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Trip from McKinney, TX to Plainview, TX

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 10m

Distance

44.2 mi

71 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 4m ★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m

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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city in Collin County, Texas, United States

McKinney, TX

Wikimedia Commons

city in and count sear of Hale County, Texas, United States

Plainview, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from McKinney, TX to Plainview, TX covers 44.2 miles and takes about 1h 10m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on East University Drive, US Highway 380 East, FM 1173 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12 miles on East University Drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.68 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 44.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (40%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

The drive from McKinney, TX to Plainview, TX covers 44.2 miles and takes about 1h 10m, 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 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East University Drive is the longest continuous segment at about 12 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 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Hunt Street.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 44.2 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.1 miles (Hunt Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (US 380 / West University Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 29 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Hunt Street

Turn right onto Hunt Street

Navigation decision point

4
1.1 mi into trip | ~2m in | US 380 / West University Drive

Turn left onto US 380 / West University Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
29 mi into trip | ~42m in

Take the exit toward US 380 Truck, Loop 288

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

Toward US 380 Truck, Loop 288
4
34.3 mi into trip | ~49m in

Take the exit toward US 77

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward US 77
4
35.7 mi into trip | ~52m in | FM 1173

Turn right onto FM 1173

Navigation decision point

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from McKinney, TX to Plainview, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Loop 288 along the way.

Loop 288

29 mi in | ~42m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
East University Drive 12 mi 16m
US Highway 380 East 8.9 mi 13m
FM 1173 8.5 mi 17m
West University Drive 7.1 mi 10m
North Loop 288 5 mi 6m
North Elm Street 0.9 mi 1m
North McDonald Street 0.8 mi 1m
North Interstate 35 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: East University Drive — 12 mi, about 16m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between McKinney, TX and Plainview, TX.

1

Start on North Tennessee Street

0.1 mi · 22 sec · North Tennessee Street
2

Turn right onto Hunt Street

0.2 mi · 47 sec · Hunt Street
3

Turn left onto TX 5

0.8 mi · 1 min · North McDonald Street
4

Turn left onto US 380

7.1 mi · 10 min · West University Drive
Use the straight lane.
5

Continue on US 380

9.0 mi · 12 min · East University Drive
Use the left lane.
6

Continue on US 380

8.9 mi · 13 min · US Highway 380 East
Use the left lane.
7

Continue on US 377; US 380

3.0 mi · 4 min · East University Drive
Use the left lane.
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Toward US 380 Truck, Loop 288
9

Merge onto Loop 288; US 380 Truck

5.0 mi · 6 min · North Loop 288
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward US 77
11

Turn right onto Spur 77

0.9 mi · 1 min · North Elm Street
12

Turn left onto North Interstate 35

0.3 mi · 27 sec · North Interstate 35
13

Turn right onto FM 1173

8.5 mi · 17 min · FM 1173
14

Turn left onto Plainview Road

138 ft · 10 sec · Plainview Road
15

Turn left

70 ft · 5 sec
16

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 22.1 mi from McKinney, TX · 32m into the drive

city in Denton County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Aubrey, TX

22 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

Prosper, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Aubrey, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 22.1 miles from McKinney, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Plainview, TX

The final approach into Plainview, TX usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.68 one way

$13.36 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $7.31 $14.62
premium $4.54 $7.89 $15.78
diesel $5.61 $9.76 $19.52

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.3 0 $4.64 $2.12
Efficient EV 11.1 0 $3.87 $1.77
EV Truck/SUV 17.7 0 $6.19 $2.83

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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 as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

McKinney, TX

Afternoon in McKinney on Thursday

Local time

4:37 PM

CDT

Current temp

87°F

Mostly Sunny

S 15 mph 4% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 16 at 12:44PM CDT until April 16 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 16 at 12:44PM CDT until April 17 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX

Destination

Plainview, TX

Afternoon in Plainview on Thursday

Local time

4:37 PM

CDT

Current temp

71°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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 cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 10m 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 McKinney, TX to Plainview, TX covers 44.2 miles and takes about 1h 10m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East University Drive, US Highway 380 East, FM 1173. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22.1 miles from McKinney, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.68 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.2 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.1 miles (Hunt Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (US 380 / West University Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 29 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from McKinney, TX to Plainview, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Loop 288 along the way.

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Return Trip

Plainview, TX to McKinney, TX

Plan the drive back the other way.

44.5 mi 1h 11m

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