How far is Houston, TX from Buda, TX?

The driving distance from Houston, TX to Buda, TX is about 173.5 miles (279.3 km), with a travel time of about 03h 09m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 150 miles (241.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 18m 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
173.56 mi
03h 09m
Flight
149.99 mi
241.38 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Houston.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
149.99 mi
Kilometers
241.38 km
Flight Time
00h 18m

Driving Distance

Road route
173.56 mi
Kilometers
279.31 km
Drive Time
03h 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 03h 09m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Buda
Sun, Apr 12, 4:27 PM CDT
Return by in Houston
Sun, Apr 12, 7:36 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Houston
2026-04-12T13:17
Arrive Buda
Sun, Apr 12, 4:27 PM CDT
Route Timing
03h 09m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:09 AM to 11:09 AM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
10:42 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Houston
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
Fayetteville
TX

Town in and the county seat of Fayette County, West Virginia

From Houston
86.7 mi
01h 34m
To Buda
86.9 mi
01h 34m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Sunday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph SE
Destination
81°F
Sunday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Houston and Buda.

  1. 1

    Start on Louisiana Street

    761 ft · 25 sec · Louisiana Street

  2. 2

    Take the ramp straight toward I 10 West: San Antonio

    2149 ft · 52 sec

  3. 3

    Merge slight right onto Katy Freeway

    74.1 mi · 1 hr 21 min · Katy Freeway

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right toward TX 71 West: La Grange, Austin

    2832 ft · 33 sec

  5. 5

    Keep slight left

    77.2 mi · 1 hr 22 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward TX 71 West, TX 45 Toll, TX 130 Toll: Austin, Waco, San Antonio

    1989 ft · 36 sec · East State Highway 71

  7. 7

    Turn left onto State Highway 130

    141 m · 11 sec · State Highway 130

  8. 8

    Take the ramp straight toward TX 45 Toll South, TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio

    1426 ft · 35 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Pickle Parkway

    7.7 mi · 7 min · Pickle Parkway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward TX 45 Toll West: Buda

    8.5 mi · 8 min · State Highway 45 Southeast

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on I 35 South: San Antonio

    1.3 mi · 3 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail

    1.3 km · 53 sec · Purple Heart Trail

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward FM 2001: Niederwald

    1452 ft · 36 sec

  14. 14

    Turn straight onto South Interstate 35

    1899 ft · 38 sec · South Interstate 35

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Cabelas Drive

    1.2 km · 1 min · Cabelas Drive

  16. 16

    At the end of the road, turn left onto North Main Street

    1.3 km · 2 min · North Main Street

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Main Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
17 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
3 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
TX 71 West
77.9 mi · 45%
Katy Freeway
74.1 mi · 43%
Pickle Parkway
7.73 mi · 4%
State Highway 45 Southeast
4.24 mi · 2%
TX 45 Toll West
4.24 mi · 2%
I 35 South
1.25 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

TX 71 West

Keep slight left

77.2 mi · 01h 22m

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
03h 09m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+23.5 mi
150 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Fayetteville
01h 34m from Houston
Leave By
10:42 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Houston and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Buda.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Houston to Buda?

The road trip is about 173.5 miles (279.3 km) and usually takes 03h 09m 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?

Fayetteville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 86.7 miles from Houston and 86.9 miles from Buda.

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

The direct path is about 150 miles (241.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 23.5 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 10:42 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $23.13 one way or $46.25 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 54.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Houston and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Buda.

Stop Ideas Near Fayetteville

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

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

BUS

Prairie View, TX

68 mi away
44814 US Highway 290 Business \r\n
BUS

Bryan, TX

90 mi away
301 East 26th Street
RAIL

Taylor

102 mi away
118 East First St.
RAIL

Austin

112 mi away
250 North Lamar Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Houston and Buda. Straight-line distance: 149.99 mi (241.38 km).

Houston

#1 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
Buda

#2 Buda

City in Hays County, Texas, United States

Population17,544
Coordinates30.0852100, -97.8402800
Altitude214
CountryUnited States
Start: Houston (-95.36327, 29.76328)
End: Buda (-97.84028, 30.08521)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 279 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 46m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 20m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 53m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 28m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.12 gal
23.18 L · about $23.13
Round trip
$46.25
12.24 gal · 46.36 L
Estimated CO2
54.4 kg one way
Round trip: 108.8 kg / 240 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $23.13 $46.25
Mid-grade $4.25 $26.02 $52.04
Premium $4.59 $28.10 $56.19
Diesel $3.99 $24.44 $48.87

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 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Houston and Buda. The current time is 13:17:54.

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.