How far is Houston, TX from Celina, TX?

The driving distance from Houston, TX to Celina, TX is about 279.3 miles (449.5 km), with a travel time of about 05h 04m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 259.9 miles (418.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 10h 09m 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
279.28 mi
05h 04m
Flight
259.89 mi
418.26 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
259.89 mi
Kilometers
418.26 km
Flight Time
00h 31m

Driving Distance

Road route
279.28 mi
Kilometers
449.45 km
Drive Time
05h 04m

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 05h 04m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Celina
Thu, Apr 23, 8:04 AM CDT
Return by in Houston
Thu, Apr 23, 1:08 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Houston
2026-04-23T02:59
Arrive Celina
Thu, Apr 23, 8:04 AM CDT
Route Timing
05h 04m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:05 AM to 1:05 PM CDT

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

Leave by
6:50 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
Buffalo
TX

City in Leon County, Texas

From Houston
139.9 mi
02h 32m
To Celina
139.4 mi
02h 32m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
82°F
Thursday

Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph SE
Destination
79°F
Thursday

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Louisiana Street

    145 m · 20 sec · Louisiana Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Franklin Street

    664 ft · 28 sec · Franklin Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Travis Street

    1205 ft · 29 sec · Travis Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp straight toward I 45 North Express Lane

    1.6 km · 2 min

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto North Freeway

    236.1 mi · 4 hr 8 min · North Freeway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward Main Street West, Elm Street

    1302 ft · 32 sec

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on Elm Street

    577 ft · 14 sec

  8. 8

    Turn straight onto Elm Street

    966 ft · 27 sec · Elm Street

  9. 9

    Turn right onto North Olive Street

    1.6 km · 2 min · North Olive Street

  10. 10

    Continue on McKinnon Street

    2511 ft · 1 min · McKinnon Street

  11. 11

    Take the ramp straight toward DNT Toll

    2325 ft · 44 sec

  12. 12

    Continue on Dallas North Tollway

    30.6 mi · 34 min · Dallas North Tollway

  13. 13

    Turn straight onto South Dallas Parkway

    5.8 mi · 9 min · South Dallas Parkway

  14. 14

    Turn right onto FM 428

    1.9 mi · 3 min · FM 428

  15. 15

    Turn right onto West FM 455

    1456 ft · 29 sec · West FM 455

  16. 16

    Continue on West Walnut Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · West Walnut Street

  17. 17

    Turn left onto North Louisiana Drive

    108 m · 9 sec · North Louisiana Drive

  18. 18

    Turn right onto West Pecan Street

    55 m · 4 sec · West Pecan Street

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Pecan Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
19 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
North Freeway
236 mi · 85%
Dallas North Tollway
30.6 mi · 11%
South Dallas Parkway
5.81 mi · 2%
FM 428
1.94 mi · 1%
I 45 North Express Lane
0.99 mi
North Olive Street
0.96 mi
Longest Stretch

North Freeway

Merge slight left onto North Freeway

236 mi · 04h 08m

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
05h 04m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
10h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+19.4 mi
259.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Buffalo
02h 32m from Houston
Leave By
6:50 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Houston and Mostly Cloudy near Celina.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 279.3 miles (449.5 km) and usually takes 05h 04m 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?

Buffalo is a useful midpoint, sitting about 139.9 miles from Houston and 139.4 miles from Celina.

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

The direct path is about 259.9 miles (418.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 19.4 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 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 6:50 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $37.22 one way or $74.45 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 87.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Houston and Mostly Cloudy near Celina.

Stop Ideas Near Buffalo

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

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

BUS

Bryan, TX

93 mi away
301 East 26th Street
BUS

Waco, TX

102 mi away
301 South 8th Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Houston and Celina. Straight-line distance: 259.89 mi (418.26 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
Celina

#2 Celina

City in Texas, United States of America

Population20,114
Coordinates33.3245600, -96.7844400
Altitude211
CountryUnited States
Start: Houston (-95.36327, 29.76328)
End: Celina (-96.78444, 33.32456)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 449 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 18m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 58m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 35m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 39m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 59m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 29m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
9.85 gal
37.3 L · about $37.22
Round trip
$74.45
19.7 gal · 74.6 L
Estimated CO2
87.5 kg one way
Round trip: 175.1 kg / 386 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $37.22 $74.45
Mid-grade $4.25 $41.88 $83.76
Premium $4.59 $45.22 $90.44
Diesel $3.99 $39.33 $78.66

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 Houston and Celina. The current time is 02:59:21.

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.