Origin
Kermit, TX
Afternoon in Kermit on Sunday
Local time
2:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kermit, TX to Houston, TX
Drive Time
10h 13m
Distance
576.9 mi
928 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$88
one way
Kermit, TX
Thomas balabaud
Houston, TX
Trace Hudson
Trip Overview
Spanning 579.9 miles across the Texas landscape, this drive from Kermit to Houston is a significant cross-state journey that requires a realistic approach. You should anticipate roughly 8 hours and 55 minutes of time behind the wheel, making it an exhausting endeavor for a single day. Because of this duration, we strongly recommend splitting the trip into two manageable days. With fuel costs estimated at $86, budgeting for your transit is straightforward. You will remain within the Great Plains region throughout the entire trek, keeping the environmental transitions consistent as you move from the western part of the state toward the coast.
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
288.5 miles from Kermit, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 13m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a grounded, utilitarian experience as you navigate away from Kermit via East Austin Street, South Poplar Street, and Highway 18. This route is defined by local roads rather than major interstate corridors, as the highway share is 0 percent. Because you aren't sticking to high-speed freeways, the pace is more rhythmic and requires your full attention on fluctuating road conditions. You will spend nearly nine hours navigating these specific surface streets and highways, which creates a very different atmosphere than a typical monotonous interstate grind. Prepare for a steady, focused drive that demands patience as you traverse the vast distance between these two Texas points.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 37 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 10 is the longest continuous segment at about 399 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and Anderson Loop. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 362.5 miles in near I 10; US 87.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 28 significant decision points across 576.9 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 362.5 miles (I 10; US 87): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 367.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 369 miles (North Loop 1604 West): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 28 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
362.5 mi into trip
|
~6h 23m in
|
I 10; US 87
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the none lane.
7
367.9 mi into trip
|
~6h 29m in
Take the exit toward Frontage Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 556B
Toward Frontage Road
6
369 mi into trip
|
~6h 31m in
|
North Loop 1604 West
Turn left onto North Loop 1604 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
561.9 mi into trip
|
~9h 53m in
Take the exit toward I 10 Toll: Katy Tollway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 10 Toll: Katy Tollway
8
576.3 mi into trip
|
~10h 11m in
Take the exit toward Downtown, Theatre District
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 769A
Toward Downtown, Theatre District
Towns Along This Route
Between Kermit, TX and Houston, TX, road signs point toward Fm 1601: Penwell, Loop 1604 East, Austin and Waco.
Fm 1601: Penwell
43.3 mi in
|
~57m
Loop 1604 East
369.4 mi in
|
~6h 32m
Austin
410.8 mi in
|
~7h 19m
|
via I 10; TX 130
Waco
410.8 mi in
|
~7h 19m
|
via I 10; TX 130
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 10 | 399 mi | 6h 31m |
| Anderson Loop | 25.4 mi | 29m |
| FM 1601 | 25.3 mi | 25m |
| South Gaston Street | 22.4 mi | 25m |
| South State Highway 18 | 20.1 mi | 29m |
| Farm to Market Road 305 | 18.1 mi | 26m |
| I 20 | 16.8 mi | 16m |
| 90th Infantry Division Highway | 14.9 mi | 15m |
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 399 mi, about 6h 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kermit, TX and Houston, TX.
1
Start on this road
111 ft
·
13 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto TX 115
167 ft
·
10 sec
·
East Austin Street
3
Turn left onto TX 18
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Poplar Street
4
Continue on TX 18
20 mi
·
29 min
·
South State Highway 18
5
Continue on TX 18
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Avenue
6
Turn left onto I 20 Bus
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
East Sealy Avenue
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 20 East: Odessa
8
Merge onto I 20
17 mi
·
16 min
·
I 20
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 101
Toward FM 1601: Penwell
10
Turn straight onto East Interstate 20 State Route South
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
East Interstate 20 State Route South
11
Turn right onto FM 1601
25 mi
·
25 min
·
FM 1601
12
At end of road, turn left onto TX 329
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
TX 329
13
Turn right onto US 385
22 mi
·
25 min
·
South Gaston Street
14
Continue on FM 305
18 mi
·
26 min
·
Farm to Market Road 305
15
At end of road, turn right onto US 190
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
US 190
16
At end of road, turn left onto I 10 Service Road
412 ft
·
8 sec
·
I 10 Service Road
17
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 10 East: San Antonio
18
Merge onto I 10
243 mi
·
3 hr 51 min
·
I 10
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87
5.4 mi
·
5 min
·
I 10; US 87
Use the none lane.
