How far is Rusk, TX from Galveston, TX?

The driving distance from Rusk, TX to Galveston, TX is about 212.3 miles (341.7 km), with a travel time of about 04h 07m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 173.6 miles (279.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 08h 15m 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
212.29 mi
04h 07m
Flight
173.64 mi
279.44 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Rusk.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
173.64 mi
Kilometers
279.44 km
Flight Time
00h 20m

Driving Distance

Road route
212.29 mi
Kilometers
341.65 km
Drive Time
04h 07m

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 07m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Galveston
Sat, Jun 13, 12:41 PM CDT
Return by in Rusk
Sat, Jun 13, 4:49 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Rusk
2026-06-13T08:34
Arrive Galveston
Sat, Jun 13, 12:41 PM CDT
Route Timing
04h 07m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:08 AM to 12:08 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
8:44 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Rusk
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
Shepherd
TX

Human settlement in San Jacinto County, Texas, United States of America

From Rusk
106.3 mi
02h 03m
To Galveston
106 mi
02h 03m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
92°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Jun 13 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph S
Destination
89°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Jun 13 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Rusk and Galveston.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rusk and Galveston.

  1. 1

    Start on East 6th Street

    78 m · 10 sec · East 6th Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto North Henderson Street

    2274 ft · 45 sec · North Henderson Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto South Dickinson Drive

    1.9 mi · 2 min · South Dickinson Drive

  4. 4

    Continue on US Highway 69 South

    9.3 mi · 11 min · US Highway 69 South

  5. 5

    Continue on North Marcus Street

    1.5 mi · 2 min · North Marcus Street

  6. 6

    Continue on US Highway 69 South

    11.5 mi · 13 min · US Highway 69 South

  7. 7

    Continue on Rusk Street

    15.1 mi · 19 min · Rusk Street

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right

    555 ft · 15 sec

  9. 9

    Continue on Loop 287 Frontage Road

    1041 ft · 22 sec · Loop 287 Frontage Road

  10. 10

    Turn right onto John Redditt Drive

    4.5 mi · 7 min · John Redditt Drive

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward FM 324, FM 819: Southwood Dr, Feagin Dr

    1170 ft · 38 sec

  12. 12

    Turn right onto College Drive

    1.9 mi · 3 min · College Drive

  13. 13

    Turn right onto South First Street

    2.2 mi · 3 min · South First Street

  14. 14

    Continue on US 59

    1.3 mi · 2 min · US 59

  15. 15

    Continue on Diboll Relief Route

    112.9 mi · 2 hr 4 min · Diboll Relief Route

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward I 45: Galveston, Dallas

    1967 ft · 48 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on I 45 South: Galveston

    2190 ft · 53 sec

  18. 18

    Merge slight right onto Gulf Freeway

    45.8 mi · 54 min · Gulf Freeway

  19. 19

    Continue on Broadway - Avenue J

    2.3 mi · 4 min · Broadway - Avenue J

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Martin Luther King Boulevard - 29th Street

    738 ft · 21 sec · Martin Luther King Boulevard - 29th Street

  21. 21

    Turn right onto Ball Street - Avenue H

    762 ft · 26 sec · Ball Street - Avenue H

  22. 22

    Turn left onto 27th Street

    79 m · 11 sec · 27th Street

  23. 23

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 27th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Rusk and Galveston.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
23 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Diboll Relief Route
113 mi · 53%
Gulf Freeway
45.8 mi · 22%
US Highway 69 South
20.8 mi · 10%
Rusk Street
15.2 mi · 7%
John Redditt Drive
4.53 mi · 2%
Broadway - Avenue J
2.27 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Diboll Relief Route

Continue on Diboll Relief Route

113 mi · 02h 04m

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 07m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
08h 16m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+38.7 mi
173.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Shepherd
02h 03m from Rusk
Leave By
8:44 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Rusk and Sunny near Galveston.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Rusk to Galveston?

The road trip is about 212.3 miles (341.7 km) and usually takes 04h 07m 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?

Shepherd is a useful midpoint, sitting about 106.3 miles from Rusk and 106 miles from Galveston.

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

The direct path is about 173.6 miles (279.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 38.7 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 8:44 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $28.30 one way or $56.61 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 66.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Rusk and Sunny near Galveston.

Stop Ideas Near Shepherd

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

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

RAIL

Houston

89 mi away
902 Washington Ave.
BUS

Houston, TX

91 mi away
2121 Main Street
RAIL

Beaumont

96 mi away
2555 W. Cedar Street
BUS

Prairie View, TX

107 mi away
44814 US Highway 290 Business \r\n

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Rusk and Galveston. Straight-line distance: 173.64 mi (279.44 km).

Rusk

#1 Rusk

City in Cherokee County, Texas

Population5,664
Coordinates31.7960100, -95.1502200
Altitude158
CountryUnited States
Galveston

#2 Galveston

A city in Galveston County, Texas.

Population50,085
Coordinates29.3013500, -94.7977000
Altitude2
CountryUnited States
Start: Rusk (-95.15022, 31.79601)
End: Galveston (-94.7977, 29.30135)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 342 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)07h 04m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 18m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 14m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 32m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 01m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 38m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.49 gal
28.36 L · about $28.30
Round trip
$56.61
14.98 gal · 56.72 L
Estimated CO2
66.6 kg one way
Round trip: 133.1 kg / 293 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $28.30 $56.61
Mid-grade $4.25 $31.85 $63.69
Premium $4.59 $34.39 $68.77
Diesel $3.99 $29.91 $59.82

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 · Jun 13, 2026

There is no time difference between Rusk and Galveston. The current time is 08:34:16.

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.