How far is Houston, TX from Harker Heights, TX?

The driving distance from Houston, TX to Harker Heights, TX is about 193.6 miles (311.5 km), with a travel time of about 03h 50m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 164.4 miles (264.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 41m 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
193.55 mi
03h 50m
Flight
164.43 mi
264.63 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
164.43 mi
Kilometers
264.63 km
Flight Time
00h 19m

Driving Distance

Road route
193.55 mi
Kilometers
311.49 km
Drive Time
03h 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 03h 50m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Harker Heights
Thu, Apr 23, 3:28 AM CDT
Return by in Houston
Thu, Apr 23, 7:19 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Houston
2026-04-22T23:37
Arrive Harker Heights
Thu, Apr 23, 3:28 AM CDT
Route Timing
03h 50m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:51 AM to 11:51 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
9:18 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
Wixon Valley
TX

City in Brazos County, Texas, United States

From Houston
96.8 mi
01h 55m
To Harker Heights
96.7 mi
01h 55m

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
79°F
Wednesday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SSE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Houston and Harker Heights.

  1. 1

    Start on Louisiana Street

    145 m · 20 sec · Louisiana Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Franklin Street

    664 ft · 30 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

    8.3 mi · 10 min · North Freeway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward TX 249

    818 ft · 20 sec

  7. 7

    Turn straight onto North Freeway Frontage Road

    1849 ft · 39 sec · North Freeway Frontage Road

  8. 8

    Turn left onto West Mount Houston Road

    2.9 mi · 5 min · West Mount Houston Road

  9. 9

    Continue on Tomball Parkway

    3.8 mi · 6 min · Tomball Parkway

  10. 10

    Continue on Tomball Parkway

    8.4 mi · 10 min · Tomball Parkway

  11. 11

    Continue on Tomball Tollway

    7.3 mi · 8 min · Tomball Tollway

  12. 12

    Continue on MCTRA 249 Tollway

    3.6 mi · 4 min · MCTRA 249 Tollway

  13. 13

    Continue on Aggie Expressway

    24.8 mi · 27 min · Aggie Expressway

  14. 14

    Continue on State Highway 105

    5.8 mi · 7 min · State Highway 105

  15. 15

    Turn right onto State Highway 6

    815 ft · 16 sec · State Highway 6

  16. 16

    Take the ramp slight left

    755 ft · 18 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight left

    49.8 mi · 53 min

  18. 18

    Keep slight right to continue on North State Highway 6

    5.8 mi · 6 min · North State Highway 6

  19. 19

    Continue on South Main Street

    1.3 mi · 2 min · South Main Street

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Browning Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · Browning Street

  21. 21

    Continue on Farm-to-Market Road 979

    15.3 mi · 19 min · Farm-to-Market Road 979

  22. 22

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Farm-to-Market Road 485

    20.4 mi · 26 min · Farm-to-Market Road 485

  23. 23

    At the end of the road, turn left

    13.1 mi · 16 min

  24. 24

    Turn left onto North General Bruce Drive

    951 ft · 21 sec · North General Bruce Drive

  25. 25

    Take the ramp straight toward I 35 South

    1069 ft · 26 sec

  26. 26

    Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail

    7.1 mi · 8 min · Purple Heart Trail

  27. 27

    Keep slight right to continue on Central Texas Expressway

    11.2 mi · 12 min · Central Texas Expressway

  28. 28

    Take the exit slight right toward FM 3423

    1106 ft · 27 sec

  29. 29

    Turn straight onto East Central Texas Expressway

    2604 ft · 60 sec · East Central Texas Expressway

  30. 30

    Turn right onto Indian Trail

    1224 ft · 38 sec · Indian Trail

  31. 31

    Turn left onto Clore Road

    1485 ft · 1 min · Clore Road

  32. 32

    Turn right onto Jorgette Drive

    1127 ft · 50 sec · Jorgette Drive

  33. 33

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Jorgette Drive

Car Route Details

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

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
33 steps
13 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
3 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
17 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
State Highway 6
50.1 mi · 26%
Aggie Expressway
24.8 mi · 13%
Farm-to-Market Road 485
20.4 mi · 11%
Farm-to-Market Road 979
15.3 mi · 8%
Tomball Parkway
12.3 mi · 6%
Central Texas Expressway
11.2 mi · 6%
Longest Stretch

State Highway 6

Merge slight left

49.8 mi · 00h 53m

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 50m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+29.2 mi
164.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Wixon Valley
01h 55m from Houston
Leave By
9:18 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Houston and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Harker Heights.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Houston to Harker Heights?

The road trip is about 193.6 miles (311.5 km) and usually takes 03h 50m 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?

Wixon Valley is a useful midpoint, sitting about 96.8 miles from Houston and 96.7 miles from Harker Heights.

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

The direct path is about 164.4 miles (264.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 29.2 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 9:18 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $25.81 one way or $51.62 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 60.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms around Houston and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Harker Heights.

Stop Ideas Near Wixon Valley

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

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

BUS

Bryan, TX

11 mi away
301 East 26th Street
BUS

Prairie View, TX

83 mi away
44814 US Highway 290 Business \r\n
RAIL

Temple

105 mi away
315 West Ave B
RAIL

Taylor

106 mi away
118 East First St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Houston and Harker Heights. Straight-line distance: 164.43 mi (264.63 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
Harker Heights

#2 Harker Heights

City in Bell County, Texas, United States

Population33,071
Coordinates31.0835100, -97.6597400
Altitude233
CountryUnited States
Start: Houston (-95.36327, 29.76328)
End: Harker Heights (-97.65974, 31.08351)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 311 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 26m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 50m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 52m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 13m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 45m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 24m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.83 gal
25.85 L · about $25.81
Round trip
$51.62
13.66 gal · 51.7 L
Estimated CO2
60.7 kg one way
Round trip: 121.4 kg / 268 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $25.81 $51.62
Mid-grade $4.25 $29.04 $58.08
Premium $4.59 $31.36 $62.71
Diesel $3.99 $27.27 $54.54

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 Harker Heights. The current time is 23:37:54.

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.