How far is Houston, TX from El Paso, TX?

The driving distance from Houston, TX to El Paso, TX is about 745.3 miles (1199.4 km), with a travel time of about 10h 38m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 674.3 miles (1085.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 21h 16m 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
745.27 mi
10h 38m
Flight
674.34 mi
1085.25 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
674.34 mi
Kilometers
1085.25 km
Flight Time
01h 21m

Driving Distance

Road route
745.27 mi
Kilometers
1199.4 km
Drive Time
10h 38m

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 10h 38m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in El Paso
Wed, Apr 22, 11:47 PM MDT
Return by in Houston
Thu, Apr 23, 11:25 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Houston
2026-04-22T14:08
Arrive El Paso
Thu, Apr 23, 12:47 AM CDT
Route Timing
10h 38m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
3:38 PM to 5:08 PM MDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
2:44 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Houston
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
Sonora
TX

City in Texas

From Houston
371.5 mi
05h 19m
To El Paso
373.8 mi
05h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
78°F
Wednesday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SE
Destination
87°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
7 to 18 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Houston and El Paso.

  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

    174.9 mi · 3 hr 2 min · Katy Freeway

  4. 4

    Keep slight left

    1.9 mi · 2 min

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward TX 1518: Schertz

    599 ft · 15 sec

  6. 6

    Turn straight onto Interstate 10 East

    629 ft · 19 sec · Interstate 10 East

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Farm-to-Market Road 1518

    5.4 mi · 10 min · Farm-to-Market Road 1518

  8. 8

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Gordon A Blake Highway

    2 mi · 3 min · Gordon A Blake Highway

  9. 9

    Turn left

    1087 ft · 22 sec

  10. 10

    Take the ramp slight right toward Loop 1604 North

    81 m · 7 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Anderson Loop

    20.4 mi · 22 min · Anderson Loop

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward Frontage Road

    841 ft · 21 sec

  13. 13

    Turn straight onto North Loop 1604 West

    1183 ft · 26 sec · North Loop 1604 West

  14. 14

    Turn right onto Interstate 10 West

    1450 ft · 25 sec · Interstate 10 West

  15. 15

    Take the ramp slight left toward I 10 West, US 87 North

    811 ft · 20 sec

  16. 16

    Merge slight left

    1.1 mi · 1 min

  17. 17

    Keep slight right

    535.3 mi · 8 hr 34 min

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward Missouri Avenue, Downtown

    851 ft · 21 sec

  19. 19

    Turn straight onto East Missouri Avenue

    1799 ft · 49 sec · East Missouri Avenue

  20. 20

    Turn left onto North Mesa Street

    1398 ft · 27 sec · North Mesa Street

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Mesa Street

Car Route Details

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

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
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
3 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
2.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 10 West
537 mi · 72%
Katy Freeway
177 mi · 24%
Anderson Loop
20.4 mi · 3%
Farm-to-Market Road 1518
5.42 mi · 1%
Gordon A Blake Highway
2.01 mi
East Missouri Avenue
0.34 mi
Longest Stretch

I 10 West

Keep slight right

535 mi · 08h 34m

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
10h 38m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
21h 16m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+71 mi
674.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Sonora
05h 19m from Houston
Leave By
2:44 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Houston and Sunny near El Paso.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Houston to El Paso?

The road trip is about 745.3 miles (1199.4 km) and usually takes 10h 38m 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 371.5 miles from Houston and 373.8 miles from El Paso.

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

The direct path is about 674.3 miles (1085.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 71 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 $99.39 one way or $198.78 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 233.7 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms around Houston and Sunny near El Paso.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Houston and El Paso. Straight-line distance: 674.34 mi (1085.25 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
El Paso

#2 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
Start: Louisiana Street (-95.363596, 29.76347)
End: North Mesa Street (-106.487016, 31.758664)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 1199 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)24h 49m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)18h 37m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)14h 54m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)12h 25m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)10h 38m
80 mph (129 km/h)09h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
26.3 gal
99.55 L · about $99.39
Round trip
$198.78
52.6 gal · 199.1 L
Estimated CO2
233.7 kg one way
Round trip: 467.5 kg / 1031 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $99.39 $198.78
Mid-grade $4.25 $111.83 $223.66
Premium $4.59 $120.74 $241.49
Diesel $3.99 $105.02 $210.03

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 22, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Houston, TX and El Paso, TX. The current time in Houston is 14:08:56, although it is 13:08:56 in El Paso.

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.