Trip from Rio Hondo, TX to Arlington, TX

Drive Time

8h 14m

Distance

543.5 mi

875 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$83

one way

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Photo: Jeff Stapleton

Trip Overview

The drive from Rio Hondo, TX to Arlington, TX covers 543.5 miles and takes about 8h 14m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on West Colorado Avenue, Combes Rio Hondo Road, Templeton Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $83.02 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

271.8 miles from Rio Hondo, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 7m into the drive .

Drive Character

At 543.5 miles and 8h 14m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are West Colorado Avenue and Combes Rio Hondo Road.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 56 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

West Colorado Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

At 8h 14m, 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.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 14m, 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 Rio Hondo, TX to Arlington, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
West Colorado Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
Combes Rio Hondo Road	Unavailable	Refreshing
Templeton Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Interstate 69E	Unavailable	Refreshing
Highway 77	Unavailable	Refreshing
County Road 10	Unavailable	Refreshing
County Road 79	Unavailable	Refreshing
County Road 18	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: West Colorado Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rio Hondo, TX and Arlington, TX.

Start on Colorado Avenue

0.7 mi · 1 min · Colorado Avenue

Keep slight right to continue on West Colorado Avenue

0.3 mi · 22 sec · West Colorado Avenue

Turn straight onto Combes Rio Hondo Road

8.5 mi · 11 min · Combes Rio Hondo Road

Continue on Templeton Street

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Templeton Street

Turn right onto Interstate 69E Frontage Road

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Interstate 69E Frontage Road

Take the ramp slight left

0.2 mi · 24 sec

Merge slight left onto U.S. Highway 77

84 mi · 1 hr 33 min · U.S. Highway 77

Keep slight left

0.2 mi · 14 sec

Merge slight right

1.2 mi · 1 min

Continue on U.S. Highway 77

12 mi · 12 min · U.S. Highway 77

Take the exit slight right

0.3 mi · 34 sec

Turn straight onto US Highway 77 Frontage Road

486 ft · 18 sec · US Highway 77 Frontage Road

Turn right onto County Road 10

1.0 mi · 4 min · County Road 10

Turn left onto County Road 79

4.0 mi · 15 min · County Road 79

Turn left onto County Road 18

0.2 mi · 44 sec · County Road 18

Turn sharp right

1.1 mi · 2 min

Take the ramp straight

0.4 mi · 57 sec

Merge slight left onto Driscoll Bypass

2.3 mi · 2 min · Driscoll Bypass

Continue on U.S. Highway 77

13 mi · 14 min · U.S. Highway 77

Merge slight left

1.4 mi · 1 min

Keep slight left

1.3 mi · 1 min

Continue straight

18 mi · 18 min

Take the exit slight right toward TX 359: Mathis, Skidmore

0.2 mi · 33 sec · TX 359: Mathis, Skidmore

Turn right onto State Highway 359

12 mi · 16 min · State Highway 359

At the end of the road, turn left onto South 8th Street

0.8 mi · 56 sec · South 8th Street

Continue on US Highway 181 South

40 mi · 45 min · US Highway 181 South

Continue on South Sunset Strip Drive

1.2 mi · 1 min · South Sunset Strip Drive

Turn right onto West Main Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Main Street

Keep slight left to continue on East Main Street

233 ft · 4 sec · East Main Street

Continue on Helena Road

8.4 mi · 10 min · Helena Road

Turn straight onto State Highway 80

24 mi · 25 min · State Highway 80

Continue on South Nixon Avenue

1.0 mi · 2 min · South Nixon Avenue

Continue on State Highway 80 North

31 mi · 35 min · State Highway 80 North

Continue on US 183

10 mi · 11 min · US 183

Continue on South Colorado Street

4.9 mi · 8 min · South Colorado Street

Continue on United States Highway 183

0.2 mi · 17 sec · United States Highway 183

Keep slight left to continue on TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco

