Origin
Mercedes, TX
Morning in Mercedes on Sunday
Local time
10:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mercedes, TX to Garland, TX
Drive Time
9h 54m
Distance
686.2 mi
1,104 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$105
one way
Photo: Thomas balabaud
Trip Overview
The drive from Mercedes, TX to Garland, TX covers 686.2 miles and takes about 9h 54m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on East Expressway 83, I 69C North, Nueces Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $104.82 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
343.1 miles from Mercedes, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 57m into the drive .
Drive Character
At 686.2 miles and 9h 54m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are East Expressway 83 and I 69C North.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 36 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East Expressway 83 is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 9h 54m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. A moderate number of decision points keep you engaged without being stressful.
Route Complexity
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 686.2 miles you will encounter 0 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?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Mercedes, TX to Garland, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Expressway 83 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 69C North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Nueces Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| King David Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Helena Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 80 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
East Expressway 83
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mercedes, TX and Garland, TX.
1
Start on South Texas Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Texas Avenue
2
Turn left onto East Expressway 83
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
East Expressway 83
3
Take the ramp slight left
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
4
Merge slight left
16 mi
·
18 min
5
Take the exit slight right toward I 69C North, US 281: Edinburg
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 69C North, US 281: Edinburg
6
Continue straight
22 mi
·
23 min
7
Continue straight
57 mi
·
1 hr
8
Keep slight right
70 mi
·
1 hr 19 min
9
Keep slight left to continue on Nueces Street
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Nueces Street
10
Turn right onto King David Drive
32 mi
·
39 min
·
King David Drive
11
Continue on West Main Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
12
Keep slight left to continue on East Main Street
233 ft
·
4 sec
·
East Main Street
13
Continue on Helena Road
8.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Helena Road
14
Turn straight onto State Highway 80
24 mi
·
25 min
·
State Highway 80
15
Continue on South Nixon Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Nixon Avenue
16
Continue on State Highway 80 North
31 mi
·
35 min
·
State Highway 80 North
17
Continue on US 183
10 mi
·
11 min
·
US 183
18
Continue on South Colorado Street
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
South Colorado Street
19
Continue on United States Highway 183
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
United States Highway 183
20
Keep slight left to continue on TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco
21
Merge slight left onto Pickle Parkway
59 mi
·
54 min
·
Pickle Parkway
22
Keep slight left to continue on I 35 North: Waco
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
I 35 North: Waco
23
Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail
65 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
24
Continue on South Jack Kultgen Expressway
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
South Jack Kultgen Expressway
25
Continue on Purple Heart Trail
33 mi
·
33 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
26
Keep slight right to continue on I 35E: Dallas
56 mi
·
58 min
·
I 35E: Dallas
27
Take the exit slight right toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin Street
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin Street
28
Keep slight left to continue on I 35E North, I 30 West: Denton, Fort Worth, Texarkana
423 ft
·
6 sec
·
I 35E North, I 30 West: Denton, Fort Worth, Texarkana
29
Keep slight right to continue on I 30 East: Texarkana, Convention Center
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 30 East: Texarkana, Convention Center
30
Keep slight left to continue on I 30 East: Texarkana
384 ft
·
6 sec
·
I 30 East: Texarkana
31
Continue on East R L Thornton Freeway
7.5 mi
·
9 min
·
East R L Thornton Freeway
32
Keep slight left to continue on East R L Thornton Freeway
125 mi
·
2 hr 8 min
·
East R L Thornton Freeway
33
Take the exit slight right toward US 259: De Kalb, Daingerfield
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
US 259: De Kalb, Daingerfield
34
Turn left onto US Highway 259 North
17 mi
·
24 min
·
US Highway 259 North
35
Turn left
2.1 mi
·
5 min
36
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
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.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 343.1 miles from Mercedes, TX, or about 4h 57m into the drive.
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 151 miles or 2h 10m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 343.1 miles or 4h 57m 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 343.1 miles or 4h 57m
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 9h 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Garland, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Mercedes, 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 Mercedes, TX
Aim for roughly 343 miles and 5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Garland, TX
Aim for roughly 343 miles and 5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 151 miles from Mercedes, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 343.1 mi from Mercedes, TX · 4h 57m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
226 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
453 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 Arlington, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
343 mi · about 5h in
A practical overnight split lands near Austin, TX after about 343 miles or 5 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 151 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 343.1 miles from Mercedes, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 343 miles or 5 hours on the road.
Arriving in Garland, TX
The final approach into Garland, 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 Garland, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Garland, TX with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$104.82 one way
$209.64 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
240 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $114.87 | $229.74 |
| premium | $4.59 | $124.03 | $248.06 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $152.45 | $304.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$105
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$235–$345
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 240.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $72 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 205.9 | 2 | $72.05 | $32.94 |
| Efficient EV | 171.6 | 1 | $60.04 | $27.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 274.5 | 3 | $96.07 | $43.92 |
Gas CO2
240 kg
EV CO2
80 kg (67% less)
Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Destination
Garland, TX
Morning in Garland on Sunday
Local time
10:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
81°F
San Antonio, TX
226 mi in
80°F
Arlington, TX
453 mi in
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
9 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
9h 54m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Mercedes, TX to Garland, TX covers 686.2 miles and takes about 9h 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East Expressway 83, I 69C North, Nueces Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 343 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 343.1 miles from Mercedes, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $104.82 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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 686.2 miles you will encounter 0 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Mercedes, TX to Garland, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Mercedes, TX to Garland, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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