Origin
Plainview, TX
Evening in Plainview on Thursday
Local time
7:00 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Plainview, TX to McKinney, TX
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
44.5 mi
72 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plainview, TX
Wikimedia Commons
McKinney, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Plainview, TX to McKinney, TX covers 44.5 miles and takes about 1h 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West University Drive, FM 1173, US Highway 380 East for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.1 miles on West University Drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.72 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 44.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Plainview, TX to McKinney, TX covers 44.5 miles and takes about 1h 11m, 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 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West University Drive is the longest continuous segment at about 15.1 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 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Plainview Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 44.5 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (Plainview Road): Navigation decision point; near the start (FM 1173): Navigation decision point; at 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Plainview Road
Turn right onto Plainview Road
Navigation decision point
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
FM 1173
Turn right onto FM 1173
Navigation decision point
5
15 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward US 380, US 377: Decatur, McKinney
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 380, US 377: Decatur, McKinney
9
15.3 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 377, US 380: McKinney
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Toward US 377, US 380: McKinney
5
41.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward US 75 South, TX 121 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 75 South, TX 121 South
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 Plainview, TX to McKinney, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Loop 288 East along the way.
Loop 288 East
8.8 mi in
|
~18m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West University Drive | 15.1 mi | 21m |
| FM 1173 | 8.5 mi | 17m |
| US Highway 380 East | 8.2 mi | 12m |
| North Loop 288 | 6.1 mi | 7m |
| East University Drive | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| West Louisiana Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| North Central Expressway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| North Interstate 35 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
West University Drive
— 15.1 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plainview, TX and McKinney, TX.
1
Start on this road
70 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Plainview Road
138 ft
·
9 sec
·
Plainview Road
3
Turn right onto FM 1173
8.5 mi
·
17 min
·
FM 1173
4
At end of road, turn right onto North Interstate 35
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
North Interstate 35
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward Loop 288 East
6
Continue on Loop 288; US 380 Truck
6.1 mi
·
7 min
·
North Loop 288
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Toward US 380, US 377: Decatur, McKinney
8
Keep slight right at fork
204 ft
·
7 sec
Toward US 377, US 380: McKinney
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
9
Turn left onto US 380
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
East University Drive
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Continue on US 377; US 380
8.2 mi
·
12 min
·
US Highway 380 East
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on US 380
7.6 mi
·
10 min
·
West University Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on US 380
7.6 mi
·
11 min
·
West University Drive
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Take the exit
227 ft
·
6 sec
Toward US 75 South, TX 121 South
14
Turn slight right onto North Central Expressway
267 ft
·
4 sec
·
North Central Expressway
15
Continue on North Central Expressway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
North Central Expressway
16
Turn left onto West Louisiana Street
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
West Louisiana Street
17
Turn left onto North Tennessee Street
119 ft
·
3 sec
·
North Tennessee Street
18
Arrive at destination
North Tennessee Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22.3 mi from Plainview, TX · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.3 miles from Plainview, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in McKinney, TX
The final approach into McKinney, 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
$6.72 one way
$13.45 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $7.36 | $14.72 |
| premium | $4.54 | $7.95 | $15.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.83 | $19.65 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.09
Central Expressway
(1.2 mi)
$0.09
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$0
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.67 | $2.14 |
| Efficient EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.89 | $1.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.23 | $2.85 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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.
Destination
McKinney, TX
Evening in McKinney on Thursday
Local time
7:00 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
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
1h 11m 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 Plainview, TX to McKinney, TX covers 44.5 miles and takes about 1h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West University Drive, FM 1173, US Highway 380 East. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22.3 miles from Plainview, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.72 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 44.5 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (Plainview Road): Navigation decision point; near the start (FM 1173): Navigation decision point; at 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Plainview, TX to McKinney, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Loop 288 East along the way.
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