How far is Arlington, TX from Bay City, TX?

The driving distance from Arlington, TX to Bay City, TX is about 315.8 miles (508.3 km), with a travel time of about 06h 13m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 267.9 miles (431.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 26m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 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
315.86 mi
06h 13m
Flight
267.95 mi
431.22 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
267.95 mi
Kilometers
431.22 km
Flight Time
00h 32m

Driving Distance

Road route
315.86 mi
Kilometers
508.33 km
Drive Time
06h 13m

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 06h 13m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bay City
Sun, May 31, 9:07 AM CDT
Return by in Arlington
Sun, May 31, 3:20 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Arlington
2026-05-31T02:53
Arrive Bay City
Sun, May 31, 9:07 AM CDT
Route Timing
06h 13m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:13 PM to 1:43 PM CDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
11:34 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Arlington
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

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
Hearne
TX

City in Robertson County, Texas, United States

From Arlington
158.2 mi
03h 06m
To Bay City
157.7 mi
03h 06m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
95°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph S
Destination
90°F
Sunday

Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph SE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Arlington and Bay City.

  1. 1

    Start on West Abram Street

    28 m · 8 sec · West Abram Street

  2. 2

    Continue on West Abram Street

    127 m · 22 sec · West Abram Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto South Center Street

    2 mi · 4 min · South Center Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto West Pioneer Parkway

    2543 ft · 49 sec · West Pioneer Parkway

  5. 5

    Turn left onto South Cooper Street

    1.5 mi · 2 min · South Cooper Street

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on South Cooper Street

    1.5 km · 2 min · South Cooper Street

  7. 7

    Take the ramp straight toward I 20 West: Fort Worth

    2943 ft · 1 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

    10.3 mi · 11 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 35W South, I 35W North: Waco, Denton

    1177 ft · 29 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on I 35W South: Waco

    1.4 km · 2 min

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto South Freeway

    78 mi · 1 hr 21 min · South Freeway

  12. 12

    Continue on North Jack Kultgen Expressway

    620 ft · 8 sec · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward US 77 Business: Elm Avenue

    2197 ft · 54 sec

  14. 14

    Turn straight onto North Jack Kultgen Expressway

    740 ft · 17 sec · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

  15. 15

    Turn left onto North Loop Drive

    1 mi · 2 min · North Loop Drive

  16. 16

    Continue on Marlin Highway

    2.7 mi · 3 min · Marlin Highway

  17. 17

    Continue on East State Highway 6

    9.1 mi · 9 min · East State Highway 6

  18. 18

    Continue on North Memorial Street

    2.1 mi · 3 min · North Memorial Street

  19. 19

    Continue on East State Highway 6

    37.5 mi · 38 min · East State Highway 6

  20. 20

    Continue on North Main Street

    2.2 mi · 3 min · North Main Street

  21. 21

    Continue on North State Highway 6

    6.2 mi · 6 min · North State Highway 6

  22. 22

    Continue on North Market Street

    2.1 mi · 2 min · North Market Street

  23. 23

    Continue on South State Highway 6

    13.7 mi · 15 min · South State Highway 6

  24. 24

    Continue on North Earl Rudder Freeway

    30.1 mi · 32 min · North Earl Rudder Freeway

  25. 25

    Continue on State Highway 6

    22.4 mi · 25 min · State Highway 6

  26. 26

    Continue on US 290 East, TX 6 South

    1.3 mi · 2 min

  27. 27

    Turn right onto Austin Street

    1160 ft · 25 sec · Austin Street

  28. 28

    Turn left onto 13th Street

    15.1 mi · 22 min · 13th Street

  29. 29

    Continue on East Main Street

    574 ft · 19 sec · East Main Street

  30. 30

    Turn sharp left onto South Front Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · South Front Street

  31. 31

    Continue on State Highway 36

    9.9 mi · 10 min · State Highway 36

  32. 32

    Continue on North Meyer Street

    14.1 mi · 18 min · North Meyer Street

  33. 33

    Turn right onto Legion Street

    1580 ft · 43 sec · Legion Street

  34. 34

    Turn right

    23.4 mi · 35 min

  35. 35

    Turn left onto West Burleson Street

    1712 ft · 38 sec · West Burleson Street

  36. 36

    At the end of the road, turn left onto South Resident Street

    108 m · 8 sec · South Resident Street

  37. 37

    Turn right onto East Milam Street

    1.5 km · 1 min · East Milam Street

  38. 38

    Continue on Bay City Highway

    23.9 mi · 36 min · Bay City Highway

  39. 39

    Turn left onto 7th Street

    66 m · 4 sec · 7th Street

  40. 40

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 7th Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
40 steps
14 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
12.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
South Freeway
78 mi · 25%
East State Highway 6
46.6 mi · 15%
North Earl Rudder Freeway
30.1 mi · 10%
Bay City Highway
23.9 mi · 8%
State Highway 6
22.4 mi · 7%
13th Street
15.1 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

South Freeway

Merge slight left onto South Freeway

78 mi · 01h 21m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 13m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 26m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+47.9 mi
267.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hearne
03h 06m from Arlington
Leave By
11:34 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Arlington and Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny near Bay City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Arlington to Bay City?

The road trip is about 315.8 miles (508.3 km) and usually takes 06h 13m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Hearne is a useful midpoint, sitting about 158.2 miles from Arlington and 157.7 miles from Bay City.

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

The direct path is about 267.9 miles (431.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 47.9 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 7:30 AM CDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $42.14 one way or $84.27 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 99.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Arlington and Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny near Bay City.

Stop Ideas Near Hearne

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Hearne, 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 Hearne.

BUS

Bryan, TX

31 mi away
301 East 26th Street
RAIL

Temple

76 mi away
315 West Ave B
RAIL

Taylor

85 mi away
118 East First St.
BUS

Waco, TX

91 mi away
301 South 8th Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Arlington and Bay City. Straight-line distance: 267.95 mi (431.22 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
Bay City

#2 Bay City

City in Texas

Population17,535
Coordinates28.9827600, -95.9694000
Altitude16
CountryUnited States
Start: Arlington (-97.10807, 32.73569)
End: Bay City (-95.9694, 28.98276)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 508 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 31m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 53m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 19m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 15m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 30m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 56m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.15 gal
42.19 L · about $42.14
Round trip
$84.27
22.3 gal · 84.38 L
Estimated CO2
99.1 kg one way
Round trip: 198.2 kg / 437 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $42.14 $84.27
Mid-grade $4.25 $47.41 $94.82
Premium $4.59 $51.19 $102.38
Diesel $3.99 $44.52 $89.04

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 · May 31, 2026

There is no time difference between Arlington and Bay City. The current time is 02:53:59.

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.