20
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 556B
Toward Frontage Road
Use the slight right lane.
21
Turn straight onto Interstate 10 West
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Interstate 10 West
22
Turn left onto North Loop 1604 West
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
North Loop 1604 West
Use the straight lane.
23
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward Loop 1604 East
24
Merge onto Loop 1604
25 mi
·
29 min
·
Anderson Loop
Use the none lane.
25
Turn left onto Interstate 10 East
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Interstate 10 East
26
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
27
Merge onto I 10; US 90; TX 130
15 mi
·
15 min
·
90th Infantry Division Highway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
28
Continue on I 10; TX 130
151 mi
·
2 hr 34 min
·
I 10; TX 130
Toward I 10 East: Houston, Austin, Waco
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
29
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 10 Toll: Katy Tollway
Use the slight left lane.
30
Merge onto I 10 Toll
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Katy Tollway
31
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Merge onto I 10; US 90
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Katy Freeway
Use the slight left / none lanes.
33
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 769A
Toward Downtown, Theatre District
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34
Continue on Smith Street
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Smith Street
35
Turn left onto Preston Street
331 ft
·
16 sec
·
Preston Street
36
Turn left onto Louisiana Street
179 ft
·
5 sec
·
Louisiana Street
37
Arrive at destination
Louisiana Street
Trip Plan
To tackle this 579.9-mile journey effectively, plan your departure early in the morning to maximize daylight hours for navigating the local roads. Given the two-day recommendation, map out your overnight stay at the halfway point to ensure you aren't pushing through fatigue. Since you are relying on surface roads like Highway 18, keep a close watch on your fuel gauge and don't skip opportunities to refill, as service intervals may vary compared to major interstates. We suggest scheduling at least two substantial stops to stretch your legs and stay alert. Always check your navigation before leaving Kermit, as the reliance on local streets requires more frequent turns than a standard highway route.
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 288.5 miles from Kermit, TX, or about 5h 13m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 399 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 127 miles or 2h 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 288.5 miles or 5h 13m 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 288.5 miles or 5h 13m
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 9h 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Houston, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kermit, 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 Kermit, TX
Aim for roughly 288 miles and 5.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Houston, TX
Aim for roughly 288 miles and 5.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 127 miles from Kermit, 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 I 10 for about 399 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 288.5 mi from Kermit, TX · 5h 13m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
190 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
381 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, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
288 mi · about 5.1h in
A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 288 miles or 5.1 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 127 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 288.5 miles from Kermit, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 10 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 399 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 288 miles or 5.1 hours on the road.
Arriving in Houston, TX
The final approach into Houston, 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 Houston, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Houston, TX with some flexibility left in the schedule.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$88.12 one way
$176.25 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
202 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $96.57 | $193.15 |
| premium | $4.59 | $104.27 | $208.55 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $128.17 | $256.33 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.23
Katy Tollway
(3.2 mi)
$0.23
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$88
Tolls
$0
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$218–$328
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 201.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $61 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 173.1 | 2 | $60.57 | $27.69 |
| Efficient EV | 144.2 | 1 | $50.48 | $23.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 230.8 | 2 | $80.77 | $36.92 |
Gas CO2
202 kg
EV CO2
67 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.
Destination
Houston, TX
Afternoon in Houston on Sunday
Local time
2:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
16 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
10h 13m 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 Kermit, TX to Houston, TX covers 576.9 miles and takes about 10h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 10, Anderson Loop, FM 1601. 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 288 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 288.5 miles from Kermit, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $88.12 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 28 significant decision points across 576.9 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 362.5 miles (I 10; US 87): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 367.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 369 miles (North Loop 1604 West): Lane positioning matters here.
Between Kermit, TX and Houston, TX, road signs point toward Fm 1601: Penwell, Loop 1604 East, Austin and Waco.
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