Origin
San Luis, AZ
Late night in San Luis on Wednesday
Local time
3:05 AM
MST
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Luis, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
4h 2m
Distance
217.5 mi
350 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$43
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 50m
★
6 AM
4h 3m
8 AM
4h 29m
10 AM
4h 12m
12 PM
4h 9m
3 PM
4h 13m
5 PM
4h 28m
8 PM
3h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Luis, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
The drive from San Luis, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 217.5 miles and takes about 4h 2m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Blue Star Memorial Highway, Robert A. Vaughan Expressway, South John Wayne Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 143.4 miles on Blue Star Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $43.33 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
108.8 miles from San Luis, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 58m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 2m drive with frequent turns across 217.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Blue Star Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 143.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 95 / Main Street.
Route Complexity
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 217.5 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 95 / Main Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 204.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 213.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 95 / Main Street
Enter roundabout onto US 95 / Main Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
204.9 mi into trip
|
~3h 43m in
Turn left toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
7
213.4 mi into trip
|
~3h 54m in
Take the exit toward Baseline Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 155
Toward Baseline Road
6
214 mi into trip
|
~3h 55m in
|
South Priest Drive
Turn left onto South Priest Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
216 mi into trip
|
~3h 59m in
|
West Broadway Road
Turn right onto West Broadway Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Star Memorial Highway | 143.4 mi | 2h 26m |
| Robert A. Vaughan Expressway | 20.9 mi | 24m |
| South John Wayne Parkway | 14.8 mi | 18m |
| Maricopa Road | 11.8 mi | 13m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 5.8 mi | 6m |
| Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway | 5.7 mi | 6m |
| East Cesar Chavez Boulevard | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 2.3 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Blue Star Memorial Highway
— 143.4 mi, about 2h 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Luis, AZ and Tempe Junction, AZ.
1
Start on Urtuzuastegui Street
20 ft
·
0 sec
·
Urtuzuastegui Street
2
Enter roundabout onto US 95
7 ft
·
0 sec
·
Main Street
3
Continue on US 95
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Main Street
4
Turn right onto East C Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
East C Street
5
Turn left onto 4th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
4th Avenue
6
Turn right onto East Cesar Chavez Boulevard
4.5 mi
·
7 min
·
East Cesar Chavez Boulevard
7
Continue on AZ 195
21 mi
·
24 min
·
Robert A. Vaughan Expressway
8
Continue on AZ 195
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
·
South Araby Road
Use the straight lane.
9
Enter roundabout
113 ft
·
1 sec
10
Continue
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
11
Merge onto I 8
143 mi
·
2 hr 26 min
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Toward AZ 84 East: Maricopa
13
Turn left onto AZ 84
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway
14
Turn left onto AZ 347
15 mi
·
18 min
·
South John Wayne Parkway
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on AZ 347
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Maricopa Road
16
Continue on AZ 347
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Queen Creek Road
17
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Use the left lane.
18
Merge onto I 10
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
19
Continue on I 10
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 155
Toward Baseline Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Turn right onto West Baseline Road
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Baseline Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
22
Turn left onto South Priest Drive
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
South Priest Drive
Use the left lane.
23
Turn right onto West Broadway Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Broadway Road
Use the right lane.
24
Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Roosevelt Street
Use the left lane.
25
At end of road, turn right onto West 13th Street
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
West 13th Street
26
Arrive at destination
West 13th Street
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 108.8 miles from San Luis, AZ, or about 1h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 143.4 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 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 108.8 miles or 1h 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tempe Junction, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving San Luis, AZ 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 Luis, AZ
This is one driving day of about 217.5 miles and 4h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from San Luis, AZ.
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 Blue Star Memorial Highway for about 143.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 108.8 mi from San Luis, AZ · 1h 58m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
109 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 108.8 miles from San Luis, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Blue Star Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 143.4 miles.
Arriving in Tempe Junction, AZ
The final approach into Tempe Junction, AZ 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 Tempe Junction, AZ.
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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$43.33 one way
$86.66 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
76 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $45.85 | $91.71 |
| premium | $5.59 | $47.88 | $95.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $48.02 | $96.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$68–$93
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 76.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 65.3 | 0 | $22.84 | $10.44 |
| Efficient EV | 54.4 | 0 | $19.03 | $8.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 87 | 1 | $30.45 | $13.92 |
Gas CO2
76 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 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.
Destination
Tempe Junction, AZ
Late night in Tempe Junction on Wednesday
Local time
3:05 AM
MST
Current temp
90°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
16 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 2m 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 Luis, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 217.5 miles and takes about 4h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Blue Star Memorial Highway, Robert A. Vaughan Expressway, South John Wayne Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 108.8 miles from San Luis, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $43.33 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 217.5 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 95 / Main Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 204.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 213.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from San Luis, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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