Trip from San Antonio, TX to Alice, TX

Drive Time

2h 16m

Distance

125.1 mi

201 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$19

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 28 min
4 AM
2h 7m ★
6 AM
2h 16m
8 AM
2h 35m
10 AM
2h 23m
12 PM
2h 21m
3 PM
2h 24m
5 PM
2h 34m
8 PM
2h 11m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown San Antonio, TX, TX

San Antonio, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Alice, TX, TX

Alice, TX

Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE

Trip Overview

Traveling from San Antonio to Alice covers 125.1 miles and typically takes about 2 hours and 16 minutes behind the wheel. Because this route stays entirely within the Great Plains region of Texas, you won't experience significant changes in terrain or climate. This trip is best suited as a straightforward day trip, as the duration is manageable for a single outing without the need for an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $19 for fuel to complete the journey. Since there are no mandatory stops included in this route, you have the flexibility to plan your own pace. It is a practical, direct connection between these two South Texas locations.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

62.6 miles from San Antonio, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 5m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route features 0% highway travel. You will navigate through city streets including West Market Street, East Market Street, and Tower of the Americas Way to begin your departure. Because the path relies on local roads, you should stay alert for frequent turns and changing traffic conditions. The lack of high-speed highway stretches means you will experience a more granular, hands-on driving experience throughout the entire 125.1-mile journey. Be prepared to focus on local navigation from start to finish.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Lucian Adams Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 66.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Lucian Adams Freeway and South Nueces Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near Tower of the Americas Way.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 2h 16m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (Tower of the Americas Way): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles (I 37; US 281 / William J Bordelon Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0.8 mi into trip | ~1m in | Tower of the Americas Way

Turn right onto Tower of the Americas Way

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
1 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the ramp toward I 37 South, US 281 South

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 37 South, US 281 South
5
1.2 mi into trip | ~2m in | I 37; US 281 / William J Bordelon Freeway

Merge onto I 37; US 281 / William J Bordelon Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the none lane.
6
69.5 mi into trip | ~1h 12m in | US 281 South

Take the exit onto US 281 South toward US 281 South

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 281 South
5
125.1 mi into trip | ~2h 16m in | East 2nd Street

Turn left onto East 2nd Street

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Lucian Adams Freeway 66.8 mi 1h 8m
South Nueces Street 36.1 mi 36m
US 281 South 15.2 mi 19m
US 281 Business 3.1 mi 4m
William J Bordelon Freeway 1.4 mi 1m
West 3rd Street 0.8 mi 1m
East Market Street 0.4 mi <1m
West Market Street 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Lucian Adams Freeway — 66.8 mi, about 1h 8m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Antonio, TX and Alice, TX.

1

Start on Dolorosa Street

143 ft · 4 sec · Dolorosa Street
2

Continue on West Market Street

0.4 mi · 42 sec · West Market Street
3

Continue on East Market Street

0.4 mi · 40 sec · East Market Street
Use the none lane.
4

Turn right onto Tower of the Americas Way

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Tower of the Americas Way
Use the right lane.
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Toward I 37 South, US 281 South
6

Merge onto I 37; US 281

1.4 mi · 1 min · William J Bordelon Freeway
Use the none lane.
7

Continue on I 37; US 281

67 mi · 1 hr 8 min · Lucian Adams Freeway
Use the none lane.
8

Take the exit onto US 281 South

15 mi · 19 min · US 281 South
Toward US 281 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork onto US 281

36 mi · 36 min · South Nueces Street
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 45 sec
11

Continue on US 281 Business

3.1 mi · 4 min · US 281 Business
12

Turn left onto West 3rd Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · West 3rd Street
13

Turn right onto North Cameron Street

357 ft · 15 sec · North Cameron Street
14

Turn left onto East 2nd Street

94 ft · 4 sec · East 2nd Street
15

Arrive at destination

East 2nd Street

Trip Plan

Given the 2 hour and 16 minute drive time, departing in the morning will give you plenty of flexibility to reach your destination before lunch. Since you aren't tied to a specific highway schedule, feel free to build in your own rest breaks whenever you need to stretch your legs. Keep that $19 fuel budget in mind when you head out, and ensure your tank is ready for the local road conditions. Because this is a turn-heavy route, double-check your GPS settings before leaving San Antonio to ensure you are comfortable with the local road directions. Prioritizing a steady pace will make the 125.1-mile trip feel much more manageable.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 62.6 miles from San Antonio, TX, or about 1h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 66.8 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 80 miles or 1h 25m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 62.6 miles or 1h 5m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 49m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving San Antonio, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from San Antonio, TX

This is one driving day of about 125.1 miles and 2h 16m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from San Antonio, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Lucian Adams Freeway for about 66.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 62.6 mi from San Antonio, TX · 1h 5m into the drive

Downtown Corpus Christi, TX, TX

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Corpus Christi, TX

63 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Corpus Christi, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Corpus Christi, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 62.6 miles from San Antonio, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Lucian Adams Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 66.8 miles.

Arriving in Alice, TX

The final approach into Alice, 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 Alice, TX.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$19.11 one way

$38.22 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 44 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $20.94 $41.88
premium $4.59 $22.61 $45.22
diesel $5.64 $27.79 $55.59

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$19

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$44–$69

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 43.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 37.5 0 $13.14 $6.00
Efficient EV 31.3 0 $10.95 $5.00
EV Truck/SUV 50 0 $17.51 $8.01

Gas CO2

44 kg

EV CO2

15 kg (66% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

San Antonio, TX

Afternoon in San Antonio on Sunday

Local time

3:29 PM

CDT

Current temp

81°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Alice, TX

Afternoon in Alice on Sunday

Local time

3:29 PM

CDT

Current temp

70°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

11 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

2h 16m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from San Antonio, TX to Alice, TX covers 125.1 miles and takes about 2h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Lucian Adams Freeway, South Nueces Street, US 281 South. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 62.6 miles from San Antonio, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.11 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 2h 16m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (Tower of the Americas Way): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles (I 37; US 281 / William J Bordelon Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from San Antonio, TX to Alice, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Alice, TX to San Antonio, TX

Plan the drive back the other way.

125.5 mi 2h 22m

Explore more options from San Antonio, TX or browse trips ending in Alice, TX.

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