Trip from Killeen, TX to Sweetwater, TX

Drive Time

4h 1m

Distance

212.6 mi

342 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$32

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
3h 48m ★
6 AM
4h 1m
8 AM
4h 27m
10 AM
4h 10m
12 PM
4h 7m
3 PM
4h 11m
5 PM
4h 26m
8 PM
3h 53m

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

Downtown Killeen, TX, TX

Killeen, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Downtown Sweetwater, TX, TX

Sweetwater, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Trip Overview

The drive from Killeen, TX to Sweetwater, TX covers 212.6 miles and takes about 4h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on State Highway 153, North US Highway 183, US 84 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 69 miles on State Highway 153. At current regular gas prices, budget about $32.48 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

106.3 miles from Killeen, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 2m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 4h 1m highway drive covering 212.6 miles, with most of the trip on State Highway 153 and North US Highway 183. The longest continuous stretch is about 69 miles on State Highway 153.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
State Highway 153 is the longest continuous segment at about 69 miles.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

2,526 ft 823 ft

Total Climb

2,130 ft

Total Descent

782 ft

Highest Point

2,526 ft

~203.8 mi in

Elevation Range

1,704 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 153 and North US Highway 183. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.

Route Complexity 5/10

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

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 212.6 miles you will encounter 15 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (US 190 Bus / East Veterans Memorial Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 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

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 190 Bus / East Veterans Memorial Boulevard

Turn right onto US 190 Bus / East Veterans Memorial Boulevard

Navigation decision point

4
2.6 mi into trip | ~4m in

Keep slight left at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
3.1 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 14; US 190 / Central Texas Expressway

Merge onto I 14; US 190 / Central Texas Expressway

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
7.4 mi into trip | ~9m in | US 190

Keep slight left at fork onto US 190 toward US 190 West: Lampasas

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward US 190 West: Lampasas

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
State Highway 153 69 mi 1h 14m
North US Highway 183 36.9 mi 40m
US 84 30.4 mi 34m
East Commerce Street 22 mi 25m
US 190 12.8 mi 14m
State Highway 70 10.4 mi 10m
Wallis Avenue 7.2 mi 8m
FM 1715 6.4 mi 8m
Longest stretch: State Highway 153 — 69 mi, about 1h 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Killeen, TX and Sweetwater, 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

2.6 mi · 4 min · East Veterans Memorial Boulevard
4

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
5

Merge onto I 14; US 190

4.3 mi · 4 min · Central Texas Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork onto US 190

13 mi · 14 min · US 190
Toward US 190 West: Lampasas Use the slight left lane.
7

Turn right onto FM 1715

6.4 mi · 8 min · FM 1715
8

At end of road, turn left onto FM 580

2.6 mi · 2 min · East FM 580
9

Continue on FM 580

1.1 mi · 2 min · East Avenue J
10

At end of road, turn right onto US 183; US 190; US 281

0.4 mi · 32 sec · North Key Avenue
11

Continue on US 183; US 190; US 281

0.2 mi · 14 sec · North US Highway 281
12

Keep slight left at fork onto US 183; US 190

37 mi · 40 min · North US Highway 183
13

At end of road, turn left onto US 84; US 183; TX 16

30 mi · 34 min · US 84; US 183; TX 16
14

Turn left onto US 67; US 84; US 183; US 377

1.7 mi · 2 min · Early Boulevard
15

Continue on US 67; US 84; US 377

22 mi · 25 min · East Commerce Street
16

Keep slight right at fork onto US 84; US 283

7.2 mi · 8 min · Wallis Avenue
17

Turn right onto TX 153

0.9 mi · 1 min · East Walnut Street
18

Continue on TX 153; TX 206

1.0 mi · 1 min · West Walnut Street
19

Continue on TX 153

69 mi · 1 hr 14 min · State Highway 153
20

Keep slight right at fork onto TX 153

19 ft · 0 sec · State Highway 153
21

Turn right onto TX 70

10 mi · 10 min · State Highway 70
22

Continue on TX 70

2.3 mi · 4 min · Lamar Street
23

Arrive at destination

TX 70 Bus

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 106.3 miles from Killeen, TX, or about 2h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 69 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 80 miles or 1h 32m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 106.3 miles or 2h 2m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 18m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sweetwater, 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 212.6 miles and 4h 1m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 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 State Highway 153 for about 69 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 106.3 mi from Killeen, TX · 2h 2m into the drive

Downtown Harker Heights, TX, TX

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Harker Heights, TX

106 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

Harker Heights, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Harker Heights, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 106.3 miles from Killeen, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before State Highway 153 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 69 miles.

Arriving in Sweetwater, TX

The final approach into Sweetwater, 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 Sweetwater, TX.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$32.48 one way

$64.95 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 74 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $35.59 $71.18
premium $4.59 $38.43 $76.85
diesel $5.64 $47.23 $94.46

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$32

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$57–$82

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 74.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 63.8 0 $22.32 $10.20
Efficient EV 53.2 0 $18.60 $8.50
EV Truck/SUV 85 1 $29.76 $13.61

Gas CO2

74 kg

EV CO2

25 kg (66% 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 data refreshed 11 hours ago

Origin

Killeen, TX

Afternoon in Killeen on Sunday

Local time

3:48 PM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

SSE 10 mph 62% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued April 12 at 3:11AM CDT until April 12 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Fort Worth TX

Rip Current Statement

Rip Current Statement issued April 12 at 2:53AM CDT until April 12 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Houston/Galveston TX

Destination

Sweetwater, TX

Afternoon in Sweetwater on Sunday

Local time

3:48 PM

CDT

Current temp

63°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 10 mph 35% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued April 12 at 3:11AM CDT until April 12 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Fort Worth TX

Rip Current Statement

Rip Current Statement issued April 12 at 2:53AM CDT until April 12 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Houston/Galveston 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.

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

4 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

4h 1m 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 Sweetwater, TX covers 212.6 miles and takes about 4h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are State Highway 153, North US Highway 183, US 84. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 106.3 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 $32.48 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 212.6 miles you will encounter 15 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (US 190 Bus / East Veterans Memorial Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Killeen, TX to Sweetwater, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 823 ft to 2,526 ft elevation with about 2,130 ft of total climbing.

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Return Trip

Sweetwater, TX to Killeen, TX

Plan the drive back the other way.

212.7 mi 4h 1m

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