How far is El Paso, TX from Bay City, TX?

The driving distance from El Paso, TX to Bay City, TX is about 742.3 miles (1194.6 km), with a travel time of about 12h 37m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 655.3 miles (1054.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 25h 15m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT.
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
742.31 mi
12h 37m
Flight
655.32 mi
1054.63 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from El Paso.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
655.32 mi
Kilometers
1054.63 km
Flight Time
01h 19m

Driving Distance

Road route
742.31 mi
Kilometers
1194.64 km
Drive Time
12h 37m

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 12h 37m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bay City
Sun, May 31, 3:31 PM CDT
Return by in El Paso
Mon, Jun 1, 3:09 AM MDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave El Paso
2026-05-31T01:53
Arrive Bay City
Sun, May 31, 2:31 PM MDT
Route Timing
12h 37m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
7:38 PM to 9:08 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
10:44 AM MDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in El Paso
8:00 PM MDT
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
Sonora
TX

City in Texas

From El Paso
370.8 mi
06h 18m
To Bay City
371.5 mi
06h 18m

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 MDT
Wind
3 mph W
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 El Paso and Bay City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between El Paso and Bay City.

  1. 1

    Start on North Mesa Street

    1071 ft · 24 sec · North Mesa Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto East Franklin Avenue

    995 ft · 26 sec · East Franklin Avenue

  3. 3

    Take the ramp straight toward I 10 East

    2078 ft · 51 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left

    166.8 mi · 2 hr 43 min

  5. 5

    Keep slight right

    363.5 mi · 5 hr 45 min

  6. 6

    Keep slight right

    5.4 mi · 6 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward Frontage Road

    3038 ft · 1 min

  8. 8

    Turn straight onto Interstate 10 West

    2629 ft · 54 sec · Interstate 10 West

  9. 9

    Turn left onto North Loop 1604 West

    2164 ft · 43 sec · North Loop 1604 West

  10. 10

    Take the ramp straight toward Loop 1604 East

    554 ft · 14 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Anderson Loop

    25.4 mi · 29 min · Anderson Loop

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Interstate 10 East

    1.5 km · 2 min · Interstate 10 East

  13. 13

    Take the ramp slight left

    852 ft · 21 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto 90th Infantry Division Highway

    14.9 mi · 15 min · 90th Infantry Division Highway

  15. 15

    Continue on I 10 East: Houston, Austin, Waco

    92.8 mi · 1 hr 33 min

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward TX 71 East, TX 71 BUS: Columbus, El Campo

    111 m · 9 sec

  17. 17

    Continue on TX 71 East, TX 71 BUS: Columbus, El Campo

    1368 ft · 36 sec

  18. 18

    Turn right onto State Highway 71 South

    53.3 mi · 1 hr 11 min · State Highway 71 South

  19. 19

    Turn left

    10.4 mi · 18 min

  20. 20

    At the end of the road, turn left

    6.3 mi · 9 min

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 7th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between El Paso 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
21 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
3 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
2.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 10 East
629 mi · 85%
State Highway 71 South
53.3 mi · 7%
Anderson Loop
25.4 mi · 3%
90th Infantry Division Highway
14.9 mi · 2%
Interstate 10 East
1.09 mi
Frontage Road
0.58 mi
Longest Stretch

I 10 East

Keep slight right

363 mi · 05h 45m

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
12h 37m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
25h 16m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+87 mi
655.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Sonora
06h 18m from El Paso
Leave By
10:44 AM MDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving El Paso 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 El Paso to Bay City?

The road trip is about 742.3 miles (1194.6 km) and usually takes 12h 37m 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?

Sonora is a useful midpoint, sitting about 370.8 miles from El Paso and 371.5 miles from Bay City.

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

The direct path is about 655.3 miles (1054.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 87 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 MDT. 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 $99.01 one way or $198.02 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 232.8 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between El Paso and Bay City, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between El Paso and Bay City. Straight-line distance: 655.32 mi (1054.63 km).

El Paso

#1 El Paso

The twenty-third most populous city in the United States and the center of the El Paso metropolitan area.

Population681,534
Coordinates31.7587200, -106.4869300
Altitude1133
CountryUnited States
Bay City

#2 Bay City

City in Texas

Population17,535
Coordinates28.9827600, -95.9694000
Altitude16
CountryUnited States
Start: El Paso (-106.48693, 31.75872)
End: Bay City (-95.9694, 28.98276)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 1195 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)24h 44m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)18h 33m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)14h 50m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)12h 22m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)10h 36m
80 mph (129 km/h)09h 15m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
26.2 gal
99.16 L · about $99.01
Round trip
$198.02
52.4 gal · 198.32 L
Estimated CO2
232.8 kg one way
Round trip: 465.7 kg / 1027 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $99.01 $198.02
Mid-grade $4.25 $111.40 $222.80
Premium $4.59 $120.28 $240.57
Diesel $3.99 $104.62 $209.23

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

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between El Paso, TX and Bay City, TX. The current time in El Paso is 01:53:57, although it is 02:53:57 in Bay City.

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.