Origin
Rio Hondo, TX
Afternoon in Rio Hondo on Sunday
Local time
2:20 PM
CDT
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rio Hondo, TX to Dallas, TX
Drive Time
8h 6m
Distance
539.7 mi
869 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$82
one way
Rio Hondo, TX
Nacho Monge
Dallas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Rio Hondo, TX to Dallas, TX covers 539.7 miles and takes about 8h 6m 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 $82.44 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
269.9 miles from Rio Hondo, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 3m into the drive .
Drive Character
At 539.7 miles and 8h 6m 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 47 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 6m, 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 6m, 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 Dallas, 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 Dallas, TX.
1
Start on Colorado Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Colorado Avenue
2
Keep slight right to continue on West Colorado Avenue
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
West Colorado Avenue
3
Turn straight onto Combes Rio Hondo Road
8.5 mi
·
11 min
·
Combes Rio Hondo Road
4
Continue on Templeton Street
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Templeton Street
5
Turn right onto Interstate 69E Frontage Road
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Interstate 69E Frontage Road
6
Take the ramp slight left
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
7
Merge slight left onto U.S. Highway 77
84 mi
·
1 hr 33 min
·
U.S. Highway 77
8
Keep slight left
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
9
Merge slight right
1.2 mi
·
1 min
10
Continue on U.S. Highway 77
12 mi
·
12 min
·
U.S. Highway 77
11
Take the exit slight right
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
12
Turn straight onto US Highway 77 Frontage Road
486 ft
·
18 sec
·
US Highway 77 Frontage Road
13
Turn right onto County Road 10
1.0 mi
·
4 min
·
County Road 10
14
Turn left onto County Road 79
4.0 mi
·
15 min
·
County Road 79
15
Turn left onto County Road 18
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
County Road 18
16
Turn sharp right
1.1 mi
·
2 min
17
Take the ramp straight
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
18
Merge slight left onto Driscoll Bypass
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Driscoll Bypass
19
Continue on U.S. Highway 77
13 mi
·
14 min
·
U.S. Highway 77
20
Merge slight left
1.4 mi
·
1 min
21
Keep slight left
1.3 mi
·
1 min
22
Continue straight
18 mi
·
18 min
23
Take the exit slight right toward TX 359: Mathis, Skidmore
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
TX 359: Mathis, Skidmore
24
Turn right onto State Highway 359
12 mi
·
16 min
·
State Highway 359
25
At the end of the road, turn left onto South 8th Street
0.8 mi
·
56 sec
·
South 8th Street
26
Continue on US Highway 181 South
40 mi
·
45 min
·
US Highway 181 South
27
Continue on South Sunset Strip Drive
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
South Sunset Strip Drive
28
Turn right onto West Main Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
29
Keep slight left to continue on East Main Street
233 ft
·
4 sec
·
East Main Street
30
Continue on Helena Road
8.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Helena Road
31
Turn straight onto State Highway 80
24 mi
·
25 min
·
State Highway 80
32
Continue on South Nixon Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Nixon Avenue
33
Continue on State Highway 80 North
31 mi
·
35 min
·
State Highway 80 North
34
Continue on US 183
10 mi
·
11 min
·
US 183
35
Continue on South Colorado Street
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
South Colorado Street
36
Continue on United States Highway 183
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
United States Highway 183
37
Keep slight left to continue on TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco
38
Merge slight left onto Pickle Parkway
59 mi
·
54 min
·
Pickle Parkway
39
Keep slight left to continue on I 35 North: Waco
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
I 35 North: Waco
40
Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail
65 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
41
Continue on South Jack Kultgen Expressway
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
South Jack Kultgen Expressway
42
Continue on Purple Heart Trail
33 mi
·
33 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
43
Keep slight right to continue on I 35E: Dallas
58 mi
·
1 hr
·
I 35E: Dallas
44
Take the exit slight right toward Continental Avenue
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Continental Avenue
45
Turn right onto Continental Avenue
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Continental Avenue
46
Turn slight right onto North Lamar Street
433 ft
·
11 sec
·
North Lamar Street
47
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 269.9 miles from Rio Hondo, TX, or about 4h 3m 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 119 miles or 1h 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 269.9 miles or 4h 3m 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 269.9 miles or 4h 3m
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 12m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dallas, 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 270 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Dallas, TX
Aim for roughly 270 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 119 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 269.9 mi from Rio Hondo, TX · 4h 3m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
178 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
356 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, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
270 mi · about 4.1h in
A practical overnight split lands near Austin, TX after about 270 miles or 4.1 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 119 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 269.9 miles from Rio Hondo, 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 270 miles or 4.1 hours on the road.
Arriving in Dallas, TX
The final approach into Dallas, 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 Dallas, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Dallas, 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
$82.44 one way
$164.88 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
189 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $90.35 | $180.69 |
| premium | $4.59 | $97.55 | $195.10 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $119.90 | $239.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$82
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$212–$322
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 188.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $57 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 161.9 | 1 | $56.67 | $25.91 |
| Efficient EV | 134.9 | 1 | $47.22 | $21.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 215.9 | 2 | $75.56 | $34.54 |
Gas CO2
189 kg
EV CO2
63 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.
Destination
Dallas, TX
Afternoon in Dallas on Sunday
Local time
2:20 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°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
29 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 6m 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 Dallas, TX covers 539.7 miles and takes about 8h 6m 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 270 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 269.9 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 $82.44 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 6m, 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 Dallas, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Rio Hondo, TX to Dallas, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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