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Trip from San Antonio, TX to Reno, TX

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

5h 21m

Distance

288.7 mi

465 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$44

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min
4 AM
5h 8m ★
6 AM
5h 22m
8 AM
5h 49m
10 AM
5h 31m
12 PM
5h 29m
3 PM
5h 33m
5 PM
5h 47m
8 PM
5h 14m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown San Antonio, TX, TX

San Antonio, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Reno, TX, TX

Reno, TX

Thomas balabaud

Trip Overview

The drive from San Antonio, TX to Reno, TX covers 288.7 miles and takes about 5h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Purple Heart Trail, I 35W, North Pan Am Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 188.3 miles on Purple Heart Trail. At current regular gas prices, budget about $43.62 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

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

144.3 miles from San Antonio, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 38m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 21m. Total distance: 288.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 5h 21m drive with frequent turns across 288.7 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Purple Heart Trail is the longest continuous segment at about 188.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

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 18 significant decision points across 288.7 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 0.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.7 miles (North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 18 key points

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

7
0.9 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the ramp toward US 281 North, I 37 North

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 281 North, I 37 North
7
1.9 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the exit toward I 35 North: Austin

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 142A Toward I 35 North: Austin
7
10.7 mi into trip | ~14m in | North Pan Am Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35: Austin

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 35: Austin
7
214.9 mi into trip | ~3h 51m in | I 35W

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W toward I 35W: Fort Worth

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 35W: Fort Worth
7
265.3 mi into trip | ~4h 44m in

Take the exit toward I 30 West: Abilene

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 51A Toward I 30 West: Abilene

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Purple Heart Trail 188.3 mi 3h 18m
I 35W 50.4 mi 52m
North Pan Am Expressway 15.6 mi 18m
Jacksboro Highway 13.3 mi 17m
South Jack Kultgen Expressway 6.6 mi 7m
Boyd Road 2.5 mi 4m
East Reno Road 2.1 mi 5m
Lake Worth Boulevard 2 mi 3m
Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 188.3 mi, about 3h 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Antonio, TX and Reno, 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 · 45 sec · East Market Street
4

Turn left

363 ft · 13 sec
Use the left lane.
5

Turn straight onto East Commerce Street

216 ft · 12 sec · East Commerce Street
6

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward US 281 North, I 37 North
7

Merge onto I 37; US 281

0.8 mi · 55 sec · William J Bordelon Freeway
8

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 142A Toward I 35 North: Austin Use the slight right lane.
9

Merge onto I 35

8.2 mi · 10 min · North Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto North Pan Am Expressway

7.4 mi · 8 min · North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35: Austin Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 35

12 mi · 12 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Continue on I 35

1.9 mi · 2 min · Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on I 35

48 mi · 52 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290

96 mi · 1 hr 40 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Continue on I 35

6.6 mi · 7 min · South Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Continue on I 35; US 77

33 mi · 33 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W

50 mi · 52 min · I 35W
Toward I 35W: Fort Worth Use the slight left lane.
18

Take the exit

1.1 mi · 2 min
Exit 51A Toward I 30 West: Abilene Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Exit 13B Toward TX 199: Henderson Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Keep slight left at fork

231 ft · 5 sec
Toward Henderson Street
21

Keep slight right at fork

325 ft · 8 sec
Use the right lane.
22

Turn slight right onto TX 199

1.1 mi · 1 min · Henderson Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
23

Enter roundabout onto North Henderson Street

158 ft · 2 sec · North Henderson Street
24

Continue on North Henderson Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Henderson Street
25

Continue on TX 199

4.5 mi · 7 min · Jacksboro Highway
Use the left lane.
26

Continue on TX 199

2.0 mi · 3 min · Lake Worth Boulevard
Use the straight / left lanes.
27

Take the exit onto TX 199

8.8 mi · 9 min · Jacksboro Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 13 sec
Toward FM 730: Boyd Use the slight right lane.
29

Turn straight onto Northwest Parkway

484 ft · 12 sec · Northwest Parkway
30

Turn right onto FM 730

2.5 mi · 4 min · Boyd Road
31

Turn left onto FM 1542

2.1 mi · 5 min · East Reno Road
32

Arrive at destination

FM 1542

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 144.3 miles from San Antonio, TX, or about 2h 38m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 188.3 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 64 miles or 1h 13m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 144.3 miles or 2h 38m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 14m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Reno, 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 288.7 miles and 5h 21m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 64 miles from San Antonio, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Purple Heart Trail for about 188.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 144.3 mi from San Antonio, TX · 2h 38m into the drive

city in Bell County, Texas

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Troy, TX

144 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

Buda, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 64 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Troy, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 144.3 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 Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 188.3 miles.

Arriving in Reno, TX

The final approach into Reno, 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 Reno, TX.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Waco Mammoth National Monument

Waco Mammoth National Monument

National Monument

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 ~12 min detour Free near mile 179.2
View on nps.gov
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

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...

9 mi from route ~22 min detour Free
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$43.62 one way

$87.25 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 101 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $47.75 $95.50
premium $4.54 $51.55 $103.09
diesel $5.61 $63.74 $127.48

Estimated Tolls: $0.01

Northwest Parkway (0.1 mi) $0.01

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$44

Tolls

$0

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$69–$94

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 101 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $30 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 86.6 1 $30.31 $13.86
Efficient EV 72.2 0 $25.26 $11.55
EV Truck/SUV 115.5 1 $40.42 $18.48

Gas CO2

101 kg

EV CO2

34 kg (66% 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

San Antonio, TX

Night in San Antonio on Thursday

Local time

11:20 PM

CDT

Current temp

77°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Reno, TX

Night in Reno on Thursday

Local time

11:20 PM

CDT

Current temp

58°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

60°F

Troy, TX

144 mi in

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

19 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

5h 21m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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 Reno, TX covers 288.7 miles and takes about 5h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Purple Heart Trail, I 35W, North Pan Am Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 144.3 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 $43.62 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break 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 18 significant decision points across 288.7 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 0.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.7 miles (North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from San Antonio, TX to Reno, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Waco Mammoth National Monument and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

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Reno, TX to San Antonio, TX

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