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

The driving distance from Fort Smith, AR to Waco, TX is about 372.1 miles (598.8 km), with a travel time of about 06h 50m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 308.8 miles (496.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 40m 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
372.05 mi
06h 50m
Flight
308.77 mi
496.91 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
308.77 mi
Kilometers
496.91 km
Flight Time
00h 37m

Driving Distance

Road route
372.05 mi
Kilometers
598.76 km
Drive Time
06h 50m

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 50m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Waco
Mon, Aug 3, 10:05 PM CDT
Return by in Fort Smith
Tue, Aug 4, 4:56 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Fort Smith
2026-08-03T15:15
Arrive Waco
Mon, Aug 3, 10:05 PM CDT
Route Timing
06h 50m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:50 PM to 2:20 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
10:20 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
Calera
OK

Town in Bryan County, Oklahoma, United States

From Fort Smith
186.2 mi
03h 25m
To Waco
185.9 mi
03h 25m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
96°F
Monday

Sunny

Starts
Mon, Aug 3 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SE
Destination
100°F
Monday

Sunny

Starts
Mon, Aug 3 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Grand Avenue

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Grand Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn slight right onto North B Street

    2376 ft · 1 min · North B Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto North 3rd Street

    736 ft · 25 sec · North 3rd Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Garrison Avenue

    6 mi · 9 min · Garrison Avenue

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight left toward I 40 West: Oklahoma City

    1276 ft · 32 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway

    60 mi · 1 hr 2 min · Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward US 69 South: Eufaula, McAlester, Dallas

    1445 ft · 35 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left

    90.9 mi · 1 hr 46 min

  9. 9

    Continue on South Big Bend Road

    9.8 mi · 11 min · South Big Bend Road

  10. 10

    Continue on US 69 South, US 75 South: Durant

    107.1 mi · 1 hr 53 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight left toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway

    153 m · 12 sec

  12. 12

    Continue on North Central Expressway

    1.2 km · 1 min · North Central Expressway

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Elm Street

    93 m · 11 sec · Elm Street

  14. 14

    Turn left onto North Pearl Expressway

    1086 ft · 29 sec · North Pearl Expressway

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Young Street

    572 ft · 20 sec · Young Street

  16. 16

    Turn left onto South Harwood Street

    96 m · 8 sec · South Harwood Street

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Canton Street

    2105 ft · 48 sec · Canton Street

  18. 18

    Take the ramp slight left toward I 30 West

    1773 ft · 38 sec

  19. 19

    Keep slight left to continue on I 35E South, I 35E North: Waco, Denton

    607 ft · 15 sec

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco

    67 m · 5 sec

  21. 21

    Keep slight left to continue on I 35E South: Waco

    1915 ft · 30 sec

  22. 22

    Continue on South R L Thornton Freeway

    2866 ft · 44 sec · South R L Thornton Freeway

  23. 23

    Continue on South R L Thornton Freeway

    89 mi · 1 hr 31 min · South R L Thornton Freeway

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward US 84: Waco Drive, Bellmead Drive

    1531 ft · 37 sec

  25. 25

    Continue on North Jack Kultgen Expressway

    801 ft · 18 sec · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

  26. 26

    Turn right onto East Waco Drive

    3.3 mi · 7 min · East Waco Drive

  27. 27

    Continue on West Waco Drive

    34 m · 8 sec · West Waco Drive

  28. 28

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Waco Drive

Car Route Details

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

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
28 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
2 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
US 69 South
198 mi · 53%
South R L Thornton Freeway
89.6 mi · 24%
Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway
60 mi · 16%
South Big Bend Road
9.82 mi · 3%
Garrison Avenue
6 mi · 2%
East Waco Drive
3.31 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

US 69 South

Continue on US 69 South, US 75 South: Durant

107 mi · 01h 53m

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 50m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+63.3 mi
308.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Calera
03h 25m from Fort Smith
Leave By
10:20 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Fort Smith and Sunny near Waco.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 372.1 miles (598.8 km) and usually takes 06h 50m 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?

Calera is a useful midpoint, sitting about 186.2 miles from Fort Smith and 185.9 miles from Waco.

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

The direct path is about 308.8 miles (496.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 63.3 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 $49.72 one way or $99.45 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 116.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Fort Smith and Sunny near Waco.

Stop Ideas Near Calera

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

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

RAIL

Ardmore station

69 mi away
251 East Main St.
RAIL

Gainesville

74 mi away
605 East California Street
RAIL

Pauls Valley

115 mi away
East Paul Ave. and South Santa Fe St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Fort Smith and Waco. Straight-line distance: 308.77 mi (496.91 km).

Fort Smith

#1 Fort Smith

The second most populous city in Sebastian County, Arkansas.

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

#2 Waco

The 11th most populous city in Texas.

Population141,377
Coordinates31.5493300, -97.1466700
Altitude143
CountryUnited States
Start: Fort Smith (-94.39855, 35.38592)
End: Waco (-97.14667, 31.54933)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 599 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 23m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 18m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 26m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 12m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 18m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 38m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
13.13 gal
49.7 L · about $49.72
Round trip
$99.45
26.26 gal · 99.4 L
Estimated CO2
116.7 kg one way
Round trip: 233.4 kg / 515 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.79 $49.72 $99.45
Mid-grade $4.26 $55.92 $111.84
Premium $4.63 $60.73 $121.45
Diesel $5.42 $71.10 $142.20

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 · Aug 03, 2026

There is no time difference between Fort Smith and Waco. The current time is 15:15:11.

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.