Origin
Van Horn, TX
Morning in Van Horn on Friday
Local time
11:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 5m
Distance
485 mi
781 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$73
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Van Horn, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Fort Worth, TX
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Van Horn, TX to Fort Worth, TX covers 485 miles and takes about 8h 5m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on I 20, I 10, West Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 421.1 miles on I 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $73.28 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
242.5 miles from Van Horn, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 59m into the drive .
This is a 8h 5m highway drive covering 485 miles, with most of the trip on I 20 and I 10. The longest continuous stretch is about 421.1 miles on I 20.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and I 10. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near I 10 Bus; TX 54 / East Broadway Street.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 485 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: near the start (I 10 Bus; TX 54 / East Broadway Street): Navigation decision point; at 47.1 miles (I 20): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 468.1 miles (I 30 / West Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn right onto I 10 Bus; TX 54 / East Broadway Street
Navigation decision point
Keep slight left at fork onto I 20
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30 / West Freeway toward I 30 East: Downtown Fort Worth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto US 377 toward I 35W, I 35W Express Toll North, US 377 North: Waco, Denton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit onto US 287 Bus toward US 287 Business: Rosedale Street, Allen Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 421.1 mi | 6h 59m |
| I 10 | 46.5 mi | 43m |
| West Freeway | 15.2 mi | 17m |
| US 287 Bus | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Van Horn Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Southeast Frontage Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| US 377 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Van Horn, TX and Fort Worth, TX.
Start on TX 54
Turn right onto I 10 Bus; TX 54
Turn left onto US 90; TX 54
Turn left onto Southeast Frontage Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 20
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30
Take the exit onto US 377
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 35W; US 287 Bus
Take the exit onto US 287 Bus
Continue on South Freeway
Arrive at destination
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.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 107 miles or 1h 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 242.5 miles or 3h 59m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 242.5 miles or 3h 59m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Worth, TX than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Van Horn, 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.
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Van Horn, TX
Aim for roughly 243 miles and 4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Fort Worth, TX
Aim for roughly 243 miles and 4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 242.5 mi from Van Horn, TX · 3h 59m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
243 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Roscoe, TXNight 1
243 mi · about 4h in
A practical overnight split lands near Roscoe, TX after about 243 miles or 4 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 107 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 242.5 miles from Van Horn, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 20 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 421.1 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 243 miles or 4 hours on the road.
The final approach into Fort Worth, 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 Fort Worth, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Fort Worth, TX with some flexibility left in the schedule.
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.
Regular Gas
$73.28 one way
$146.57 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $80.22 | $160.43 |
| premium | $4.54 | $86.59 | $173.19 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $107.08 | $214.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$73
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$203–$313
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 169.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $51 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 145.5 | 1 | $50.93 | $23.28 |
| Efficient EV | 121.3 | 1 | $42.44 | $19.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 194 | 2 | $67.90 | $31.04 |
Gas CO2
170 kg
EV CO2
57 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Van Horn on Friday
Local time
11:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Fort Worth on Friday
Local time
11:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
86°F
Mostly Sunny
59°F
Roscoe, TX
243 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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
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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