How far is Houston, TX from Gardendale, TX?

The driving distance from Houston, TX to Gardendale, TX is about 276.8 miles (445.5 km), with a travel time of about 04h 49m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 247.9 miles (399 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 09h 38m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CST.
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
276.85 mi
04h 49m
Flight
247.93 mi
399.01 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
247.93 mi
Kilometers
399.01 km
Flight Time
00h 29m

Driving Distance

Road route
276.85 mi
Kilometers
445.55 km
Drive Time
04h 49m

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 04h 49m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Gardendale
Fri, Nov 6, 2:59 PM CST
Return by in Houston
Fri, Nov 6, 7:48 PM CST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Houston
2026-11-06T10:10
Arrive Gardendale
Fri, Nov 6, 2:59 PM CST
Route Timing
04h 49m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CST
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:49 AM to 12:49 PM CST

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

Leave by
7:22 AM CST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Houston
9:00 PM CST
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
Luling
TX

City in Guadalupe County, Texas, USA

From Houston
138.3 mi
02h 24m
To Gardendale
138.6 mi
02h 24m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Nov 6 6:00 AM CST
Wind
5 mph NE
Destination
81°F
Today

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Nov 6 9:00 AM CST
Wind
3 to 10 mph N

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    12 mi · 13 min

  5. 5

    Keep slight left to continue on 90th Infantry Division Highway

    1.2 km · 52 sec · 90th Infantry Division Highway

  6. 6

    Continue on Jose Lopez Freeway

    8 mi · 9 min · Jose Lopez Freeway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 35, I 10 West, US 87 North: Laredo, El Paso, Austin

    923 ft · 23 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on I 35 South: Laredo

    2518 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto South Pan Am Expressway

    8.3 mi · 10 min · South Pan Am Expressway

  10. 10

    Continue on Purple Heart Trail

    71.5 mi · 1 hr 12 min · Purple Heart Trail

  11. 11

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Purple Heart Trail

Car Route Details

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

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
11 steps
0 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Katy Freeway
187 mi · 68%
Purple Heart Trail
71.5 mi · 26%
South Pan Am Expressway
8.33 mi · 3%
Jose Lopez Freeway
8.03 mi · 3%
90th Infantry Division Highway
0.75 mi
I 35 South
0.48 mi
Longest Stretch

Katy Freeway

Merge slight right onto Katy Freeway

175 mi · 03h 02m

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
04h 49m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
09h 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+28.9 mi
247.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Luling
02h 24m from Houston
Leave By
7:22 AM CST
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Houston and Mostly Sunny near Gardendale.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 276.8 miles (445.5 km) and usually takes 04h 49m 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?

Luling is a useful midpoint, sitting about 138.3 miles from Houston and 138.6 miles from Gardendale.

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

The direct path is about 247.9 miles (399 km), while the road route adds roughly 28.9 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 CST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:22 AM CST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $34.99 one way or $69.97 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 86.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Houston and Mostly Sunny near Gardendale.

Stop Ideas Near Luling

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

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

RAIL

San Marcos Station

36 mi away
338 South Guadalupe St.
RAIL

Austin

66 mi away
250 North Lamar Blvd.
RAIL

San Antonio Station

85 mi away
350 Hoefgen Street
RAIL

Taylor

101 mi away
118 East First St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Houston and Gardendale. Straight-line distance: 247.93 mi (399.01 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
Photo coming soon

#2 Gardendale

Gardendale is a place in Texas, United States.

Population0
Coordinates28.5169300, -99.2161400
Altitude180
CountryUnited States
Start: Houston (-95.36327, 29.76328)
End: Gardendale (-99.21614, 28.51693)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 446 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 13m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 55m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 32m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 36m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 57m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 27m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
9.77 gal
36.98 L · about $34.99
Round trip
$69.97
19.54 gal · 73.96 L
Estimated CO2
86.8 kg one way
Round trip: 173.7 kg / 383 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.58 $34.99 $69.97
Mid-grade $4.09 $40.00 $80.00
Premium $4.47 $43.69 $87.38
Diesel $5.68 $55.51 $111.03

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 · Nov 06, 2026

There is no time difference between Houston and Gardendale. The current time is 10:10:27.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.