The drive from Killeen, TX to Kingsville, TX covers 278.6 miles and takes about 5h 11m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on TX 130 Toll, TX 80, South US Highway 181 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 58.5 miles on TX 130 Toll.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $42.10 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
139.3 miles from Killeen, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 31m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 11m. Total distance: 278.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 5h 11m highway drive covering 278.6 miles, with most of the trip on TX 130 Toll and TX 80. The longest continuous stretch is about 58.5 miles on TX 130 Toll.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 34 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 58.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on TX 130 Toll and TX 80. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 278.6 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (TX 195 / South Fort Hood Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 93.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
0.9 mi into trip|~1m in|TX 195 / South Fort Hood Street
Turn left onto TX 195 / South Fort Hood Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
93.8 mi into trip|~1h 35m in
Take the exit toward US 183 South: Lockhart
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 470
Toward US 183 South: Lockhart
5
245.9 mi into trip|~4h 34m in|US 77
Take the exit onto US 77 toward I 37, US 77, I 69E
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 37, US 77, I 69E
7
248.8 mi into trip|~4h 38m in|I 69E; US 77
Take the exit onto I 69E; US 77 toward I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, Brownsville
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.
Toward I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, Brownsville
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 Killeen, TX to Kingsville, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Brownsville along the way.
Brownsville
248.8 mi in|~4h 38m|via I 69E; US 77
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
TX 130 Toll
58.5 mi
54m
TX 80
51.2 mi
56m
South US Highway 181
40.2 mi
45m
South Fort Hood Street
33.8 mi
37m
I 69E
28.6 mi
31m
US Highway 181 South
16.1 mi
18m
US 77
12 mi
13m
US 183
10.1 mi
11m
Longest stretch:
TX 130 Toll
— 58.5 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Killeen, TX and Kingsville, TX.
1
Start on this road
74 ft·10 sec·this road
2
Turn left
83 ft·8 sec
3
Turn right onto US 190 Bus
0.9 mi·1 min·East Veterans Memorial Boulevard
4
Turn left onto TX 195
34 mi·37 min·South Fort Hood Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi·17 sec
6
Continue on North Interstate 35
0.2 mi·16 sec·North Interstate 35
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·20 sec
Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
8
Continue on TX 130 Toll
59 mi·54 min·TX 130 Toll
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 470Toward US 183 South: LockhartUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on US 183
0.5 mi·35 sec·United States Highway 183
11
Continue on US 183
4.9 mi·8 min·North Colorado Street
12
Continue on US 183
10 mi·11 min·US 183
13
Continue on US 183
4.2 mi·6 min·North Magnolia Avenue
14
Continue on TX 80
51 mi·56 min·TX 80
15
Turn slight left onto FM 792
8.4 mi·10 min·Farm-to-Market Road 792
16
Continue on TX 72; TX 239
0.8 mi·1 min·East Main Street
17
Turn left onto US 181
1.2 mi·1 min·South Sunset Strip Drive
18
Continue on US 181
40 mi·45 min·South US Highway 181
19
Continue on US 181
0.8 mi·55 sec·North 8th Street
20
Continue on US 181
16 mi·18 min·US Highway 181 South
21
Take the exit onto US 181
0.3 mi·45 sec·US 181
22
Keep slight right at fork onto US 181
213 ft·5 sec·US Route 181
23
Turn straight onto US 181
0.7 mi·1 min·US Highway 181
24
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·46 sec
25
Merge onto US 77
12 mi·13 min·US 77
26
Take the exit onto US 77
0.1 mi·13 sec·US 77
Toward I 37, US 77, I 69E
27
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·47 sec
28
Merge onto I 37; US 77; I 69E
2.5 mi·2 min·I 37; US 77; I 69E
Use the straight lane.
29
Take the exit onto I 69E; US 77
29 mi·31 min·I 69E; US 77
Toward I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, BrownsvilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Take the exit
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward TX 141
31
Turn straight onto South US Highway 77 Bypass
0.1 mi·25 sec·South US Highway 77 Bypass
32
Turn right onto TX 141
0.9 mi·1 min·East King Avenue
33
Turn right onto US 77 Business
54 ft·0 sec·South 14th Street
34
Arrive at destination
US 77 Business
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 139.3 miles from Killeen, TX, or about 2h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 58.5 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 61 miles or 1h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 139.3 miles or 2h 31m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kingsville, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Killeen, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Killeen, TX
This is one driving day of about 278.6 miles and 5h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Killeen, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on TX 130 Toll for about 58.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 139.3 mi from Killeen, TX
· 2h 31m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
83.6
1
$29.25
$13.37
Efficient EV
69.7
0
$24.38
$11.14
EV Truck/SUV
111.4
1
$39.00
$17.83
Gas CO2
97 kg
EV CO2
33 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 15, 2026
Origin
Killeen, TX
Night
in Killeen on Friday
Local time
9:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Kingsville, TX
Night
in Kingsville on Friday
Local time
9:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
63°F
Luling, TX
139 mi in
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.
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
6 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
5h 11m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Killeen, TX to Kingsville, TX covers 278.6 miles and takes about 5h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are TX 130 Toll, TX 80, South US Highway 181. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 139.3 miles from Killeen, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $42.10 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break 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 18 significant decision points across 278.6 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (TX 195 / South Fort Hood Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 93.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Killeen, TX to Kingsville, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Brownsville 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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
