Origin
Taylor, TX
Night in Taylor on Wednesday
Local time
11:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Taylor, TX to Austin, TX
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
45m
Distance
35.9 mi
58 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Taylor, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Austin, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Taylor to Austin, you are in for a quick, 35.9-mile journey that typically takes about 45 minutes. This trip is perfect for a one-day outing, as the proximity of these Great Plains locations makes an overnight stay unnecessary. With a fuel budget of just $5, it is an incredibly affordable route to navigate. You will primarily utilize Pickle Parkway, Manor Expressway, and West 2nd Street to reach your destination. Because the transit time is under an hour, you have maximum flexibility to plan your arrival and departure times without worrying about long-haul fatigue.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.
Midpoint
18 miles from Taylor, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 21m into the drive .
Drive Character
This mixed-drive route offers a blend of high-speed transit and local navigation, with highways accounting for 58% of your total mileage. You will spend the bulk of your time on major arterials, including a 10-mile stretch on Pickle Parkway, which serves as the longest uninterrupted portion of the trip. The transition from the more open surroundings of Taylor into the urban environment of Austin happens relatively quickly. Expect a straightforward experience behind the wheel, as the road conditions shift from highway-focused speeds to the local traffic patterns required to navigate into the heart of Austin.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pickle Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 10 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 12.9 miles in.
Route Complexity
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 35.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.5 miles (US 290): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
12.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the ramp toward TX 130 Toll South: Austin, Pflugerville
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 426
Toward TX 130 Toll South: Austin, Pflugerville
7
23.4 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward 290 Toll West: Austin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 437B
Toward 290 Toll West: Austin
7
30.5 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
US 290
Take the exit onto US 290 toward I 35 South, US 290 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 35 South, US 290 West
8
32.6 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
8
35 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 234B
Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson Univer...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Taylor, TX and Austin, TX, road signs point toward Pflugerville, Toll 130 South: Austin and 290 Toll West: Austin.
Pflugerville
12.9 mi in
|
~17m
Toll 130 South: Austin
13.1 mi in
|
~17m
290 Toll West: Austin
23.4 mi in
|
~27m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pickle Parkway | 10 mi | 9m |
| West 2nd Street | 6.8 mi | 8m |
| Manor Expressway | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| US 290 | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| US 79 | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Chris Kelley Boulevard | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| TX 130 Frontage Road | 1.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Pickle Parkway
— 10 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Taylor, TX and Austin, TX.
1
Start on East 4th Street
448 ft
·
19 sec
·
East 4th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
2
Turn left onto Talbot Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Talbot Street
3
Turn right onto West 2nd Street
6.8 mi
·
8 min
·
West 2nd Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Continue on US 79
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
US 79
5
Turn left onto FM 685
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Chris Kelley Boulevard
Use the left lane.
6
Turn left onto FM 685
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
TX 130 Frontage Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
10 sec
Exit 426
Toward TX 130 Toll South: Austin, Pflugerville
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
14 sec
·
this road
Exit 426
Toward Toll 130 South: Austin, Pflugerville
9
Merge onto TX 130 Toll
10 mi
·
9 min
·
Pickle Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
1.4 mi
·
2 min
Exit 437B
Toward 290 Toll West: Austin
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto 290 Toll
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Manor Expressway
12
Continue on US 290
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 290
13
Take the exit onto US 290
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 290
Toward I 35 South, US 290 West
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 35; US 290
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Use the slight left lane.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 234B
Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn straight onto North Interstate 35
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Interstate 35
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Turn right onto East 6th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East 6th Street
Use the right lane.
19
Turn left onto Congress Avenue
357 ft
·
17 sec
·
Congress Avenue
20
Turn left onto East 5th Street
28 ft
·
0 sec
·
East 5th Street
Use the left lane.
21
Arrive at destination
East 5th Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a short 45-minute drive, you do not need to worry about planning formal stops along the way. You can easily complete the entire 35.9-mile distance in one go, leaving you plenty of time to explore Austin immediately upon arrival. Keep in mind that your fuel costs will stay low at around $5, so you can focus your travel budget on activities at your destination. A helpful tip for this specific route is to monitor traffic patterns on the Manor Expressway, as road density can fluctuate as you approach the city limits. Taking advantage of the route's short duration allows you to depart at your leisure without the pressure of a rigid itinerary.
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 18 miles from Taylor, TX, or about 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 10 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 35.9 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 18 miles or 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Austin, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Have your navigation ready before leaving Taylor, TX.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Taylor, TX
This is one driving day of about 35.9 miles and 45m.
At 35.9 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Pickle Parkway for about 10 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18 mi from Taylor, TX · 21m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18 miles from Taylor, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Austin, TX
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Austin, TX if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.42 one way
$10.85 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $5.94 | $11.88 |
| premium | $4.54 | $6.41 | $12.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.93 | $15.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$30–$55
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.77 | $1.72 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.03 | $2.30 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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.
Destination
Austin, TX
Night in Austin on Wednesday
Local time
11:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
10 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
45m 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 Taylor, TX to Austin, TX covers 35.9 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pickle Parkway, West 2nd Street, Manor Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18 miles from Taylor, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.42 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 short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 35.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
The main spots that need attention: at 12.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.5 miles (US 290): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Taylor, TX and Austin, TX, road signs point toward Pflugerville, Toll 130 South: Austin and 290 Toll West: Austin.
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