0.5 mi · 35 sec · TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco

Merge slight left onto Pickle Parkway

59 mi · 54 min · Pickle Parkway

Keep slight left to continue on I 35 North: Waco

0.4 mi · 50 sec · I 35 North: Waco

Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail

65 mi · 1 hr 6 min · Purple Heart Trail

Continue on South Jack Kultgen Expressway

6.6 mi · 7 min · South Jack Kultgen Expressway

Continue on Purple Heart Trail

33 mi · 33 min · Purple Heart Trail

Keep slight left to continue on I 35W: Fort Worth

45 mi · 47 min · I 35W: Fort Worth

Take the exit slight right toward I 20 East: Dallas

0.3 mi · 43 sec · I 20 East: Dallas

Keep slight left to continue on I 20 East: Dallas

0.5 mi · 58 sec · I 20 East: Dallas

Merge slight left onto Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

5.7 mi · 6 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

Keep slight left to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

4.6 mi · 4 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

Take the exit slight right toward FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield

0.2 mi · 26 sec · FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield

Continue on West Interstate 20

0.3 mi · 25 sec · West Interstate 20

Turn left onto South Cooper Street

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Cooper Street

Keep slight right to continue on South Cooper Street

1.7 mi · 2 min · South Cooper Street

Turn right onto West Pioneer Parkway

0.5 mi · 51 sec · West Pioneer Parkway

Turn left onto South Center Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · South Center Street

Continue on South Mesquite Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · South Mesquite Street

Turn left onto East Abram Street

0.1 mi · 26 sec · East Abram Street

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.

Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 271.8 miles from Rio Hondo, TX, or about 4h 7m into the drive.

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 120 miles or 1h 49m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 271.8 miles or 4h 7m 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 271.8 miles or 4h 7m

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 7h 19m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arlington, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Rio Hondo, 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 Rio Hondo, TX

Aim for roughly 272 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Arlington, TX

Aim for roughly 272 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 120 miles from Rio Hondo, TX.

This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.

Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 271.8 mi from Rio Hondo, TX · 4h 7m into the drive

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

San Antonio, TX

179 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.

Popular next leg

San Antonio, TX to Arlington, TX

276.9 mi · 5h 2m

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Killeen, TX

359 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, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Austin, TX

272 mi · about 4.1h in

A practical overnight split lands near Austin, TX after about 272 miles or 4.1 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Corpus Christi, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 120 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Austin, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 271.8 miles from Rio Hondo, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 272 miles or 4.1 hours on the road.

Arriving in Arlington, TX

The final approach into Arlington, 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 Arlington, TX.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Arlington, 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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$83.02 one way

$166.05 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 190 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$90.98	$181.97
premium	$4.59	$98.24	$196.47
diesel	$5.64	$120.75	$241.49

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$83

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$213–$323

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 190.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $57 in charging · 2 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	163	2	$57.07	$26.09
Efficient EV	135.9	1	$47.56	$21.74
EV Truck/SUV	217.4	2	$76.09	$34.78

Gas CO2

190 kg

EV CO2

64 kg (66% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Rio Hondo, TX

Afternoon in Rio Hondo on Sunday

Local time

1:09 PM

CDT

Current temp

90°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Arlington, TX

Afternoon in Arlington on Sunday

Local time

1:09 PM

CDT

Current temp

80°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.

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

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

10 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

8h 14m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Rio Hondo, TX to Arlington, TX covers 543.5 miles and takes about 8h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are West Colorado Avenue, Combes Rio Hondo Road, Templeton Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 272 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 271.8 miles from Rio Hondo, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $83.02 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.

The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 14m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rio Hondo, TX to Arlington, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Rio Hondo, TX to Arlington, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Arlington, TX to Rio Hondo, TX

Plan the drive back the other way.

508.5 mi 9h 21m

Explore more options from Rio Hondo, TX or browse trips ending in Arlington, TX.

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