Trip from Killeen, TX to Rhode Island, TX

Drive Time

2h 34m

Distance

136.7 mi

220 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 31 min

4 AM

2h 24m ★

6 AM

2h 34m

8 AM

2h 55m

10 AM

2h 41m

12 PM

2h 39m

3 PM

2h 42m

5 PM

2h 54m

8 PM

2h 28m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Killeen, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Rhode Island, TX

Beth Fitzpatrick

Trip Overview

The drive from Killeen, TX to Rhode Island, TX covers 136.7 miles and takes about 2h 34m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Purple Heart Trail, State Highway 31, I 45 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 37.8 miles on Purple Heart Trail. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.88 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

68.4 miles from Killeen, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 19m into the drive .

Drive Character

The drive from Killeen, TX to Rhode Island, TX covers 136.7 miles and takes about 2h 34m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Purple Heart Trail is the longest continuous segment at about 37.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 6/10

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

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 136.7 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; at 6.2 miles (I 14; US 190 / Central Texas Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17 miles (I 35; US 190 / Purple Heart Trail): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 key points

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

0 mi into trip | ~0m in

Turn left

Navigation decision point

6.2 mi into trip | ~11m 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.

17 mi into trip | ~22m in | I 35; US 190 / Purple Heart Trail

Merge onto I 35; US 190 / Purple Heart Trail

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

60.7 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in

Take the exit toward US 84: Waco Drive, Bellmead Drive

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 338 Toward US 84: Waco Drive, Bellmead Drive

134.1 mi into trip | ~2h 28m in

Take the exit toward FM 833

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 206 Toward FM 833

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Purple Heart Trail	37.8 mi	38m
State Highway 31	35.8 mi	38m
I 45	19.8 mi	19m
Central Texas Expressway	10.7 mi	11m
South Jack Kultgen Expressway	6 mi	6m
Corsicana Bypass	5.5 mi	6m
Hubbard Bypass	5.3 mi	5m
East Veterans Memorial Boulevard	5.1 mi	8m

Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 37.8 mi, about 38m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Killeen, TX and Rhode Island, TX.

Start on this road

74 ft · 10 sec · this road

Turn left

83 ft · 11 sec

Turn left onto US 190 Bus

5.1 mi · 8 min · East Veterans Memorial Boulevard

Turn slight right onto Edwards Drive

0.5 mi · 55 sec · Edwards Drive

Take the ramp

0.6 mi · 1 min

Toward I 14 East, US 190 East

Merge onto I 14; US 190

11 mi · 11 min · Central Texas Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 35; US 190

38 mi · 38 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

6.0 mi · 6 min · South Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 28 sec

Exit 338 Toward US 84: Waco Drive, Bellmead Drive Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto North Jack Kultgen Expressway

0.3 mi · 30 sec · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

Turn right onto US 84

0.3 mi · 52 sec · East Waco Drive

Continue on US 84

2.6 mi · 4 min · Bellmead Drive

Continue on US 84

2.7 mi · 3 min · East US Highway 84

Continue on TX 31

17 mi · 17 min · State Highway 31

Continue on TX 31

5.3 mi · 5 min · Hubbard Bypass

Continue on TX 31

19 mi · 21 min · State Highway 31

Turn right onto TX 31

5.5 mi · 6 min · Corsicana Bypass

Use the straight lane.

Turn right onto South Interstate 45

0.5 mi · 50 sec · South Interstate 45

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 32 sec

Merge onto I 45

20 mi · 19 min · I 45

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec

Exit 206 Toward FM 833 Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn left onto North Interstate 45

307 ft · 10 sec · North Interstate 45

Turn left onto FM 833

1.3 mi · 3 min · FM 833

At end of road, turn right onto TX 75; FM 833

52 ft · 1 sec · North State Highway 75

Turn left onto FM 833

0.9 mi · 1 min · East FM 833

Turn right onto County Road 161

10 ft · 0 sec · County Road 161

Arrive at destination

County Road 161

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 68.4 miles from Killeen, TX, or about 1h 19m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37.8 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 31m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 68.4 miles or 1h 19m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 6m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rhode Island, 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 136.7 miles and 2h 34m.

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 Purple Heart Trail for about 37.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 68.4 mi from Killeen, TX · 1h 19m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Arlington, TX

68 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

Grand Prairie, TX

Fuel and coffee

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

Arlington, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 68.4 miles from Killeen, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Rhode Island, TX

The final approach into Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island, TX.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Waco Mammoth National Monument

National Monument

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...

4 mi from route ~10 min detour Free near mile 61.3

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$20.88 one way

$41.76 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 48 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$22.88	$45.77
premium	$4.59	$24.71	$49.42
diesel	$5.64	$30.37	$60.74

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$21

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 47.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	41	$14.35	$6.56
Efficient EV	34.2	$11.96	$5.47
EV Truck/SUV	54.7	$19.14	$8.75

Gas CO2

48 kg

EV CO2

16 kg (67% 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 5 hours ago

Origin

Killeen, TX

Morning in Killeen on Monday

Local time

9:42 AM

CDT

Current temp

68°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 10 mph 30% chance Live forecast

Destination

Rhode Island, TX

Morning in Rhode Island on Monday

Local time

9:42 AM

CDT

Current temp

64°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.

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

2h 34m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

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 Rhode Island, TX covers 136.7 miles and takes about 2h 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Purple Heart Trail, State Highway 31, I 45. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 68.4 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 $20.88 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

The route from Killeen, TX to Rhode Island, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Trip from Killeen, TX to Rhode Island, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Rhode Island, TX

National Parks Near This Route

Waco Mammoth National Monument

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Killeen, TX

Rhode Island, TX

Same local time

4 degrees cooler at arrival

2h 34m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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