Origin
Lone Star, TX
Afternoon in Lone Star on Thursday
Local time
1:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
8h 44m
Distance
449.5 mi
723 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$68
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lone Star, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Corpus Christi, TX
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Lone Star, TX to Corpus Christi, TX covers 449.5 miles and takes about 8h 44m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Diboll Relief Route, US Highway 59, Southwest Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 113.5 miles on Diboll Relief Route. At current regular gas prices, budget about $67.92 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
224.8 miles from Lone Star, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 22m into the drive .
Solo Traveler
8h 44m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Expect a 8h 44m drive with frequent turns across 449.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 37.3 miles in near TX 322; TX 149 / Estes Parkway.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 23 significant decision points across 449.5 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 37.3 miles (TX 322; TX 149 / Estes Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 93.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 93.5 miles: Navigation decision point.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
At end of road, turn left onto TX 322; TX 149 / Estes Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 59 South: Lufkin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward Spur 10: Cottonwood, Church Road, Hartledge Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn right onto FM 2678
Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Lone Star, TX to Corpus Christi, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Spur 10: Cottonwood along the way.
Spur 10: Cottonwood
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Diboll Relief Route | 113.5 mi | 2h 4m |
| US Highway 59 | 74.7 mi | 1h 22m |
| Southwest Freeway | 34.7 mi | 40m |
| US Highway 77 South | 33.2 mi | 37m |
| North Main Street | 28.5 mi | 35m |
| South US Highway 59 | 19.4 mi | 22m |
| US Route 259 | 19.3 mi | 21m |
| Farm to Market Road 136 | 17.7 mi | 23m |
Step-by-step road directions between Lone Star, TX and Corpus Christi, TX.
Start on East Germany Street
Turn left onto US 259
Continue on US 259
At end of road, turn left onto TX 322; TX 149
Turn right onto TX 322
Continue on TX 322
Continue on TX 322
Turn left onto US 259
Continue on US 79; US 259
Turn left onto US 259
Continue on US 259
Continue on US 259
Continue on US 259
Take the exit
Continue on this road
Continue on this road
Turn left
Turn right onto US 59
Continue on US 59
Continue on US 59; TX 7; TX 21; Loop 224
Take the exit
Turn straight
Merge onto US 59
Continue on US 59
Take the exit
Turn straight onto South Medford Drive
Turn left onto US 59 Bus
Continue on US 59
Continue on US 59
Continue on I 69; US 59
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Southwest Freeway Frontage Road
Continue on Southwest Freeway Frontage Road
Continue on US 59 Southbound Frontage Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 59
Keep slight left at fork onto US 59
Take the exit
Continue on US 59
Keep slight left at fork onto Spur 91
Merge onto US 77
Turn straight onto US 77
Turn left onto FM 774
Turn right onto FM 2678
Continue on FM 136
Take the ramp
Merge onto TX 35
Take the exit
Turn slight right
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 37
Continue on Interstate Highway 37
Continue on Interstate Highway 37
Continue on I 37
Arrive at destination
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.
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 99 miles or 2h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 224.8 miles or 4h 22m 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 224.8 miles or 4h 22m
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 7h 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Corpus Christi, TX than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Lone Star, 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 Lone Star, TX
Aim for roughly 225 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Corpus Christi, TX
Aim for roughly 225 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 224.8 mi from Lone Star, TX · 4h 22m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
225 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 Houston, TXNight 1
225 mi · about 4.4h in
A practical overnight split lands near Houston, TX after about 225 miles or 4.4 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 99 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 224.8 miles from Lone Star, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Diboll Relief Route if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 113.5 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 225 miles or 4.4 hours on the road.
The final approach into Corpus Christi, 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 Corpus Christi, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Corpus Christi, 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.
Regular Gas
$67.92 one way
$135.84 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $74.34 | $148.69 |
| premium | $4.54 | $80.26 | $160.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $99.24 | $198.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$68
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$198–$308
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 157.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $47 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 134.9 | 1 | $47.20 | $21.58 |
| Efficient EV | 112.4 | 1 | $39.33 | $17.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 179.8 | 2 | $62.93 | $28.77 |
Gas CO2
157 kg
EV CO2
53 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Lone Star on Thursday
Local time
1:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Destination
Afternoon in Corpus Christi on Thursday
Local time
1:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
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