How far is Arlington, TX from Ames, TX?

The driving distance from Arlington, TX to Ames, TX is about 279.1 miles (449.1 km), with a travel time of about 04h 59m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 231.9 miles (373.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 09h 59m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
279.05 mi
04h 59m
Flight
231.9 mi
373.2 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Arlington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
231.9 mi
Kilometers
373.2 km
Flight Time
00h 27m

Driving Distance

Road route
279.05 mi
Kilometers
449.09 km
Drive Time
04h 59m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 04h 59m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Ames
Wed, Apr 15, 4:47 AM CDT
Return by in Arlington
Wed, Apr 15, 9:47 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Arlington
2026-04-14T23:48
Arrive Ames
Wed, Apr 15, 4:47 AM CDT
Route Timing
04h 59m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
7:00 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Arlington
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Leona
TX

City in Leon County, Texas, United States

From Arlington
139.7 mi
02h 29m
To Ames
139.4 mi
02h 29m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
83°F
This Afternoon

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Tue, Apr 14 4:00 PM CDT
Wind
15 mph S
Destination
84°F
Tuesday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Tue, Apr 14 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Arlington and Ames.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Arlington and Ames.

  1. 1

    Start on West Abram Street

    28 m · 8 sec · West Abram Street

  2. 2

    Continue on West Abram Street

    1 km · 1 min · West Abram Street

  3. 3

    Turn right

    47 m · 7 sec

  4. 4

    Turn slight right onto South Collins Street

    4.1 mi · 8 min · South Collins Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto East Interstate 20

    1358 ft · 29 sec · East Interstate 20

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight left toward I 20 East

    1207 ft · 30 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

    5.9 mi · 6 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

  8. 8

    Continue on Lyndon B Johnson Freeway

    15.4 mi · 17 min · Lyndon B Johnson Freeway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 45 South: Houston

    1607 ft · 34 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Julius Schepps Freeway

    202.3 mi · 3 hr 28 min · Julius Schepps Freeway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward Grand Parkway

    1067 ft · 26 sec

  12. 12

    Turn straight onto Interstate 45 North Frontage Road

    2.1 mi · 4 min · Interstate 45 North Frontage Road

  13. 13

    Turn left onto North Grand Parkway West

    116 m · 9 sec · North Grand Parkway West

  14. 14

    Take the ramp straight toward TX 99 Toll East

    1536 ft · 38 sec

  15. 15

    Merge slight left onto North Grand Parkway East

    32.3 mi · 35 min · North Grand Parkway East

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward FM 1960: Dayton, Humble

    2361 ft · 1 min

  17. 17

    Turn left

    5.1 mi · 7 min

  18. 18

    Turn right onto North Cleveland Street

    1028 ft · 25 sec · North Cleveland Street

  19. 19

    Turn left onto United States Highway 90 West

    9 mi · 11 min · United States Highway 90 West

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Martin L King Street North

    30 m · 3 sec · Martin L King Street North

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Martin L King Street North

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Arlington and Ames.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
21 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
3 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Julius Schepps Freeway
202 mi · 72%
North Grand Parkway East
32.3 mi · 12%
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
15.4 mi · 6%
United States Highway 90 West
9.02 mi · 3%
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
5.94 mi · 2%
South Collins Street
4.14 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Julius Schepps Freeway

Merge slight left onto Julius Schepps Freeway

202 mi · 03h 28m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
04h 59m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
10h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+47.2 mi
231.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Leona
02h 29m from Arlington
Leave By
7:00 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Arlington and Partly Sunny near Ames.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Arlington to Ames?

The road trip is about 279.1 miles (449.1 km) and usually takes 04h 59m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Leona is a useful midpoint, sitting about 139.7 miles from Arlington and 139.4 miles from Ames.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 231.9 miles (373.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 47.2 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:00 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $37.22 one way or $74.45 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 87.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy around Arlington and Partly Sunny near Ames.

Stop Ideas Near Leona

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Leona, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Leona.

BUS

Bryan, TX

66 mi away
301 East 26th Street
BUS

Waco, TX

119 mi away
301 South 8th Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Arlington and Ames. Straight-line distance: 231.9 mi (373.2 km).

Arlington

#1 Arlington

The third most populous city in Texas and the center of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.

Population398,864
Coordinates32.7356900, -97.1080700
Altitude184
CountryUnited States
Ames

#2 Ames

City in Liberty County, Texas, United States

Population1,064
Coordinates30.0538300, -94.7435300
Altitude22
CountryUnited States
Start: Arlington (-97.10807, 32.73569)
End: Ames (-94.74353, 30.05383)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 449 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 17m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 58m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 34m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 39m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 59m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 28m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
9.85 gal
37.27 L · about $37.22
Round trip
$74.45
19.7 gal · 74.54 L
Estimated CO2
87.5 kg one way
Round trip: 175.1 kg / 386 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $37.22 $74.45
Mid-grade $4.25 $41.88 $83.76
Premium $4.59 $45.22 $90.44
Diesel $3.99 $39.33 $78.66

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Texas · Apr 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Arlington and Ames. The current time is 23:48:01.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.