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Trip from Houston, TX to Livingston, TX

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 24m

Distance

73.2 mi

118 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 18m ★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown houston-tx

Houston, TX

Trace Hudson

Downtown Livingston, TX, TX

Livingston, TX

Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE

Trip Overview

This straightforward 73.2-mile drive from Houston, TX to Livingston, TX takes approximately 1 hour and 24 minutes. It's an ideal day trip, easily completed in a single outing without the need for an overnight stop. The majority of the journey, 94%, is on highways, making it a quick and efficient transit between these two points within the Great Plains region. With an estimated fuel cost of around $11, this route is budget-friendly for a short excursion. You'll primarily be on the Eastex Freeway and I-69, so expect a highway-focused experience.

About the Cities

Starting in Houston, TX

Full guide →

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.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 73.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

Expect a highway-focused drive for most of this 73.2-mile trip, with a substantial 94% of the route utilizing major roadways like the Eastex Freeway and I-69. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 37 miles on the Eastex Freeway, offering a consistent pace. This isn't a winding scenic byway; it's a direct route designed for efficient travel. The road character remains largely consistent, maintaining a high-speed environment for the bulk of the journey, making it predictable for planning your driving time.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Eastex Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 37 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Eastex Freeway and I-69. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Franklin Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 73.2 miles you will encounter 8 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: at 0.1 miles (Franklin Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles (I 10; US 90 / East Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Franklin Street

Turn right onto Franklin Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.9 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the ramp toward US 59 East, I 10 East

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 59 East, I 10 East
5
1.1 mi into trip | ~2m in | I 10; US 90 / East Freeway

Merge onto I 10; US 90 / East Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
1.6 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the exit toward I 69 North, US 59 North: Cleveland

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Exit 770C Toward I 69 North, US 59 North: Cleveland
5
2.4 mi into trip | ~4m in | I 69; US 59 / Eastex Freeway

Merge onto I 69; US 59 / Eastex Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Eastex Freeway 37 mi 43m
I-69 30.8 mi 32m
Pan American Drive 1.3 mi 1m
I 69 0.7 mi <1m
South Washington Avenue 0.6 mi <1m
East Freeway 0.5 mi <1m
San Jacinto Street 0.4 mi <1m
Franklin Street 0.3 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Eastex Freeway — 37 mi, about 43m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Louisiana Street

474 ft · 19 sec · Louisiana Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
2

Turn right onto Franklin Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · Franklin Street
3

Turn left onto San Jacinto Street

0.4 mi · 49 sec · San Jacinto Street
4

Turn straight onto Rothwell Street

348 ft · 7 sec · Rothwell Street
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 19 sec
Toward US 59 East, I 10 East
6

Merge onto I 10; US 90

0.5 mi · 38 sec · East Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 770C Toward I 69 North, US 59 North: Cleveland Use the slight left / straight lanes.
8

Merge onto I 69; US 59

37 mi · 43 min · Eastex Freeway
Use the straight lane.
9

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69; US 59

0.7 mi · 44 sec · I 69; US 59
10

Continue on I-69; US 59

31 mi · 32 min · I-69; US 59
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 1 min
12

Continue on US 59 Business

1.3 mi · 1 min · Pan American Drive
13

Continue on US 59 Business

0.6 mi · 56 sec · South Washington Avenue
14

Arrive at destination

US 59 Business

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 36.6 mi from Houston, TX · 44m into the drive

city in Montgomery County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Patton Village, TX

37 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

Aldine, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Patton Village, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 36.6 miles from Houston, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Livingston, TX

The final approach into Livingston, TX usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.06 one way

$22.12 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 26 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $12.11 $24.21
premium $4.54 $13.07 $26.14
diesel $5.61 $16.16 $32.32

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 25.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 22 0 $7.69 $3.51
Efficient EV 18.3 0 $6.41 $2.93
EV Truck/SUV 29.3 0 $10.25 $4.68

Gas CO2

26 kg

EV CO2

9 kg (65% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

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 17, 2026

Origin

Houston, TX

Evening in Houston on Friday

Local time

6:36 PM

CDT

Current temp

86°F

Partly Sunny

SE 10 to 15 mph 5% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 17 at 7:31AM CDT until April 17 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 7:25AM CDT until April 18 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX

Destination

Livingston, TX

Evening in Livingston on Friday

Local time

6:36 PM

CDT

Current temp

60°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

26 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

1h 24m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

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 Livingston, TX covers 73.2 miles and takes about 1h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Eastex Freeway, I-69, Pan American Drive. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 36.6 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 $11.06 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 73.2 miles you will encounter 8 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: at 0.1 miles (Franklin Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles (I 10; US 90 / East Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Houston, TX to Livingston, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

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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