Origin
Houston, TX
Late night in Houston on Saturday
Local time
1:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 1m
Distance
256.2 mi
412 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$39
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Houston, TX
Trace Hudson
Sulphur Springs, TX
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Houston, TX to Sulphur Springs, TX covers 256.2 miles and takes about 5h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Franklin Street, Travis Street, I 45 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $38.71 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
128.1 miles from Houston, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 30m into the drive .
Houston is a sprawling port city in Southeastern Texas. An oil boom and continuing international immigration has brought explosive growth to the city, and it is now the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States and the most diverse large city since 2021. While at first glance, the city appears to be a 9-5 central business district surrounded by a sea of suburbs and strip malls, there are many hidden gems to be discovered.
Sulphur Springs was founded in 1854, though it was then known as "Bright Star", and is in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas. Though the springs that brought about the name have more or less vanished, it is now known as "The Dairy Capital of Texas", with a museum cultured to that very point, even if the dairy industry has waned a bit around here in the early 21st century.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 1m. Total distance: 256.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Expect a 5h 1m drive with frequent turns across 256.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 1m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Houston, TX to Sulphur Springs, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin Street | — | — |
| Travis Street | — | — |
| I 45 North | — | — |
| North Freeway | — | — |
| TX 19 | — | — |
| Highway 19 | — | — |
| Prospect Drive | — | — |
| East Goliad Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Step-by-step road directions between Houston, TX and Sulphur Springs, TX.
Start on Louisiana Street
Turn right onto Franklin Street
Turn left onto Travis Street
Take the ramp straight toward I 45 North Express Lane
Merge slight left onto North Freeway
Take the exit slight right toward TX 19: Riverside, Crockett, Grapeland
Continue straight
Keep slight right
Continue on State Highway 19
Continue on Prospect Drive
Turn right onto East Goliad Avenue
Turn left onto 5th Street
Turn left onto East Houston Avenue
Turn right onto North 4th Street
Turn right onto Loop 256
Take the exit slight right
Keep slight right
Merge slight left onto State Highway 155
Continue on South Elm Street
Continue on North Frankston Highway
Continue on State Highway 155
Take the exit left toward Loop 49 Toll West
Merge slight left onto Toll 49
At the end of the road, turn left onto Mineola Highway
Keep slight right to continue on North Pacific Street
Turn left onto West Bermuda Street
Continue on Gilmer Street
Turn right onto Jefferson Street West
Arrive at your destination
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.
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 56 miles or 1h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 128.1 miles or 2h 30m 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 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sulphur Springs, TX than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Houston, 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 Houston, TX
This is one driving day of about 256.2 miles and 5h 1m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 128.1 mi from Houston, TX · 2h 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
128 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.
A short stop after about 56 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 128.1 miles from Houston, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Sulphur Springs, 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 Sulphur Springs, TX.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$38.71 one way
$77.42 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $42.37 | $84.75 |
| premium | $4.54 | $45.74 | $91.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $56.57 | $113.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 76.9 | 0 | $26.90 | $12.30 |
| Efficient EV | 64.1 | 0 | $22.42 | $10.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 102.5 | 1 | $35.87 | $16.40 |
Gas CO2
90 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 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 Houston on Saturday
Local time
1:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Sulphur Springs on Saturday
Local time
1:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
77°F
Palestine, TX
128 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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