How far is San Antonio, TX from Rio Grande City, TX?

The driving distance from San Antonio, TX to Rio Grande City, TX is about 259.2 miles (417.1 km), with a travel time of about 04h 44m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 211.3 miles (340 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 09h 28m 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
259.2 mi
04h 44m
Flight
211.28 mi
340.03 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Antonio.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
211.28 mi
Kilometers
340.03 km
Flight Time
00h 25m

Driving Distance

Road route
259.2 mi
Kilometers
417.14 km
Drive Time
04h 44m

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 44m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Rio Grande City
Thu, Jun 11, 9:56 AM CDT
Return by in San Antonio
Thu, Jun 11, 2:40 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Antonio
2026-06-11T05:12
Arrive Rio Grande City
Thu, Jun 11, 9:56 AM CDT
Route Timing
04h 44m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:44 AM to 12:44 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
7:32 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in San Antonio
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
Cactus
TX

City in Texas, USA

From San Antonio
129.9 mi
02h 22m
To Rio Grande City
129.4 mi
02h 22m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
94°F
Thursday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Jun 11 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SSE
Destination
Rio Grande City Weather
TX
Live fallback forecast
99°F
Thursday
Using Escobares as the closest live forecast in the Starr County weather hub.

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Jun 11 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 12 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between San Antonio and Rio Grande City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Antonio and Rio Grande City.

  1. 1

    Start on Dolorosa Street

    44 m · 5 sec · Dolorosa Street

  2. 2

    Continue on West Market Street

    1042 ft · 28 sec · West Market Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Navarro Street

    76 m · 12 sec · Navarro Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto East Commerce Street

    2662 ft · 1 min · East Commerce Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto South Santa Rosa Street

    2853 ft · 1 min · South Santa Rosa Street

  6. 6

    Continue on South Laredo Street

    151 m · 13 sec · South Laredo Street

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Guadalupe Street

    158 m · 17 sec · Guadalupe Street

  8. 8

    Take the ramp left toward I 35 South, I 10 East

    1085 ft · 27 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto South Pan Am Expressway

    10 mi · 12 min · South Pan Am Expressway

  10. 10

    Continue on Purple Heart Trail

    144.4 mi · 2 hr 26 min · Purple Heart Trail

  11. 11

    Continue on Santa Ursula Avenue

    549 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ursula Avenue

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Matamoros Street

    2145 ft · 54 sec · Matamoros Street

  13. 13

    Continue on Chihuahua Street

    1 mi · 2 min · Chihuahua Street

  14. 14

    Turn right onto North Meadow Avenue

    2 mi · 4 min · North Meadow Avenue

  15. 15

    Turn right onto South Zapata Highway

    5.4 mi · 8 min · South Zapata Highway

  16. 16

    Continue on US Highway 83 South

    14.2 mi · 16 min · US Highway 83 South

  17. 17

    Continue on United States Highway 83

    54.3 mi · 1 hr 1 min · United States Highway 83

  18. 18

    Continue on North Grant Street

    17.4 mi · 20 min · North Grant Street

  19. 19

    Continue on United States Highway 83

    7.7 mi · 9 min · United States Highway 83

  20. 20

    Continue on West Main Street

    2353 ft · 33 sec · West Main Street

  21. 21

    Turn left onto North Britton Avenue

    114 m · 19 sec · North Britton Avenue

  22. 22

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Britton Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between San Antonio and Rio Grande City.

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
22 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Purple Heart Trail
144 mi · 56%
United States Highway 83
62 mi · 24%
North Grant Street
17.4 mi · 7%
US Highway 83 South
14.2 mi · 5%
South Pan Am Expressway
10 mi · 4%
South Zapata Highway
5.37 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Purple Heart Trail

Continue on Purple Heart Trail

144 mi · 02h 26m

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 44m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
09h 28m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+47.9 mi
211.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Cactus
02h 22m from San Antonio
Leave By
7:32 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving San Antonio and Mostly Sunny near Rio Grande City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from San Antonio to Rio Grande City?

The road trip is about 259.2 miles (417.1 km) and usually takes 04h 44m 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?

Cactus is a useful midpoint, sitting about 129.9 miles from San Antonio and 129.4 miles from Rio Grande City.

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

The direct path is about 211.3 miles (340 km), while the road route adds roughly 47.9 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 CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:32 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $34.58 one way or $69.16 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 81.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around San Antonio and Mostly Sunny near Rio Grande City.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Antonio and Rio Grande City. Straight-line distance: 211.28 mi (340.03 km).

San Antonio

#1 San Antonio

The seventh most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Antonio metropolitan area.

Population1,567,118
Coordinates29.4241200, -98.4936300
Altitude198
CountryUnited States
Rio Grande City

#2 Rio Grande City

City in Starr County, Texas, United States

Population14,511
Coordinates26.3797900, -98.8203000
Altitude53
CountryUnited States
Start: San Antonio (-98.49363, 29.42412)
End: Rio Grande City (-98.8203, 26.37979)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 417 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)08h 38m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 28m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 11m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 19m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 42m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 14m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
9.15 gal
34.62 L · about $34.58
Round trip
$69.16
18.3 gal · 69.24 L
Estimated CO2
81.3 kg one way
Round trip: 162.6 kg / 358 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $34.58 $69.16
Mid-grade $4.25 $38.91 $77.81
Premium $4.59 $42.01 $84.02
Diesel $3.99 $36.54 $73.07

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 11, 2026

There is no time difference between San Antonio and Rio Grande City. The current time is 05:12:10.

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.