, turn left onto US 67; TX 8
2.9 mi·3 min·Broadway Avenue
19
Turn right onto TX 8
11 mi·16 min·TX 8
20
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
21
Merge onto I 30
2.3 mi·2 min·I 30
22
Take the exit
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward US 82: New Boston, De Kalb, Clarksville
23
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·17 sec
24
Merge onto US 82
8.2 mi·9 min·US Highway 82
25
Continue on US 82
1.3 mi·2 min·Northeast Front Street
26
Continue on US 82
1.7 mi·2 min·Northwest Front Street
27
Turn left onto County Road 3215
0.1 mi·33 sec·County Road 3215
28
Turn right onto FM 1701
1.5 mi·3 min·FM 1701
29
Arrive at destination
FM 1701
Trip Plan
Given the 5-hour and 40-minute duration, starting your drive in the morning is your best bet to arrive with daylight. With only one recommended stop and a longest stretch of 120.6 miles, you have flexibility in pacing. Keep your fuel tank topped up, especially before embarking on the longer sections of US 96, to avoid any last-minute searches for gas. The $42 fuel cost is a good estimate, but always factor in a little extra. Since this is a day trip, leaving early gives you the advantage of arriving in Garland with plenty of time to settle in or enjoy your evening.
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 140.1 miles from Groves, TX, or about 2h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 120.6 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 62 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 140.1 miles or 2h 50m 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 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Garland, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Groves, 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 Groves, TX
This is one driving day of about 280.1 miles and 5h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 miles from Groves, 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 US 96 for about 120.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 140.1 mi from Groves, TX
· 2h 50m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.32 one way
$84.65 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg98 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$46.33
$92.65
premium
$4.54
$50.01
$100.02
diesel
$5.61
$61.84
$123.69
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 98 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
84
1
$29.41
$13.44
Efficient EV
70
0
$24.51
$11.20
EV Truck/SUV
112
1
$39.21
$17.93
Gas CO2
98 kg
EV CO2
33 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Groves, TX
Morning
in Groves on Friday
Local time
8:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Garland, TX
Morning
in Garland on Friday
Local time
8:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°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
8 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
5h 40m 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 Groves, TX to Garland, TX covers 280.1 miles and takes about 5h 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 96, East End Boulevard South, State Highway 62 South. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 140.1 miles from Groves, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $42.32 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 straightforward 5h 40m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Main Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 167 miles (US 59 Business / North Saint Mary Street): Navigation decision point; at 226.6 miles (TX 155): Navigation decision point.
The route from Groves, TX to Garland, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
