Trip from Longview, TX to San Antonio, TX

Drive Time

6h 26m

Distance

344.6 mi

555 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$53

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min
4 AM
6h 14m ★
6 AM
6h 26m
8 AM
6h 51m
10 AM
6h 35m
12 PM
6h 32m
3 PM
6h 36m
5 PM
6h 50m
8 PM
6h 19m

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

Downtown Longview, TX, TX

Longview, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Downtown San Antonio, TX, TX

San Antonio, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Traveling from Longview to San Antonio covers 363.3 miles and typically takes about 5 hours and 58 minutes. Because this journey is classified as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a straightforward interstate sprint, it is best approached as a dedicated one-day commitment. You should budget approximately $54 for fuel to complete the trek between these two Great Plains locations. While the route is manageable in a single day, the winding nature of the roads means you will spend significant time behind the wheel. Use this trip as a focused transit between East Texas and the heart of the state, but keep your schedule flexible enough to account for the local road conditions.

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

172.3 miles from Longview, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 18m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a hands-on driving experience, as this route avoids major interstates entirely in favor of local roads like North Spur 63 and Highway 259. With a 0% highway share, this is a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention rather than a monotonous cruise. You will find no long, uninterrupted stretches of road, as the longest segment on North Spur 63 is 0 miles. The route’s personality is defined by constant navigation through local corridors rather than high-speed highway transit. Prepare for a steady, rhythmic pace that requires frequent adjustments as you work your way through the regional landscape.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 46 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 99.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 104.2 miles in near TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass.

Route Complexity 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 25 significant decision points across 344.6 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: at 104.2 miles (TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass): Lane positioning matters here; at 263.1 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 336.5 miles (I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 25 key points

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

6
104.2 mi into trip | ~2h 2m in | TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass

Turn left onto TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
8
263.1 mi into trip | ~4h 53m in | I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
7
336.5 mi into trip | ~6h 14m in | I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35 South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 35 South
8
342.9 mi into trip | ~6h 22m in | I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
8
343.4 mi into trip | ~6h 23m in

Take the exit toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 157A Toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro...

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Purple Heart Trail 99.6 mi 1h 46m
State Highway 31 East 59.9 mi 1h 9m
I 35 55.8 mi 58m
West State Highway 31 18.8 mi 21m
State Highway 31 17.2 mi 17m
North Pan Am Expressway 17 mi 20m
Corsicana Bypass 11.8 mi 13m
State Highway 31 West 9.7 mi 11m
Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 99.6 mi, about 1h 46m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Longview, TX and San Antonio, TX.

1

Start on US 80

0.6 mi · 1 min · West Marshall Avenue
2

Turn left onto TX 31; Spur 63

6.8 mi · 8 min · North Spur 63
Use the left lane.
3

Continue on US 259; TX 31

0.6 mi · 41 sec · US Highway 259 North
4

Keep slight right at fork onto US 259 Business; TX 31

1.3 mi · 1 min · US Highway 259 Business North
5

Turn right onto TX 31

29 mi · 34 min · State Highway 31 East
6

Continue on TX 31

1.9 mi · 2 min · Chandler Highway
7

Continue on TX 31

5.6 mi · 6 min · State Highway 31 West
8

Continue on TX 31

2.0 mi · 2 min · East Highway 31
9

Continue on TX 31

21 mi · 23 min · State Highway 31 East
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 45 sec
11

Merge onto US 175; TX 19; TX 31; Loop 7

6.2 mi · 7 min · Jed Robinson Loop
12

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 21 sec
13

Keep slight left at fork

445 ft · 14 sec
14

Turn right onto TX 31

4.0 mi · 4 min · State Highway 31 West
15

Continue on TX 31

5.4 mi · 6 min · East Royall Boulevard
16

Continue on TX 31

9.9 mi · 11 min · State Highway 31 East
17

Continue on TX 31

9.3 mi · 10 min · Northwest 2nd Street
18

Turn left onto TX 31

12 mi · 13 min · Corsicana Bypass
Use the straight lane.
19

At end of road, turn left onto TX 31

19 mi · 21 min · West State Highway 31
20

Continue on TX 31

5.5 mi · 5 min · Hubbard Bypass
21

Continue on TX 31

17 mi · 17 min · State Highway 31
22

Continue on US 84

2.5 mi · 2 min · East US Highway 84
23

Continue on US 84

2.6 mi · 4 min · Bellmead Drive
24

Turn straight onto US 84

0.4 mi · 1 min · East Waco Drive
25

Turn left onto North Jack Kultgen Expressway

519 ft · 12 sec · North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the left / straight lanes.
26

