The drive from Live Oak, TX to Austin, TX covers 168.9 miles and takes about 3h 37m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on TX 71, State Highway 71, US 87 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 58 miles on TX 71.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $25.52 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
84.4 miles from Live Oak, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 41m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 37m. Total distance: 168.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 3h 37m highway drive covering 168.9 miles, with most of the trip on TX 71 and State Highway 71. The longest continuous stretch is about 58 miles on TX 71.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
TX 71 is the longest continuous segment at about 58 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on TX 71 and State Highway 71. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 154.8 miles in near RM 2244 / Bee Caves Road.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 168.9 miles you will encounter 14 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: at 154.8 miles (RM 2244 / Bee Caves Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 166.1 miles (South Mopac Service Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 167 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
154.8 mi into trip|~3h 14m in|RM 2244 / Bee Caves Road
Turn left onto RM 2244 / Bee Caves Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
166.1 mi into trip|~3h 32m in|South Mopac Service Road
Turn left onto South Mopac Service Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
167 mi into trip|~3h 33m in
Take the exit toward 5th Street, Lake Austin Boulevard, Cesar Chavez Street
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 5th Street, Lake Austin Boulevard, Cesar...
9
167.1 mi into trip|~3h 33m in
Keep slight left at fork toward West 5th Street, Lake Austin Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward West 5th Street, Lake Austin Boulevard
8
167.3 mi into trip|~3h 34m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 5th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward 5th Street
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
TX 71
58 mi
1h 18m
State Highway 71
47.2 mi
50m
US 87
37.2 mi
42m
Bee Caves Road
10.3 mi
15m
County Road 2335
5.4 mi
13m
TX 29
2.8 mi
3m
Bridge Street
2.8 mi
3m
West 5th Street
1.6 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
TX 71
— 58 mi, about 1h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Live Oak, TX and Austin, TX.
1
Start on FM 176
5.4 mi·13 min·County Road 2335
2
Turn right onto US 87
37 mi·42 min·US 87
3
Turn right onto US 87; US 190; US 377
2.8 mi·3 min·Bridge Street
4
Turn left onto TX 71
47 mi·50 min·State Highway 71
5
Turn left onto TX 29; TX 71
2.8 mi·3 min·TX 29; TX 71
6
Turn right onto TX 16; TX 71
0.4 mi·31 sec·Bessemer Avenue
7
Continue on TX 16; TX 71
1.1 mi·1 min·Ford Street
8
Turn left onto TX 71
58 mi·1 hr 18 min·TX 71
9
Turn left onto RM 2244
8.0 mi·11 min·Bee Caves Road
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on RM 2244
1.0 mi·1 min·Bee Cave Road
11
Continue on RM 2244
2.3 mi·4 min·Bee Caves Road
12
Turn left onto South Mopac Service Road
0.2 mi·16 sec·South Mopac Service Road
Use the left lane.
13
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·17 sec
Toward Loop 1 North
14
Merge onto Loop 1
0.6 mi·42 sec·South Mopac Expressway
15
Take the exit
0.1 mi·12 sec
Toward 5th Street, Lake Austin Boulevard, Cesar Chavez StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·14 sec
Toward West 5th Street, Lake Austin BoulevardUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork
120 ft·2 sec
Toward 5th StreetUse the slight right lane.
18
Turn straight onto West 5th Street
1.6 mi·3 min·West 5th Street
Use the straight lane.
19
Arrive at destination
East 5th Street
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 84.4 miles from Live Oak, TX, or about 1h 41m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 58 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 37 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84.4 miles or 1h 41m 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 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Austin, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Live Oak, 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 Live Oak, TX
This is one driving day of about 168.9 miles and 3h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 miles from Live Oak, 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 71 for about 58 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 84.4 mi from Live Oak, TX
· 1h 41m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park tells the story of our 36th president beginning with his ancestors until his final resting place on his beloved LBJ Ranch. This entire "circle of life" gives...
22 mi from route
~56 min detour
Free
near mile 116.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.52 one way
$51.04 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg59 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$27.93
$55.87
premium
$4.54
$30.16
$60.31
diesel
$5.61
$37.29
$74.58
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
50.7
0
$17.73
$8.11
Efficient EV
42.2
0
$14.78
$6.76
EV Truck/SUV
67.6
0
$23.65
$10.81
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 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 as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Live Oak, TX
Afternoon
in Live Oak on Friday
Local time
12:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Austin, TX
Afternoon
in Austin on Friday
Local time
12:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°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
10 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
3h 37m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Live Oak, TX to Austin, TX covers 168.9 miles and takes about 3h 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are TX 71, State Highway 71, US 87. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 84.4 miles from Live Oak, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $25.52 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 168.9 miles you will encounter 14 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: at 154.8 miles (RM 2244 / Bee Caves Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 166.1 miles (South Mopac Service Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 167 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Live Oak, TX to Austin, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
