Origin
Plano, TX
Late night in Plano on Friday
Local time
12:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Plano, TX to Fairview, TX
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
15m
Distance
12.5 mi
20 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 18m
8 PM
0h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plano, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Fairview, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Trip Overview
The drive from Plano, TX to Fairview, TX covers 12.5 miles and takes about 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Central Expressway, East 15th Street, Spur 399 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9.4 miles on Central Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.89 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 15m. Total distance: 12.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 15m highway drive covering 12.5 miles, with most of the trip on Central Expressway and East 15th Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 9.4 miles on Central Expressway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Central Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 9.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Central Expressway and East 15th Street. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Central Expressway.
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 12.5 miles you will encounter 7 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 0.6 miles (Central Expressway): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 75 / Central Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Central Expressway
Turn right onto Central Expressway
Navigation decision point
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 75 / Central Expressway
Merge onto US 75 / Central Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
10.3 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 38C
Toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
6
10.6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
4
11.9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Turn slight right toward TX 5 South: Allen
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward TX 5 South: Allen
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 Plano, TX to Fairview, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Srt South along the way.
Srt South
10.3 mi in
|
~12m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Central Expressway | 9.4 mi | 10m |
| East 15th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Spur 399 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South McDonald Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Central Expressway
— 9.4 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plano, TX and Fairview, TX.
1
Start on East 15th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 15th Street
2
Turn right onto Central Expressway
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Central Expressway
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward US 75 North
4
Merge onto US 75
8.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Central Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 38C
Toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto Spur 399
0.5 mi
·
41 sec
·
Spur 399
8
Turn slight right
492 ft
·
17 sec
Toward TX 5 South: Allen
Use the right lane.
9
Turn slight right onto TX 5
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
South McDonald Street
10
Arrive at destination
TX 5
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.89 one way
$3.78 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $2.07 | $4.13 |
| premium | $4.54 | $2.23 | $4.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.76 | $5.52 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.76
Central Expressway
(9.4 mi)
$0.76
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$1
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.31 | $0.60 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5 | 0 | $1.75 | $0.80 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Fairview, TX
Late night in Fairview on Friday
Local time
12:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°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
20 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
15m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Plano, TX to Fairview, TX covers 12.5 miles and takes about 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Central Expressway, East 15th Street, Spur 399. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.2 miles from Plano, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.89 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 12.5 miles you will encounter 7 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 0.6 miles (Central Expressway): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 75 / Central Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Plano, TX to Fairview, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Srt South along the way.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Fairview, TX
More trips to Fairview, TX
Explore more options from Plano, TX or browse trips ending in Fairview, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.