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

The driving distance from Bay City, TX to Brownsville, TX is about 295.6 miles (475.7 km), with a travel time of about 05h 51m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 232.6 miles (374.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 11h 43m 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
295.56 mi
05h 51m
Flight
232.58 mi
374.3 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Bay City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
232.58 mi
Kilometers
374.3 km
Flight Time
00h 28m

Driving Distance

Road route
295.56 mi
Kilometers
475.66 km
Drive Time
05h 51m

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 51m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Brownsville
Sun, May 31, 7:13 AM CDT
Return by in Bay City
Sun, May 31, 1:04 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Bay City
2026-05-31T01:21
Arrive Brownsville
Sun, May 31, 7:13 AM CDT
Route Timing
05h 51m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:52 AM to 1:52 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
5:16 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Bay City
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
Robstown
TX

City in Nueces County, Texas, United States

From Bay City
148 mi
02h 55m
To Brownsville
147.6 mi
02h 55m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
90°F
Sunday

Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph SE
Destination
Brownsville Weather
TX
Live fallback forecast
93°F
Sunday
Using Cameron Park as the closest live forecast in the Cameron County weather hub.

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
3 to 12 mph SE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on 7th Street

    6.3 mi · 9 min · 7th Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Broadway

    2691 ft · 1 min · Broadway

  3. 3

    Turn left onto West 3rd Street

    8.8 mi · 16 min · West 3rd Street

  4. 4

    Continue straight

    27.3 mi · 41 min

  5. 5

    Turn left onto West Main Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · West Main Street

  6. 6

    Turn slight right

    1789 ft · 57 sec

  7. 7

    Continue on US 59 Frontage Road

    645 ft · 13 sec · US 59 Frontage Road

  8. 8

    Take the ramp straight

    1524 ft · 42 sec

  9. 9

    Continue straight

    27.6 mi · 30 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on Spur 91

    1.6 km · 1 min · Spur 91

  11. 11

    Merge slight right onto US Highway 77 South

    33.2 mi · 38 min · US Highway 77 South

  12. 12

    Turn straight onto Alamo Street

    37.1 mi · 43 min · Alamo Street

  13. 13

    Take the exit straight toward I 37, US 77, I 69E

    538 ft · 13 sec

  14. 14

    Keep slight left

    1965 ft · 48 sec

  15. 15

    Merge slight right

    2.5 mi · 2 min

  16. 16

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

    31.3 mi · 34 min

  17. 17

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

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

  18. 18

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

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

  19. 19

    Continue on North Expressway

    2.1 mi · 2 min · North Expressway

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on North Expressway

    9 mi · 10 min · North Expressway

  21. 21

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

    1730 ft · 42 sec

  22. 22

    Turn straight onto South Expressway

    101 m · 9 sec · South Expressway

  23. 23

    Turn right onto East 12th Street

    1.2 km · 2 min · East 12th Street

  24. 24

    Turn right onto East Washington Street

    9 m · 1 sec · East Washington Street

  25. 25

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Washington Street

Car Route Details

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

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
25 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
U.S. Highway 77
105 mi · 36%
Alamo Street
37.1 mi · 13%
West 3rd Street
36.2 mi · 12%
US Highway 77 South
33.2 mi · 11%
I 69E
31.3 mi · 11%
US 59 Frontage Road
28 mi · 9%
Longest Stretch

U.S. Highway 77

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

61.3 mi · 01h 10m

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 51m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
11h 44m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+63 mi
232.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Robstown
02h 55m from Bay City
Leave By
5:16 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny leaving Bay City 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 Bay City to Brownsville?

The road trip is about 295.6 miles (475.7 km) and usually takes 05h 51m 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?

Robstown is a useful midpoint, sitting about 148 miles from Bay City and 147.6 miles from Brownsville.

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

The direct path is about 232.6 miles (374.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 63 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 5:16 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $39.41 one way or $78.83 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 92.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Bay City and Brownsville. Straight-line distance: 232.58 mi (374.3 km).

Bay City

#1 Bay City

City in Texas

Population17,535
Coordinates28.9827600, -95.9694000
Altitude16
CountryUnited States
Brownsville

#2 Brownsville

The southernmost city in Texas.

Population183,428
Coordinates25.9017500, -97.4974800
Altitude10
CountryUnited States
Start: Bay City (-95.9694, 28.98276)
End: Brownsville (-97.49748, 25.90175)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 476 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 50m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 23m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 54m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 55m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 13m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 41m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
10.43 gal
39.48 L · about $39.41
Round trip
$78.83
20.86 gal · 78.96 L
Estimated CO2
92.7 kg one way
Round trip: 185.4 kg / 409 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $39.41 $78.83
Mid-grade $4.25 $44.35 $88.70
Premium $4.59 $47.88 $95.77
Diesel $3.99 $41.65 $83.29

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 Bay City and Brownsville. The current time is 01:21:24.

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.