The drive from Rhode Island, TX to Falfurrias, TX covers 428.6 miles and takes about 7h 28m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on TX 130 Toll, South Nueces Street, I 37 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 86.1 miles on TX 130 Toll.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $64.76 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
214.3 miles from Rhode Island, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 41m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 28m. Total distance: 428.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 28m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Drive Character
This is a 7h 28m highway drive covering 428.6 miles, with most of the trip on TX 130 Toll and South Nueces Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 86.1 miles on TX 130 Toll.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 41 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
TX 130 Toll is the longest continuous segment at about 86.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on TX 130 Toll and South Nueces Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 22.3 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 29 significant decision points across 428.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 22.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 146.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 233.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 29 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
22.3 mi into trip|~24m in
Take the exit toward TX 31: Athens, Waco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 227
Toward TX 31: Athens, Waco
7
146.3 mi into trip|~2h 38m in
Take the exit toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 265
Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
7
233.1 mi into trip|~3h 59m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 West: San Antonio
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 10 West: San Antonio
8
274.4 mi into trip|~4h 42m in
Take the exit toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi
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 41
Toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus...
7
274.6 mi into trip|~4h 42m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 37 South: Corpus Christi
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 37 South: Corpus Christi
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Rhode Island, TX and Falfurrias, TX, road signs point toward Waco and Corpus Christi.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...
5 mi from route
~13 min detour
Free
near mile 280.8
Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation's first and...
5 mi from route
~13 min detour
Free
near mile 73.9
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $45 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
128.6
1
$45.00
$20.57
Efficient EV
107.2
1
$37.50
$17.14
EV Truck/SUV
171.4
2
$60.00
$27.43
Gas CO2
150 kg
EV CO2
50 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 15, 2026
Origin
Rhode Island, TX
Evening
in Rhode Island on Friday
Local time
5:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Falfurrias, TX
Evening
in Falfurrias on Friday
Local time
5:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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.
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
4 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
7h 28m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Rhode Island, TX to Falfurrias, TX covers 428.6 miles and takes about 7h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are TX 130 Toll, South Nueces Street, I 37. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 214.3 miles from Rhode Island, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $64.76 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 29 significant decision points across 428.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 22.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 146.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 233.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Rhode Island, TX and Falfurrias, TX, road signs point toward Waco and Corpus Christi.
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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
