Texas is the second-largest state within the United States, bordering Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico as well as sharing an international border with Mexico to the south. We are awestruck by a driving trip across Texas however there are times where you’re wondering what it will be to travel across Texas.
It takes around 12 hours to travel through Texas from Louisiana to New Mexico along the I-10 with regular traffic. If you stop for food or fuel, it can last 14 hours. The drive across North Texas on the I-40 takes about 8 hours 30 minutes.
In order to help you decide the time it will take to drive across Texas we’ve prepared a useful guide that provides details on the distances, the time it takes to travel these distances, and other things you need to be aware of.
It’s time to drive across Texas state line. Texas
Texas is a state in the United States. Texas is a bit sloppy therefore there are several ways to cross Texas and take various amount of time, based on the direction.
The two most frequent methods of crossing Texas are via either the I-10 traversing the south region of the state or to the north, traversing via Texas Panhandle. Texas Panhandle along the I-40.
Southern Texas From Louisiana through New Mexico
There is a major route in the southern part of Texas which is the most popular route to travel through the state. The route is located starting from the point where the Texas border meets Louisiana at Orange on the I-10 up to Houston as well as San Antonio to the crossing into New Mexico at El Paso.
This is the route that trucks and drivers from cross-country traveling between the southern states as well as Arizona and California.
This road usually requires about 12 hours of driving, before taking into account for breaks and stops, however traffic congestion around major cities could extend it up to 14 hours on the highway.
With 870 miles to travel from the border from one end to another, you’re bound to make two stops for a snack and a lunch and stopping at least two more times for a rest. If you allow yourself two hours to make the various stops to get your legs moving, you can expect to be spending 14-16 hours driving to travel across Texas.
If you’re not driving during the day with different drivers, you’ll have to stay overnight somewhere, and add the time you’ll need to rest for the length of your trip.
The drive across the northern part of Texas via the Texas Panhandle
There are many various ways to traverse Texas through north. There are three main entry points: on I-20 from Shreveport, along the I-20 starting from Shreveport to northern Louisiana and via Texarkana in Arkansas or via with the I-40 to Oklahoma.
Two exits for Texas to New Mexico are usually along the I-10 between El Paso or through I-40 from Amarillo.
To make it easier to understand the time your journey across Texas will take, look at the table below to determine the time of your trip. Keep in mind that these times don’t include breaks or stops therefore, add some time for longer drives.
From |
To |
Time to drive |
|---|---|---|
| Shreveport (LA) | El Paso (TX) | 11h (816 miles) |
| Shreveport (LA) | San Jon (NM) | 8h 30m (600 miles) |
| Texarkana (AR) | El Paso (TX) | 11h 20m (826 miles) |
| Texarkana (AR) | San Jon (NM) | 8h 30m (564 miles) |
| Erick (OK) | San Jon (NM) | 2h 30m (177 miles) |
It’s time to travel through Texas starting from the Mexican border.
We’ll go over the most popular routes as well as the time it takes to travel. Most people who drive from Mexico will be entering Texas in Laredo or via the Pharr-Reynosa Bridge International.
The two most frequent destinations for people who are not in Texas are to Louisiana via the I-10 for the southern U.S. states or the I-30 to Arkansas to states in the Northeast as well as the Midwest.
Beginning from Laredo starting from Laredo, it takes six hours and thirty minutes to cross across Louisiana as well as 8 hours and 30 minutes crossing into Arkansas. The times for the Pharr crossing take 7 hours and 10 hrs for similar routes. Be aware that these times do not include the amount of time needed in crossing over the border. This will vary greatly based on the time of the morning and on the day that you are crossing.
Things to consider that may affect your driving speed
The main factor is traffic which can impact the length of time you drive through Texas. While the majority areas of Texas are freeof charge, if you’re traveling on one of the more popular routes (e.g. I-10 in between cities) or passing through a major city, you could be a bit caught in traffic especially when you’re in rush hour.
The stretch that runs along I-10 that runs to the east of Houston is the largest road that is in existence, with the traffic of 26 lanes. And there’s a valid reason why it is large – it is very crowded. I’ve spent a few hours in a line on this stretch however I’ve also travelled through it at midnight.
The amount of times you’ll have to stop on the way will also prove to play a large role in the length of time it takes to complete your trip. If your vehicle is hungry for fuel and you’ve got a child that requires stops at least every two hours and you’ll need ample time to complete the journey. The distances in Texas reaching into hundreds of miles, you’ll not be able to keep driving without stopping to rest.
The speed limits differ significantly even on major roads. Interstates be restricted to speeds of between 50 and 80 miles an hour. While some of the stretch of 80 mph are wonderful and let you get a large distance in a short time, other cities are beginning to decrease speed limits as you enter and navigate around the roads. El Paso reduced the speed limit on I-10 from 60 mph I-10 to 60 in the year 2018 due to roadwork, however, they did not raise it once the work was completed.
Tips for driving through Texas within the fastest time
If you must traverse Texas at the speed you can there are a few suggestions to cut down the amount of time you spend driving to the shortest amount of time.
In the beginning, it’s a great idea to have at least two drivers who are able to swap drivers throughout the trip to reduce the amount of time needed to take breaks or for relaxation.
If you’re left with an option or are renting a vehicle, you should give the massive gas guzzler a turn and go with something that is sensible. The southern routes extend over 800 miles. In a vehicle that is efficient in fuel it will take only one petrol station instead of two or three.
The ideal time to take the drive is to not drive through the night. There are speed limits that in Texas are lower in the evening, and progress may slow due to the reduced visibility. The most efficient method of driving to Texas is to make it a point to cross the border between 7:30 and 7:30am and make the most of the daylight hours and then crossing back prior to the time it turns dark. If you’re given a choice of days on Sundays, they are typically about 30 minutes more efficient because of the lower volume of traffic however it’s not so significant as you’d imagine in a 12-hour drive along the I-10
