How far is Dallas, TX from Port Lavaca, TX?

The driving distance from Dallas, TX to Port Lavaca, TX is about 321.6 miles (517.6 km), with a travel time of about 06h 06m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 288.2 miles (463.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 13m 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
321.6 mi
06h 06m
Flight
288.19 mi
463.79 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Dallas.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
288.19 mi
Kilometers
463.79 km
Flight Time
00h 34m

Driving Distance

Road route
321.6 mi
Kilometers
517.56 km
Drive Time
06h 06m

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 06m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Port Lavaca
Thu, Apr 23, 11:31 AM CDT
Return by in Dallas
Thu, Apr 23, 5:37 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Dallas
2026-04-23T05:24
Arrive Port Lavaca
Thu, Apr 23, 11:31 AM CDT
Route Timing
06h 06m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:07 PM to 1:37 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
11:46 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Dallas
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
Rockdale
TX

City in Milam County, Texas

From Dallas
161.1 mi
03h 03m
To Port Lavaca
160.4 mi
03h 03m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
81°F
Thursday

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph S
Destination
80°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 18 mph SSE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Dallas and Port Lavaca.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Dallas and Port Lavaca.

  1. 1

    Start on North Lamar Street

    1233 ft · 34 sec · North Lamar Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Elm Street

    1125 ft · 31 sec · Elm Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Elm Street

    709 ft · 14 sec · Elm Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp straight toward I 30, I 35E

    100 m · 8 sec

  5. 5

    Keep slight left to continue on I 30 West, I 35E South

    835 ft · 20 sec

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on I 35E South

    101 m · 8 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight right onto South Stemmons Freeway

    1.4 km · 1 min · South Stemmons Freeway

  8. 8

    Continue on South R L Thornton Freeway

    2866 ft · 44 sec · South R L Thornton Freeway

  9. 9

    Continue on South R L Thornton Freeway

    89.3 mi · 1 hr 32 min · South R L Thornton Freeway

  10. 10

    Continue on North Jack Kultgen Expressway

    4.3 mi · 5 min · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward Loop 396

    1239 ft · 30 sec

  12. 12

    Turn straight onto South Jack Kultgen Expressway

    707 ft · 25 sec · South Jack Kultgen Expressway

  13. 13

    Turn left onto South Valley Mills Drive

    760 ft · 20 sec · South Valley Mills Drive

  14. 14

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward The Circle

    38 m · 6 sec · Robinson Drive

  15. 15

    Exit the rotary onto Robinson Drive

    29.5 mi · 34 min · Robinson Drive

  16. 16

    Continue straight

    19.1 mi · 22 min

  17. 17

    Turn left onto East 4th Street

    1340 ft · 19 sec · East 4th Street

  18. 18

    Continue on Kemp Street

    1272 ft · 16 sec · Kemp Street

  19. 19

    Continue on East 1st Street

    2.9 mi · 3 min · East 1st Street

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right

    101.1 mi · 1 hr 58 min

  21. 21

    Turn right onto West 4th Street

    1409 ft · 20 sec · West 4th Street

  22. 22

    Continue on Fairwinds Street

    2010 ft · 29 sec · Fairwinds Street

  23. 23

    Turn left onto United States Highway 77

    44.5 mi · 53 min · United States Highway 77

  24. 24

    Turn left onto East Goodwin Avenue

    1798 ft · 31 sec · East Goodwin Avenue

  25. 25

    Continue on Port Lavaca Drive

    21.3 mi · 25 min · Port Lavaca Drive

  26. 26

    Keep slight left

    5.4 mi · 7 min

  27. 27

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Dallas and Port Lavaca.

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
27 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
1 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
East 1st Street
104 mi · 32%
South R L Thornton Freeway
89.9 mi · 28%
Robinson Drive
48.6 mi · 15%
United States Highway 77
44.5 mi · 14%
Port Lavaca Drive
26.7 mi · 8%
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
4.25 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

East 1st Street

Take the exit slight right

101 mi · 01h 58m

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 06m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+33.4 mi
288.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Rockdale
03h 03m from Dallas
Leave By
11:46 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Dallas and Mostly Sunny near Port Lavaca.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Dallas to Port Lavaca?

The road trip is about 321.6 miles (517.6 km) and usually takes 06h 06m 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?

Rockdale is a useful midpoint, sitting about 161.1 miles from Dallas and 160.4 miles from Port Lavaca.

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

The direct path is about 288.2 miles (463.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 33.4 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 $42.89 one way or $85.78 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 100.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy around Dallas and Mostly Sunny near Port Lavaca.

Stop Ideas Near Rockdale

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

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

RAIL

Taylor

40 mi away
118 East First St.
RAIL

Temple

59 mi away
315 West Ave B
BUS

Bryan, TX

60 mi away
301 East 26th Street
RAIL

Austin

84 mi away
250 North Lamar Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Dallas and Port Lavaca. Straight-line distance: 288.19 mi (463.79 km).

Dallas

#1 Dallas

The ninth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.

Population1,343,266
Coordinates32.7830600, -96.8066700
Altitude128
CountryUnited States
Port Lavaca

#2 Port Lavaca

City in Texas, United States

Population11,671
Coordinates28.6150000, -96.6260900
Altitude4
CountryUnited States
Start: Dallas (-96.80667, 32.78306)
End: Port Lavaca (-96.62609, 28.615)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 518 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 42m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 02m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 25m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 21m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 35m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 00m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.35 gal
42.96 L · about $42.89
Round trip
$85.78
22.7 gal · 85.92 L
Estimated CO2
100.9 kg one way
Round trip: 201.7 kg / 445 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $42.89 $85.78
Mid-grade $4.25 $48.26 $96.52
Premium $4.59 $52.11 $104.22
Diesel $3.99 $45.32 $90.64

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Dallas and Port Lavaca. The current time is 05:24:43.

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.