Origin
Sulphur Springs, TX
Late night in Sulphur Springs on Saturday
Local time
2:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sulphur Springs, TX to Laredo, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 39m
Distance
524.9 mi
845 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$79
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
7h 30m
★
6 AM
7h 39m
8 AM
7h 59m
10 AM
7h 46m
12 PM
7h 44m
3 PM
7h 47m
5 PM
7h 58m
8 PM
7h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sulphur Springs, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Laredo, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Sulphur Springs, TX to Laredo, TX covers 524.9 miles and takes about 7h 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Gilmer Street, South Broadway Street, Industrial Drive West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $79.31 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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
262.4 miles from Sulphur Springs, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 49m into the drive .
About the Cities
Starting in Sulphur Springs, TX
Full guide →Sulphur Springs was founded in 1854, though it was then known as "Bright Star", and is in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas. Though the springs that brought about the name have more or less vanished, it is now known as "The Dairy Capital of Texas", with a museum cultured to that very point, even if the dairy industry has waned a bit around here in the early 21st century.
Arriving in Laredo, TX
Full guide →Laredo is a city with 262,000 (2019) inhabitants on the South Texas Plains. Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, is just across the Rio Grande.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 39m. Total distance: 524.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 39m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Long-distance drive route profile.
Drive Character
At 524.9 miles and 7h 39m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Gilmer Street and South Broadway Street.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Gilmer Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 7h 39m, 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.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 39m, 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 Sulphur Springs, TX to Laredo, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Gilmer Street | — | — |
| South Broadway Street | — | — |
| Industrial Drive West | — | — |
| I 35E | — | — |
| I 35E South | — | — |
| I 35E North | — | — |
| South R L Thornton Freeway | — | — |
| North Jack Kultgen Expressway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Gilmer Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sulphur Springs, TX and Laredo, TX.
1
Start on Jefferson Street West
115 ft
·
4 sec
·
Jefferson Street West
2
Turn left onto Gilmer Street
253 ft
·
5 sec
·
Gilmer Street
3
Turn straight onto Gilmer Street
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Gilmer Street
4
Continue on South Broadway Street
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
South Broadway Street
5
Turn right onto Industrial Drive West
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Industrial Drive West
6
Take the ramp slight left
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
7
Merge slight left
78 mi
·
1 hr 22 min
8
Take the exit slight right toward I 35E: Denton, Waco
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 35E: Denton, Waco
9
Keep slight left to continue on I 35E South, I 35E North: Waco, Denton
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
I 35E South, I 35E North: Waco, Denton
10
Keep slight left to continue on I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco
220 ft
·
5 sec
·
I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco
11
Keep slight left to continue on I 35E South: Waco
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
·
I 35E South: Waco
12
Continue on South R L Thornton Freeway
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
13
Continue on South R L Thornton Freeway
89 mi
·
1 hr 31 min
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
14
Continue on North Jack Kultgen Expressway
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
15
Continue on Purple Heart Trail
38 mi
·
39 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
16
Keep slight left
56 mi
·
58 min
17
Keep slight left to continue on Purple Heart Trail
50 mi
·
54 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
18
Continue on Interstate Highway 35
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate Highway 35
19
Continue on Purple Heart Trail
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
20
Continue on North Pan Am Expressway
10.0 mi
·
11 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
21
Keep slight left to continue on North Pan Am Expressway
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
22
Keep slight left to continue on North Pan Am Expressway
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
23
Keep slight right to continue on South Pan Am Expressway
10 mi
·
12 min
·
South Pan Am Expressway
24
Continue on Purple Heart Trail
144 mi
·
2 hr 26 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
25
Turn right onto Houston Street
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Houston Street
26
Turn left onto Salinas Avenue
272 ft
·
12 sec
·
Salinas Avenue
27
Turn left onto Matamoros Street
305 ft
·
5 sec
·
Matamoros Street
28
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 262.4 miles from Sulphur Springs, TX, or about 3h 49m into the drive.
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 115 miles or 1h 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 262.4 miles or 3h 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Laredo, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sulphur Springs, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sulphur Springs, TX
This is one driving day of about 524.9 miles and 7h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 115 miles from Sulphur Springs, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
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 262.4 mi from Sulphur Springs, TX · 3h 49m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
173 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
Meal stop
346 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 115 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 262.4 miles from Sulphur Springs, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Laredo, TX
The final approach into Laredo, 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 Laredo, 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
$79.31 one way
$158.63 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
184 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $86.82 | $173.63 |
| premium | $4.54 | $93.72 | $187.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $115.89 | $231.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$79
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$104–$129
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 183.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $55 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 157.5 | 1 | $55.11 | $25.20 |
| Efficient EV | 131.2 | 1 | $45.93 | $21.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 210 | 2 | $73.49 | $33.59 |
Gas CO2
184 kg
EV CO2
61 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
Laredo, TX
Late night in Laredo on Saturday
Local time
2:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°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
9 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
7h 39m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Sulphur Springs, TX to Laredo, TX covers 524.9 miles and takes about 7h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Gilmer Street, South Broadway Street, Industrial Drive West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 262.4 miles from Sulphur Springs, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $79.31 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 7h 39m, 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 Sulphur Springs, TX to Laredo, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Sulphur Springs, TX to Laredo, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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