Origin
Rachal, TX
Afternoon in Rachal on Saturday
Local time
1:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rachal, TX to Falfurrias, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
25m
Distance
23.5 mi
38 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Falfurrias, TX
Thomas balabaud
Trip Overview
Rachal, TX to Falfurrias, TX is 23.5 miles and takes about 25 minutes via US 281, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short highway-focused drive keeps you within the Great Plains region for its entirety. Given its brevity, this trip is ideal for a quick transit or as a brief segment of a larger journey. You'll spend nearly all your time on US 281, making it a straightforward and efficient connection between these two Texas points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 281 | 22 mi | 22m |
| South US Highway 281 | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Rice Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Saint Mary's Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 281
— 22 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rachal, TX and Falfurrias, TX.
1
Start on this road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
2
Merge onto US 281
22 mi
·
22 min
·
US 281
3
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward TX 285: Falfurrias
4
Turn straight onto South US Highway 281
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South US Highway 281
5
Turn left onto TX 285
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
East Rice Street
6
Turn right onto US 281 Business
93 ft
·
1 sec
·
North Saint Mary's Street
7
Arrive at destination
US 281 Business
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 23.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 281
Merge onto US 281
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
22.4 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward TX 285: Falfurrias
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward TX 285: Falfurrias
3
23.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
TX 285 / East Rice Street
Turn left onto TX 285 / East Rice Street
Navigation decision point
4
23.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
US 281 Business / North Saint Mary's Street
Turn right onto US 281 Business / North Saint Mary's Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.55 one way
$7.10 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $3.89 | $7.77 |
| premium | $4.54 | $4.20 | $8.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.19 | $10.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.47 | $1.13 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.06 | $0.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Falfurrias, TX
Afternoon in Falfurrias on Saturday
Local time
1:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
91°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
23 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
25m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 96% of the journey taking place on major roads. You'll primarily navigate US 281, including South US Highway 281 and East Rice Street as you enter Falfurrias. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 22 miles, all on US 281. Expect a consistent, high-speed experience for the majority of this short trip, with minimal deviations from the main highway.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22 mi on US 281.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 281 and South US Highway 281. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near US 281.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 25m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (US 281): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 22.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 23.3 miles (TX 285 / East Rice Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 25m. Total distance: 23.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22 miles on US 281. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (US 281): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 22.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 23.3 miles (TX 285 / East Rice Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Falfurrias, TX before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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