Drive Time
9h 44m
Distance
644.7 mi
1,037 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$98
one way
Photo: Jeff Stapleton
The drive from Port Arthur, TX to Lubbock, TX covers 644.7 miles and takes about 9h 44m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Gulfway Drive, Dowling Road, TX 71 West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $98.48 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
322.3 miles from Port Arthur, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 52m into the drive .
At 644.7 miles and 9h 44m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Gulfway Drive and Dowling Road.
At 9h 44m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 44m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Port Arthur, TX to Lubbock, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Gulfway Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Dowling Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| TX 71 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Bastrop Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 71 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 183 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Bastrop Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Bergstrom Expressway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Step-by-step road directions between Port Arthur, TX and Lubbock, TX.
Start on Augusta Avenue
Turn right onto Gulfway Drive
Continue on Dowling Road
Turn right
Continue straight
Turn straight
Merge slight left
Take the exit slight right toward TX 71 West: La Grange, Austin
Keep slight left
Continue on Bastrop Freeway
Continue on East State Highway 71
Take the exit slight right toward US 183 North, 183 Toll North: Lampasas
Merge slight left onto Bastrop Highway
Continue on Bergstrom Expressway
Continue straight
Continue straight
Continue on North US Highway 183
Continue on South Key Avenue
Continue on North US Highway 281
Keep slight left to continue on North US Highway 183
At the end of the road, turn left
Turn left onto Early Boulevard
Continue on East Commerce Street
Keep slight right to continue on Wallis Avenue
Turn right onto East Walnut Street
Continue on West Walnut Street
Continue on State Highway 153
Keep slight right to continue on State Highway 153
Turn right onto State Highway 70
Continue on Lamar Street
Turn left onto Northwest Georgia Avenue
Take the ramp slight left toward I 20 West: Midland
Merge slight left
Take the exit slight right toward US 84 West: Snyder, Lubbock
Keep slight left
Turn right onto South Avenue F
Keep slight left to continue on North Avenue F
Turn straight onto Ralls Road
Turn left onto East 15th Street
Turn right onto North US Highway 84
Continue on Highway 84
Continue on Trooper Jerry Don Davis Memorial Highway
Continue on East Highway 84
Continue on Slaton Road
Continue on Avenue Q South Drive
Turn right onto 19th Street
Arrive at your destination
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.
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 142 miles or 2h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 322.3 miles or 4h 52m 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 322.3 miles or 4h 52m
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 8h 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lubbock, TX than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Port Arthur, 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 Port Arthur, TX
Aim for roughly 322 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Lubbock, TX
Aim for roughly 322 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 322.3 mi from Port Arthur, TX · 4h 52m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
213 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
426 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 Killeen, TXNight 1
322 mi · about 4.9h in
A practical overnight split lands near Killeen, TX after about 322 miles or 4.9 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 142 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 322.3 miles from Port Arthur, 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 322 miles or 4.9 hours on the road.
The final approach into Lubbock, 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 Lubbock, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Lubbock, 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.
Regular Gas
$98.48 one way
$196.96 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $107.92 | $215.85 |
| premium | $4.59 | $116.53 | $233.06 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $143.23 | $286.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$98
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$228–$338
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 225.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $68 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 193.4 | 2 | $67.69 | $30.95 |
| Efficient EV | 161.2 | 1 | $56.41 | $25.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 257.9 | 3 | $90.26 | $41.26 |
Gas CO2
226 kg
EV CO2
75 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. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.
Origin
Evening in Port Arthur on Saturday
Local time
5:04 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Destination
Evening in Lubbock on Saturday
Local time
5:04 PM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Along the Route
65°F
Austin, TX
213 mi in
60°F
Killeen, TX
426 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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