The drive from Irving, TX to Alton, TX covers 526.9 miles and takes about 9h 15m behind the wheel.
It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on TX 130 Toll, South R L Thornton Freeway, South Nueces Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is long-distance drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 86.1 miles on TX 130 Toll.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $79.62 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
263.4 miles from Irving, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 29m into the drive
.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 30
5 decision points cluster between mile 7.2 and 296.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
7.2 mi into trip|~9m in|Loop 12 / South Walton Walker Boulevard
Keep slight left at fork onto Loop 12 / South Walton Walker Boulevard toward Loop 12 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Loop 12 South
7
16.8 mi into trip|~23m in
Take the exit toward I 35E South: Waco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 467B
Toward I 35E South: Waco
7
168.8 mi into trip|~3h in
Take the exit toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 265
Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
7
255.5 mi into trip|~4h 20m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 West: San Antonio
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 10 West: San Antonio
8
296.8 mi into trip|~5h 3m in
Take the exit toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 41
Toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$79.62 one way
$159.23 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg184 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$87.15
$174.29
premium
$4.54
$94.07
$188.15
diesel
$5.61
$116.33
$232.67
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$80
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$210–$320
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 184.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $55 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
158.1
1
$55.32
$25.29
Efficient EV
131.7
1
$46.10
$21.08
EV Truck/SUV
210.8
2
$73.77
$33.72
Gas CO2
184 kg
EV CO2
62 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 18, 2026
Origin
Irving, TX
Afternoon
in Irving on Saturday
Local time
3:00 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
N 15 to 20 mph41% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 18 at 11:32AM CDT until April 18 at 12:00PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 18 at 11:30AM CDT until April 18 at 12:15PM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
Destination
Alton, TX
Afternoon
in Alton on Saturday
Local time
3:00 PM
CDT
Current temp
91°F
Mostly Cloudy
SE 16 mph7% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 18 at 11:32AM CDT until April 18 at 12:00PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 18 at 11:30AM CDT until April 18 at 12:15PM CDT by NWS San Angelo 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.
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
26 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
9h 15m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...
7 mi from route
~19 min detour
Free
near mile 290.7
Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation's first and...
7 mi from route
~18 min detour
Free
near mile 90.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
At 526.9 miles and 9h 15m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are TX 130 Toll and South R L Thornton Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 42 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
TX 130 Toll is the longest continuous segment at about 86.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on TX 130 Toll and South R L Thornton Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.2 miles in near Loop 12 / South Walton Walker Boulevard.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 30 significant decision points across 526.9 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 7.2 miles (Loop 12 / South Walton Walker Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 168.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Irving, TX to Alton, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Corpus Christi along the way.
Irving is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. Part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Irving has experienced exponential growth over the past fifty years, and is home to a multitude of attractions of all types, from modern art to major sporting events. Founded in 1902 out of the remnants of the small community of Kit, Irving is now a bustling city of approximately 197,000 residents.
Rather like Dallas, it is divided into a highly affluent northern half and less affluent but highly diverse southern half. It is bounded to the east by the northern fork (Elm Fork) of the Trinity River and to the northwest by the sprawling D/FW International Airport.
The drive from Irving, TX to Alton, TX covers 526.9 miles and takes about 9h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are TX 130 Toll, South R L Thornton Freeway, South Nueces Street. 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 263 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 263.4 miles from Irving, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $79.62 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.
This is a demanding drive. With 30 significant decision points across 526.9 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 7.2 miles (Loop 12 / South Walton Walker Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 168.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Irving, TX to Alton, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Corpus Christi along the way.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
