Trip from Houston, TX to Alpine, TX

Drive Time

9h 39m

Distance

569.8 mi

917 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$87

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
9h 31m ★
6 AM
9h 40m
8 AM
9h 57m
10 AM
9h 46m
12 PM
9h 44m
3 PM
9h 47m
5 PM
9h 56m
8 PM
9h 35m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown houston-tx

Houston, TX

Trace Hudson

Downtown Alpine, TX, TX

Alpine, TX

Timo Niedermann

Trip Overview

The drive from Houston, TX to Alpine, TX covers 569.8 miles and takes about 9h 39m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on I 10 West, Katy Freeway, TX 1518 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $87.04 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

284.9 miles from Houston, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 49m into the drive .

Drive Character

At 569.8 miles and 9h 39m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are I 10 West and Katy Freeway.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 10 West is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

At 9h 39m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 39m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Houston, TX to Alpine, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 10 West Unavailable Refreshing
Katy Freeway Unavailable Refreshing
TX 1518 Unavailable Refreshing
Interstate 10 East Unavailable Refreshing
Farm-to-Market Road 1518 Unavailable Refreshing
Gordon A Blake Highway Unavailable Refreshing
Loop 1604 North Unavailable Refreshing
Anderson Loop Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: I 10 West — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Houston, TX and Alpine, TX.

1

Start on Louisiana Street

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Louisiana Street
2

Take the ramp straight toward I 10 West: San Antonio

0.4 mi · 52 sec · I 10 West: San Antonio
3

Merge slight right onto Katy Freeway

175 mi · 3 hr 1 min · Katy Freeway
4

Keep slight left

1.9 mi · 1 min
5

Take the exit slight right toward TX 1518: Schertz

0.1 mi · 15 sec · TX 1518: Schertz
6

Turn straight onto Interstate 10 East

0.1 mi · 21 sec · Interstate 10 East
7

Turn right onto Farm-to-Market Road 1518

5.4 mi · 9 min · Farm-to-Market Road 1518
8

At the end of the road, turn left onto Gordon A Blake Highway

2.0 mi · 3 min · Gordon A Blake Highway
9

Turn left

0.2 mi · 22 sec
10

Take the ramp slight right toward Loop 1604 North

266 ft · 7 sec · Loop 1604 North
11

Merge slight left onto Anderson Loop

20 mi · 22 min · Anderson Loop
12

Take the exit slight right toward Frontage Road

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Frontage Road
13

Turn straight onto North Loop 1604 West

0.2 mi · 26 sec · North Loop 1604 West
14

Turn right onto Interstate 10 West

0.3 mi · 25 sec · Interstate 10 West
15

Take the ramp slight left toward I 10 West, US 87 North

0.2 mi · 20 sec · I 10 West, US 87 North
16

Merge slight left

1.1 mi · 1 min
17

Keep slight right

306 mi · 4 hr 51 min
18

Take the exit slight right toward US 67 south, FM 1776: Alpine, Sul Ross State University

0.2 mi · 27 sec · US 67 south, FM 1776: Alpine, Sul Ross State University
19

Continue on Interstate 10 West

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Interstate 10 West
20

Turn left onto South US Higway 67

26 mi · 29 min · South US Higway 67
21

Continue on South US Highway 67

22 mi · 24 min · South US Highway 67
22

Continue on East US Highway 90

7.6 mi · 8 min · East US Highway 90
23

Continue on East Avenue E

0.7 mi · 50 sec · East Avenue E
24

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 284.9 miles from Houston, TX, or about 4h 49m into the drive.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

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

First stop

Around 125 miles or 2h 7m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 284.9 miles or 4h 49m in

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

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 284.9 miles or 4h 49m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 8h 38m

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

Before You Leave

+

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.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

+

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Houston, TX

Aim for roughly 285 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Alpine, TX

Aim for roughly 285 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 125 miles from Houston, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 284.9 mi from Houston, TX · 4h 49m into the drive

Downtown San Antonio, TX, TX

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

San Antonio, TX

188 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Downtown Kerrville, TX, TX

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Kerrville, TX

376 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Kerrville, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

San Antonio, TX

285 mi · about 4.8h in

A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 285 miles or 4.8 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

San Marcos, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 125 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

San Antonio, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 284.9 miles from Houston, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 285 miles or 4.8 hours on the road.

Arriving in Alpine, TX

The final approach into Alpine, 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 Alpine, TX.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Alpine, TX with some flexibility left in the schedule.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$87.04 one way

$174.08 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 199 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $95.39 $190.77
premium $4.59 $102.99 $205.98
diesel $5.64 $126.59 $253.18

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$87

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$217–$327

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 199.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $60 in charging · 2 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 170.9 2 $59.83 $27.35
Efficient EV 142.5 1 $49.86 $22.79
EV Truck/SUV 227.9 2 $79.77 $36.47

Gas CO2

199 kg

EV CO2

67 kg (66% less)

Plan for 2 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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Houston, TX

Morning in Houston on Monday

Local time

8:40 AM

CDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Alpine, TX

Morning in Alpine on Monday

Local time

8:40 AM

CDT

Current temp

49°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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

21 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

9h 39m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Houston, TX to Alpine, TX covers 569.8 miles and takes about 9h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 10 West, Katy Freeway, TX 1518. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 285 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 284.9 miles from Houston, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $87.04 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 39m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Houston, TX to Alpine, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Houston, TX to Alpine, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Alpine, TX to Houston, TX

Plan the drive back the other way.

571.5 mi 9h 40m

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