The drive from Plano, TX to Richland Hills, TX covers 40.7 miles and takes about 47m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on SH 183 TEXpress, Central Expressway, Lyndon B Johnson Freeway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.5 miles on SH 183 TEXpress.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.15 one way before food or hotel costs.
Plano is a city of 285,000 people (2020) in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex region of Texas and is north of Dallas. It is home to the headquarters of several large corporations.
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 40.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 47m highway drive covering 40.7 miles, with most of the trip on SH 183 TEXpress and Central Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 13.5 miles on SH 183 TEXpress.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
SH 183 TEXpress is the longest continuous segment at about 13.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on SH 183 TEXpress and Central Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Central Expressway.
Driving Effort10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 40.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Central Expressway): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|Central Expressway
Turn left onto Central Expressway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
7.8 mi into trip|~9m in
Take the exit toward I 635
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 21
Toward I 635
7
8.1 mi into trip|~9m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 635 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 635 West
7
16.1 mi into trip|~18m in
Take the exit toward I 35E South: Dallas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Exit 27C
Toward I 35E South: Dallas
7
18.8 mi into trip|~21m in|North Walton Walker Boulevard
Keep slight right at fork onto North Walton Walker Boulevard toward Loop 12 South: Irving, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 436A
Toward Loop 12 South: Irving, Dallas Fort Worth...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Plano, TX and Richland Hills, TX, road signs point toward Loop 12 South: Irving and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
Loop 12 South: Irving
18.8 mi in|~21m|via North Walton Walker Boulevard
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
18.8 mi in|~21m|via North Walton Walker Boulevard
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
SH 183 TEXpress
13.5 mi
13m
Central Expressway
7 mi
7m
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
4.8 mi
5m
Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway
2.4 mi
2m
South Stemmons Freeway
2.2 mi
2m
Loop 12 TEXpress
2.2 mi
2m
SH 121/183 TEXpress
2.1 mi
2m
Boulevard 26
1.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
SH 183 TEXpress
— 13.5 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plano, TX and Richland Hills, TX.
1
Start on East 15th Street
0.6 mi·1 min·East 15th Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn left onto Central Expressway
0.2 mi·17 sec·Central Expressway
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·19 sec
Toward US 75 South
4
Merge onto US 75
6.8 mi·7 min·Central Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Exit 21Toward I 635Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.9 mi·55 sec
Toward I 635 WestUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 635
2.4 mi·2 min·Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 635
4.8 mi·5 min·Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·31 sec
Exit 27CToward I 35E South: DallasUse the left / straight lanes.
10
Merge onto I 35E
2.2 mi·2 min·South Stemmons Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto North Walton Walker Boulevard
0.6 mi·39 sec·North Walton Walker Boulevard
Exit 436AToward Loop 12 South: Irving, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi·14 sec
Use the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto Loop 12 TEXpress
2.2 mi·2 min·Loop 12 TEXpress
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto TX 183 TEXpress
13 mi·13 min·SH 183 TEXpress
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on TX 121 TEXpress; TX 183 TEXpress
2.1 mi·2 min·SH 121/183 TEXpress
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi·54 sec
Toward Bedford-Euless RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn straight onto Airport Freeway
0.5 mi·53 sec·Airport Freeway
18
Turn straight onto West Bedford Euless Road
0.6 mi·1 min·West Bedford Euless Road
19
Turn slight left
365 ft·15 sec
20
Turn slight left onto TX 26
1.4 mi·2 min·Boulevard 26
Use the straight lane.
21
Turn left onto Vance Road
0.4 mi·1 min·Vance Road
22
Turn left onto Dover Lane
117 ft·5 sec·Dover Lane
23
Arrive at destination
Dover Lane
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 20.4 miles from Plano, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Richland Hills, TX
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Richland Hills, TX if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.15 one way
$12.30 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg14 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$6.73
$13.46
premium
$4.54
$7.27
$14.53
diesel
$5.61
$8.99
$17.97
Estimated Tolls: $0.56
Central Expressway
(7 mi)$0.56
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
12.2
0
$4.27
$1.95
Efficient EV
10.2
0
$3.56
$1.63
EV Truck/SUV
16.3
0
$5.70
$2.60
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Plano, TX
Morning
in Plano on Saturday
Local time
7:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 15 mph69% chanceLive forecast
Dust Advisory
Dust Advisory issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 4:00AM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued April 18 at 1:48AM CDT until April 19 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Lubbock TX
Destination
Richland Hills, TX
Morning
in Richland Hills on Saturday
Local time
7:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSW 10 to 15 mph64% chanceLive forecast
Dust Advisory
Dust Advisory issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 4:00AM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued April 18 at 1:48AM CDT until April 19 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Lubbock 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
1 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
47m 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 Plano, TX to Richland Hills, TX covers 40.7 miles and takes about 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are SH 183 TEXpress, Central Expressway, Lyndon B Johnson Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.4 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 $6.15 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 is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 40.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Central Expressway): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Plano, TX and Richland Hills, TX, road signs point toward Loop 12 South: Irving and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
