Origin
Weslaco, TX
Late night in Weslaco on Wednesday
Local time
5:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
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Drive Time
9h 28m
Distance
516 mi
830 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$78
one way
EV Charging
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station data
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Weslaco, TX
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Weslaco, TX to Irving, TX covers 516 miles and takes about 9h 28m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Purple Heart Trail, I 69C, Pickle Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 97.7 miles on Purple Heart Trail. At current regular gas prices, budget about $77.97 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
258 miles from Weslaco, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 56m into the drive .
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At 516 miles and 9h 28m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Purple Heart Trail and I 69C.
At 9h 28m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 12.5 miles in.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 516 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 12.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 344.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 449 miles (I 35E): 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.
Take the exit toward I 69C North, US 281: Edinburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35 North: Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E toward I 35E: Dallas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 20 West: Fort Worth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Spur 408
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Weslaco, TX to Irving, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Waco along the way.
Waco
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 97.7 mi | 1h 39m |
| I 69C | 92 mi | 1h 43m |
| Pickle Parkway | 58.5 mi | 54m |
| US 281 | 57.1 mi | 1h |
| I 35E | 47.3 mi | 48m |
| King David Drive | 31.8 mi | 39m |
| State Highway 80 North | 30.8 mi | 35m |
| State Highway 80 | 23.6 mi | 25m |
Step-by-step road directions between Weslaco, TX and Irving, TX.
Start on US 83 Bus
Turn left onto FM 88
Turn left onto West Expressway 83
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 2; US 83
Take the exit
Continue on I 69C
Continue on US 281
Keep slight right at fork onto I 69C; US 281
Keep slight left at fork onto US 281
Turn right onto TX 72
Continue on TX 72; TX 239
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 72; TX 239
Continue on FM 792
Turn straight onto TX 80
Continue on TX 80
Continue on TX 80; TX 97
Continue on US 183
Continue on US 183
Continue on US 183
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto TX 130 Toll
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 35
Continue on I 35
Continue on I 35; US 77
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
Take the exit
Merge onto I 20
Take the exit
Merge onto Spur 408
Merge onto Loop 12
Take the exit
Turn straight onto South Loop 12
Turn left onto TX 356
Continue on TX 356
Continue on West Irving Boulevard
Turn right onto North Ohio Street
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 114 miles or 2h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 258 miles or 4h 56m 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 258 miles or 4h 56m
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 8h 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Irving, TX than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Weslaco, 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 Weslaco, TX
Aim for roughly 258 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Irving, TX
Aim for roughly 258 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 258 mi from Weslaco, TX · 4h 56m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
170 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
Overnight candidate
341 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 Killeen, TXNight 1
258 mi · about 4.7h in
A practical overnight split lands near Austin, TX after about 258 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 114 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 258 miles from Weslaco, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 97.7 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 258 miles or 4.7 hours on the road.
The final approach into Irving, 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 Irving, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Irving, TX with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$77.97 one way
$155.94 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $85.34 | $170.69 |
| premium | $4.54 | $92.13 | $184.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $113.93 | $227.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$78
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$208–$318
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 180.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $54 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 154.8 | 1 | $54.18 | $24.77 |
| Efficient EV | 129 | 1 | $45.15 | $20.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 206.4 | 2 | $72.24 | $33.02 |
Gas CO2
181 kg
EV CO2
60 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Weslaco on Wednesday
Local time
5:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Irving on Wednesday
Local time
5:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Mostly Cloudy
Fire Weather Watch
Fire Weather Watch issued April 13 at 7:48PM CDT until April 14 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX
High Wind Watch
High Wind Watch issued April 13 at 2:24PM MDT until April 14 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
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.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
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.
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