Origin
Wichita Falls, TX
Afternoon in Wichita Falls on Monday
Local time
12:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wichita Falls, TX to Laredo, TX
Drive Time
8h 1m
Distance
494.6 mi
796 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$76
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
7h 53m
★
6 AM
8h 1m
8 AM
8h 18m
10 AM
8h 7m
12 PM
8h 5m
3 PM
8h 8m
5 PM
8h 17m
8 PM
7h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wichita Falls, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Laredo, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Trip Overview
The drive from Wichita Falls, TX to Laredo, TX covers 494.6 miles and takes about 8h 1m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on 5th Street, Holliday Street, Lloyd Ruby Overpass for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $75.55 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
247.3 miles from Wichita Falls, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 8h 1m drive with frequent turns across 494.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
5th Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 1m, 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 Wichita Falls, TX to Laredo, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 5th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Holliday Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Lloyd Ruby Overpass | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Central East Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Henry S Grace Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 281 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North 2nd Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
5th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wichita Falls, TX and Laredo, TX.
1
Start on Scott Avenue
525 ft
·
20 sec
·
Scott Avenue
2
Turn left onto 5th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Street
3
Turn left onto Holliday Street
161 ft
·
5 sec
·
Holliday Street
4
Take the ramp slight left
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
5
Merge slight left onto Lloyd Ruby Overpass
0.7 mi
·
51 sec
·
Lloyd Ruby Overpass
6
Continue on Central East Freeway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Central East Freeway
7
Keep slight left to continue on Henry S Grace Freeway
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Henry S Grace Freeway
8
Keep slight left to continue on Henry S Grace Freeway
61 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
Henry S Grace Freeway
9
Continue straight
65 mi
·
1 hr 13 min
10
Continue on East Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
East Road
11
Continue on South US Highway 281
18 mi
·
20 min
·
South US Highway 281
12
Continue on North 2nd Street
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
North 2nd Street
13
Turn right onto North Walnut Street
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
·
North Walnut Street
14
Turn straight onto North US Highway 281
19 mi
·
20 min
·
North US Highway 281
15
Continue on North Rice Street
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
North Rice Street
16
Continue on South US Highway 281
43 mi
·
49 min
·
South US Highway 281
17
Continue on North Key Avenue
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
North Key Avenue
18
Turn right onto South US Highway 281
20 mi
·
21 min
·
South US Highway 281
19
Continue on North Water Street
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
North Water Street
20
Continue on South US Highway 281
46 mi
·
54 min
·
South US Highway 281
21
Continue on Main Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
22
Continue on South US Highway 281
27 mi
·
31 min
·
South US Highway 281
23
Turn straight
3.1 mi
·
3 min
24
Keep slight left to continue on US 281 HOV Lane
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
US 281 HOV Lane
25
Merge slight right
15 mi
·
17 min
26
Take the exit slight right toward I 35 South: Laredo
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
I 35 South: Laredo
27
Merge slight left onto North Pan Am Expressway
230 ft
·
3 sec
·
North Pan Am Expressway
28
Keep slight left to continue on North Pan Am Expressway
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
29
Keep slight right to continue on South Pan Am Expressway
10 mi
·
12 min
·
South Pan Am Expressway
30
Continue on Purple Heart Trail
144 mi
·
2 hr 26 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
31
Turn right onto Houston Street
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Houston Street
32
Turn left onto Salinas Avenue
272 ft
·
12 sec
·
Salinas Avenue
33
Turn left onto Matamoros Street
305 ft
·
5 sec
·
Matamoros Street
34
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.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 247.3 miles from Wichita Falls, TX, or about 4h into the drive.
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 109 miles or 1h 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 247.3 miles or 4h 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 247.3 miles or 4h
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 2m
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 Wichita Falls, 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 Wichita Falls, TX
Aim for roughly 247 miles and 4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Laredo, TX
Aim for roughly 247 miles and 4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 109 miles from Wichita Falls, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
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 247.3 mi from Wichita Falls, TX · 4h into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
247 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 Austin, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
247 mi · about 4h in
A practical overnight split lands near Austin, TX after about 247 miles or 4 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 109 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 247.3 miles from Wichita Falls, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 247 miles or 4 hours on the road.
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.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Laredo, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$75.55 one way
$151.11 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
173 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $82.80 | $165.59 |
| premium | $4.59 | $89.40 | $178.80 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $109.88 | $219.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$76
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$206–$316
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 173.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 148.4 | 1 | $51.93 | $23.74 |
| Efficient EV | 123.7 | 1 | $43.28 | $19.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 197.8 | 2 | $69.24 | $31.65 |
Gas CO2
173 kg
EV CO2
58 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Laredo, TX
Afternoon in Laredo on Monday
Local time
12:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°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.
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
13 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
8h 1m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Wichita Falls, TX to Laredo, TX covers 494.6 miles and takes about 8h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 5th Street, Holliday Street, Lloyd Ruby Overpass. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 247 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 247.3 miles from Wichita Falls, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $75.55 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 8h 1m, 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 Wichita Falls, TX to Laredo, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Wichita Falls, TX to Laredo, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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