How far is Fort Smith, AR from Houston, TX?

The driving distance from Fort Smith, AR to Houston, TX is about 462.5 miles (744.4 km), with a travel time of about 09h 09m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 392.5 miles (631.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 18h 19m 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
462.55 mi
09h 09m
Flight
392.52 mi
631.7 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Fort Smith.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
392.52 mi
Kilometers
631.7 km
Flight Time
00h 47m

Driving Distance

Road route
462.55 mi
Kilometers
744.41 km
Drive Time
09h 09m

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 09h 09m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Houston
Thu, Jul 9, 3:06 PM CDT
Return by in Fort Smith
Fri, Jul 10, 12:16 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Fort Smith
2026-07-09T05:56
Arrive Houston
Thu, Jul 9, 3:06 PM CDT
Route Timing
09h 09m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
3:10 PM to 4:40 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
5:40 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Fort Smith
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
Jefferson
TX

City in Marion County, Texas, USA

From Fort Smith
231.6 mi
04h 34m
To Houston
230.9 mi
04h 34m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
98°F
Thursday

Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Jul 9 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph S
Destination
95°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Jul 9 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Fort Smith and Houston.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fort Smith and Houston.

  1. 1

    Start on Grand Avenue

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Grand Avenue

  2. 2

    Take the ramp slight right

    1540 ft · 38 sec

  3. 3

    Merge slight left

    5.2 mi · 6 min

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right toward US 71 South: Texarkana

    1749 ft · 45 sec

  5. 5

    Turn left

    128.5 mi · 2 hr 35 min

  6. 6

    Continue on State Highway 24/State Highway 41

    1.8 mi · 3 min · State Highway 24/State Highway 41

  7. 7

    Continue on State Highway 41/West Main Street

    29.5 mi · 44 min · State Highway 41/West Main Street

  8. 8

    Continue on North State Highway 8

    6.4 mi · 7 min · North State Highway 8

  9. 9

    Continue on North McCoy Boulevard

    11.1 mi · 17 min · North McCoy Boulevard

  10. 10

    Turn left

    2.8 mi · 3 min

  11. 11

    Turn slight right onto Houston Drive

    8.9 mi · 12 min · Houston Drive

  12. 12

    Continue on North Street

    2.7 mi · 3 min · North Street

  13. 13

    Continue on State Highway 8

    12.5 mi · 14 min · State Highway 8

  14. 14

    Merge slight right

    119 m · 5 sec

  15. 15

    Turn right

    57.8 mi · 1 hr 4 min

  16. 16

    Take the exit right

    1287 ft · 35 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight left onto Northwest Loop