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward I 35 South, US 77 South
27

Merge onto I 35; US 77

6.1 mi · 6 min · North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28

Continue on I 35

38 mi · 39 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

56 mi · 58 min · I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290

50 mi · 54 min · Purple Heart Trail
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street Use the slight left lane.
31

Continue on I 35

1.7 mi · 1 min · Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32

Continue on I 35

12 mi · 12 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33

Continue on I 35

10.0 mi · 11 min · North Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

6.4 mi · 8 min · North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.
35

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

0.6 mi · 41 sec · North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo Use the slight left lane.
36

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 16 sec
Exit 157A Toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro Avenue Use the slight right lane.
37

Turn straight onto East Elmira Street

526 ft · 17 sec · East Elmira Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
38

Turn left onto North Main Avenue

0.2 mi · 18 sec · North Main Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
39

Enter roundabout onto Navarro Street

159 ft · 3 sec · Navarro Street
40

Continue on Navarro Street

111 ft · 2 sec · Navarro Street
41

Keep slight right at fork onto North Main Avenue

0.4 mi · 51 sec · North Main Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
42

Turn right onto West Travis Street

222 ft · 10 sec · West Travis Street
43

Turn left onto North Flores Street

0.2 mi · 20 sec · North Flores Street
44

Continue on Military Plaza

392 ft · 15 sec · Military Plaza
45

Turn left onto Dolorosa Street

327 ft · 8 sec · Dolorosa Street
46

Arrive at destination

Dolorosa Street

Trip Plan

Given the turn-heavy nature of this 363.3-mile route, it is wise to depart early in the morning to ensure you reach San Antonio before fatigue sets in. Plan for at least one substantial stop to break up the nearly six-hour duration and allow for a quick mental reset. Because the drive relies on local roads rather than interstates, your navigation system may require more frequent checking than usual. Prioritize your fuel budget of $54 by keeping an eye on your tank, as you will not always have the convenience of frequent, large-scale highway service centers. Use the flexibility of this one-day itinerary to pull over safely if the local road traffic becomes more demanding than anticipated.

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.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 172.3 miles from Longview, TX, or about 3h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.6 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 34m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 172.3 miles or 3h 18m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 5h 17m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Antonio, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Longview, 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 Longview, TX

This is one driving day of about 344.6 miles and 6h 26m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Longview, 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 99.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 172.3 mi from Longview, TX · 3h 18m into the drive

Downtown Killeen, TX, TX

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Killeen, TX

172 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

Dallas, TX

Fuel and coffee

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

Killeen, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 172.3 miles from Longview, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 99.6 miles.

Arriving in San Antonio, TX

The final approach into San Antonio, 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 San Antonio, 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

$52.64 one way

$105.28 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 121 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $57.69 $115.37
premium $4.59 $62.29 $124.57
diesel $5.64 $76.56 $153.12

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$53

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$78–$103

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 120.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $36 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 103.4 1 $36.18 $16.54
Efficient EV 86.2 0 $30.15 $13.78
EV Truck/SUV 137.8 1 $48.24 $22.05

Gas CO2

121 kg

EV CO2

40 kg (67% 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Longview, TX

Afternoon in Longview on Sunday

Local time

4:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

65°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

San Antonio, TX

Afternoon in San Antonio on Sunday

Local time

4:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

81°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

16 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

6h 26m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Longview, TX to San Antonio, TX covers 344.6 miles and takes about 6h 26m 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 East, I 35. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 172.3 miles from Longview, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $52.64 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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 25 significant decision points across 344.6 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: at 104.2 miles (TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass): Lane positioning matters here; at 263.1 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 336.5 miles (I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Longview, TX to San Antonio, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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