Trip from Irving, TX to Mercedes, TX

Drive Time

9h 25m

Distance

540.4 mi

870 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$83

one way

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Photo: Pixabay

Trip Overview

The drive from Irving, TX to Mercedes, TX covers 540.4 miles and takes about 9h 25m 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 $82.55 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

270.2 miles from Irving, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 35m into the drive .

Drive Character

At 540.4 miles and 9h 25m 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 39 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.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

718 ft 104 ft

Total Climb

200 ft

Total Descent

734 ft

Highest Point

718 ft

~180.1 mi in

Elevation Range

614 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

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.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 28 significant decision points across 540.4 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.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 28 key points

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

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

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

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

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

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...

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Irving, TX to Mercedes, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Corpus Christi along the way.

Corpus Christi

296.8 mi in | ~5h 3m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
TX 130 Toll	86.1 mi	1h 19m
South R L Thornton Freeway	80.5 mi	1h 22m
South Nueces Street	66.2 mi	1h 10m
I 37	60.5 mi	1h 1m
Falfurrias Expressway	55.8 mi	58m
Purple Heart Trail	37.9 mi	39m
I 10	32.5 mi	33m
I 69C	27.9 mi	30m

Longest stretch: TX 130 Toll — 86.1 mi, about 1h 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Irving, TX and Mercedes, TX.

Start on North Ohio Street

436 ft · 24 sec · North Ohio Street

Turn left onto West 2nd Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · West 2nd Street

Turn straight onto TX 356

0.9 mi · 1 min · East Irving Boulevard

Turn slight right

393 ft · 17 sec

Turn slight right onto South Loop 12

187 ft · 3 sec · South Loop 12

Take the ramp

410 ft · 10 sec

Toward Loop 12 South

Merge onto Loop 12

5.3 mi · 5 min · South Walton Walker Boulevard

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto Loop 12

1.4 mi · 1 min · South Walton Walker Boulevard

Toward Loop 12 South Use the slight left lane.

Turn slight right onto Duncanville Road

3.2 mi · 6 min · Duncanville Road

Use the left lane.

Turn left onto West Interstate 20

0.2 mi · 21 sec · West Interstate 20

Use the left lane.

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 35 sec

Toward I 20 East

Merge onto I 20

4.6 mi · 4 min · Lyndon B Johnson Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 44 sec

Exit 467B Toward I 35E South: Waco Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 35E

81 mi · 1 hr 22 min · South R L Thornton Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35; US 77

6.6 mi · 7 min · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

38 mi · 39 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

26 mi · 26 min · I 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 55 sec

Exit 265 Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio Use the slight right lane.

Continue on TX 130 Toll

86 mi · 1 hr 19 min · TX 130 Toll

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min

Toward I 10 West: San Antonio Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 10; TX 130

11 mi · 11 min · I 10; TX 130

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 10; US 90; TX 130

9.4 mi · 9 min · I 10; US 90; TX 130

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130

12 mi · 12 min · I 10; US 90; TX 130

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 410

1.4 mi · 1 min · Connally Loop

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 410; TX 130

6.7 mi · 7 min · Connally Loop

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Exit 41 Toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min

Toward I 37 South: Corpus Christi Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 37

60 mi · 1 hr 1 min · I 37

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit onto US 281 South

15 mi · 19 min · US 281 South

Toward US 281 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto US 281

66 mi · 1 hr 10 min · South Nueces Street

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

9.5 mi · 10 min · I 69C; US 281

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

56 mi · 58 min · Falfurrias Expressway

Use the straight / right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

18 mi · 20 min · I 69C; US 281

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 2 East; US 83 East

0.5 mi · 33 sec · I 2 East; US 83 East

Continue on I 2; US 83

16 mi · 17 min · I 2; US 83

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 48 sec

Exit 163B Toward FM 491: Texas Avenue Use the slight right lane.

Turn straight onto Expressway 83

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Expressway 83

Turn right onto FM 491

0.4 mi · 46 sec · North Texas Avenue

Arrive at destination

South Texas Avenue

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 270.2 miles from Irving, TX, or about 4h 35m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.1 miles.

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 119 miles or 2h 9m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 270.2 miles or 4h 35m 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 270.2 miles or 4h 35m

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 19m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Irving, 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 Irving, TX

Aim for roughly 270 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Mercedes, TX

Aim for roughly 270 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 119 miles from Irving, 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.

The longest stretch is on TX 130 Toll for about 86.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 270.2 mi from Irving, TX · 4h 35m into the drive

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Killeen, TX

178 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.

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

San Antonio, TX

357 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 San Antonio, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Austin, TX

270 mi · about 4.7h in

A practical overnight split lands near Austin, TX after about 270 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Killeen, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 119 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

San Antonio, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 270.2 miles from Irving, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before TX 130 Toll if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 86.1 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 270 miles or 4.7 hours on the road.

Arriving in Mercedes, TX

The final approach into Mercedes, 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 Mercedes, TX.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Mercedes, 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

$82.55 one way

$165.10 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 189 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$90.46	$180.93
premium	$4.59	$97.68	$195.35
diesel	$5.64	$120.06	$240.12

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$83

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$213–$323

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 189.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $57 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	162.1	2	$56.74	$25.94
Efficient EV	135.1	1	$47.29	$21.62
EV Truck/SUV	216.2	2	$75.66	$34.59

Gas CO2

189 kg

EV CO2

63 kg (67% 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 2 days ago

Origin

Irving, TX

Afternoon in Irving on Sunday

Local time

1:36 PM

CDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Mercedes, TX

Afternoon in Mercedes on Sunday

Local time

1:36 PM

CDT

Current temp

72°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

11 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 25m 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 Irving, TX to Mercedes, TX covers 540.4 miles and takes about 9h 25m 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 270 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 270.2 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 $82.55 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.

On the drive from Irving, TX to Mercedes, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Corpus Christi along the way.

Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 104 ft to 718 ft elevation with about 200 ft of total climbing.

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Return Trip

Mercedes, TX to Irving, TX

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520.8 mi 9h 33m

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Trip from Irving, TX to Mercedes, TX

Trip Overview

Drive Character

Elevation Profile

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Towns Along This Route

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Overnight Options

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Mercedes, TX

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Irving, TX

Mercedes, TX

Same local time

11 degrees warmer at arrival

9h 25m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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