    3.1 mi · 4 min · Northwest Loop

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right

    1264 ft · 18 sec

  19. 19

    Keep slight right

    78 m · 7 sec

  20. 20

    Turn right

    24.8 mi · 26 min

  21. 21

    At the end of the road, turn left onto North Railroad Avenue

    2.6 mi · 3 min · North Railroad Avenue

  22. 22

    Continue on US Route 259

    3 mi · 3 min · US Route 259

  23. 23

    Continue on US Highway 259

    11.2 mi · 13 min · US Highway 259

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward US 59 South: Lufkin

    68 m · 6 sec

  25. 25

    Continue straight

    128 m · 12 sec

  26. 26

    Continue straight

    556 ft · 16 sec

  27. 27

    Turn left

    32 m · 4 sec

  28. 28

    Turn right onto North US Highway 59

    1.1 km · 48 sec · North US Highway 59

  29. 29

    Continue on Northwest Stallings Drive

    6.4 mi · 7 min · Northwest Stallings Drive

  30. 30

    Continue on Stallings Drive

    2015 ft · 26 sec · Stallings Drive

  31. 31

    Take the exit slight right

    919 ft · 25 sec

  32. 32

    Turn straight

    68 m · 6 sec

  33. 33

    Merge slight left onto South Street

    1.3 mi · 2 min · South Street

  34. 34

    Continue on South US Highway 59

    19.4 mi · 22 min · South US Highway 59

  35. 35

    Take the exit slight right toward South First Street

    121 m · 10 sec

  36. 36

    Turn straight onto South Medford Drive

    1041 ft · 23 sec · South Medford Drive

  37. 37

    Turn left onto South First Street

    4.1 mi · 5 min · South First Street

  38. 38

    Continue on US 59

    1.3 mi · 2 min · US 59

  39. 39

    Continue on Diboll Relief Route

    111 mi · 2 hr 2 min · Diboll Relief Route

  40. 40

    Take the exit slight right toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Beaumont, San Antonio

    1018 ft · 25 sec

  41. 41

    Keep slight right to continue on I 10 West: San Antonio

    1154 ft · 28 sec

  42. 42

    Merge slight left onto East Freeway

    2497 ft · 35 sec · East Freeway

  43. 43

    Take the exit slight right toward San Jacinto Street, Main Street

    932 ft · 23 sec

  44. 44

    Turn straight onto Providence Street

    599 ft · 12 sec · Providence Street

  45. 45

    Continue on North San Jacinto Street

    1636 ft · 32 sec · North San Jacinto Street

  46. 46

    Continue on Fannin Street

    1878 ft · 51 sec · Fannin Street

  47. 47

    Turn right onto Prairie Street

    1338 ft · 48 sec · Prairie Street

  48. 48

    Turn right onto Louisiana Street

    157 m · 17 sec · Louisiana Street

  49. 49

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Louisiana Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Fort Smith and Houston.

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
49 steps
14 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
14
5 merges, 9 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Diboll Relief Route
111 mi · 24%
State Highway 41/West Main Street
29.5 mi · 6%
South US Highway 59
19.4 mi · 4%
State Highway 8
12.8 mi · 3%
US Highway 259
11.2 mi · 2%
North McCoy Boulevard
11.1 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Longest stretch

Turn left

128 mi · 02h 35m

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
09h 09m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
18h 20m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+70 mi
392.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Jefferson
04h 34m from Fort Smith
Leave By
5:40 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Fort Smith and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Houston.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Fort Smith to Houston?

The road trip is about 462.5 miles (744.4 km) and usually takes 09h 09m 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?

Jefferson is a useful midpoint, sitting about 231.6 miles from Fort Smith and 230.9 miles from Houston.

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

The direct path is about 392.5 miles (631.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 70 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 $61.80 one way or $123.61 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 145 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Fort Smith and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Houston.

Stop Ideas Near Jefferson

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

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

RAIL

Marshall

23 mi away
800 North Washington Street - suite 2
RAIL

Longview

46 mi away
905 Pacific Ave.
BUS

Shreveport, Louisiana

62 mi away
451 Clyde Fant Parkway
BUS

Shreveport, LA

62 mi away
408 Fannin Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Fort Smith and Houston. Straight-line distance: 392.52 mi (631.7 km).

Fort Smith

#1 Fort Smith

The second most populous city in Sebastian County, Arkansas.

Population87,764
Coordinates35.3859200, -94.3985500
Altitude134
CountryUnited States
Houston

#2 Houston

The fourth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Houston metropolitan area.

Population2,316,120
Coordinates29.7632800, -95.3632700
Altitude12
CountryUnited States
Start: Fort Smith (-94.39855, 35.38592)
End: Houston (-95.36327, 29.76328)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 744 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)15h 24m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)11h 33m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)09h 15m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)07h 42m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 36m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 46m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
16.32 gal
61.79 L · about $61.80
Round trip
$123.61
32.64 gal · 123.58 L
Estimated CO2
145 kg one way
Round trip: 290.1 kg / 640 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.79 $61.80 $123.61
Mid-grade $4.26 $69.51 $139.01
Premium $4.63 $75.48 $150.96
Diesel $5.42 $88.37 $176.75

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 Arkansas · Jul 09, 2026

There is no time difference between Fort Smith and Houston. The current time is 05:56:52.

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.