How far is Austin, TX from Brownsville, TX?

The driving distance from Austin, TX to Brownsville, TX is about 351 miles (564.9 km), with a travel time of about 05h 24m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 302 miles (486 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 10h 49m 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
351.04 mi
05h 24m
Flight
301.99 mi
486.01 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Austin.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
301.99 mi
Kilometers
486.01 km
Flight Time
00h 36m

Driving Distance

Road route
351.04 mi
Kilometers
564.94 km
Drive Time
05h 24m

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 05h 24m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Brownsville
Wed, Apr 22, 10:27 PM CDT
Return by in Austin
Thu, Apr 23, 3:52 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Austin
2026-04-22T17:03
Arrive Brownsville
Wed, Apr 22, 10:27 PM CDT
Route Timing
05h 24m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:25 AM to 1:25 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
6:10 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Austin
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
Mathis
TX

City in Texas, United States

From Austin
175.4 mi
02h 42m
To Brownsville
175.7 mi
02h 42m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
81°F
Wednesday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SE
Destination
Brownsville Weather
TX
Live fallback forecast
86°F
Wednesday
Using Cameron Park as the closest live forecast in the Cameron County weather hub.

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 12 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Austin and Brownsville.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Austin and Brownsville.

  1. 1

    Start on East 5th Street

    2551 ft · 1 min · East 5th Street

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto North Interstate 35

    1893 ft · 40 sec · North Interstate 35

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight left toward I 35 South

    899 ft · 22 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail

    46.4 mi · 50 min · Purple Heart Trail

  5. 5

    Continue on Interstate Highway 35

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Interstate Highway 35

  6. 6

    Continue on Purple Heart Trail

    11.9 mi · 13 min · Purple Heart Trail

  7. 7

    Continue on North Pan Am Expressway

    10 mi · 12 min · North Pan Am Expressway

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on Connally Loop

    11 mi · 12 min · Connally Loop

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi

    1184 ft · 29 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on I 37 South: Corpus Christi

    2457 ft · 1 min

  11. 11

    Merge slight left

    118.7 mi · 1 hr 59 min

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, Brownsville

    31.3 mi · 34 min

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on U.S. Highway 77

    61.3 mi · 1 hr 9 min · U.S. Highway 77

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on U.S. Highway 77

    43.7 mi · 47 min · U.S. Highway 77

  15. 15

    Continue on North Expressway

    2.1 mi · 2 min · North Expressway

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on North Expressway

    9 mi · 10 min · North Expressway

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward 12th-14th Street

    1730 ft · 42 sec

  18. 18

    Turn straight onto South Expressway

    101 m · 9 sec · South Expressway

  19. 19

    Turn right onto East 12th Street

    1.2 km · 2 min · East 12th Street

  20. 20

    Turn right onto East Washington Street

    9 m · 1 sec · East Washington Street

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Washington Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Austin and Brownsville.

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
21 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 37 South
119 mi · 34%
U.S. Highway 77
105 mi · 30%
Purple Heart Trail
58.3 mi · 17%
I 69E
31.3 mi · 9%
North Expressway
11.1 mi · 3%
Connally Loop
11 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

I 37 South

Merge slight left

119 mi · 01h 59m

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
05h 24m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
10h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+49 mi
302 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Mathis
02h 42m from Austin
Leave By
6:10 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Austin and Mostly Sunny near Brownsville.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Austin to Brownsville?

The road trip is about 351 miles (564.9 km) and usually takes 05h 24m 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?

Mathis is a useful midpoint, sitting about 175.4 miles from Austin and 175.7 miles from Brownsville.

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

The direct path is about 302 miles (486 km), while the road route adds roughly 49 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 6:10 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $46.82 one way or $93.64 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 110.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Austin and Mostly Sunny near Brownsville.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Austin and Brownsville. Straight-line distance: 301.99 mi (486.01 km).

Austin

#1 Austin

The eleventh most populous city in the United States and the center of the Austin metropolitan area.

Population995,484
Coordinates30.2671500, -97.7430600
Altitude149
CountryUnited States
Brownsville

#2 Brownsville

The southernmost city in Texas.

Population183,428
Coordinates25.9017500, -97.4974800
Altitude10
CountryUnited States
Start: East 5th Street (-97.743073, 30.267115)
End: East Washington Street (-97.4975, 25.901733)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 565 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 41m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 46m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 01m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 51m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 00m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 22m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
12.39 gal
46.89 L · about $46.82
Round trip
$93.64
24.78 gal · 93.78 L
Estimated CO2
110.1 kg one way
Round trip: 220.2 kg / 485 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $46.82 $93.64
Mid-grade $4.25 $52.68 $105.36
Premium $4.59 $56.88 $113.76
Diesel $3.99 $49.47 $98.95

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 22, 2026

There is no time difference between Austin and Brownsville. The current time is 17:03:08.

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.