How far is Shallowater, TX from Houston, TX?

The driving distance from Shallowater, TX to Houston, TX is about 538.5 miles (866.7 km), with a travel time of about 08h 41m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 474.8 miles (764.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 17h 23m 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
538.56 mi
08h 41m
Flight
474.81 mi
764.13 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Shallowater.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
474.81 mi
Kilometers
764.13 km
Flight Time
00h 57m

Driving Distance

Road route
538.56 mi
Kilometers
866.73 km
Drive Time
08h 41m

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 08h 41m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Houston
Thu, Apr 23, 4:20 AM CDT
Return by in Shallowater
Thu, Apr 23, 1:02 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Shallowater
2026-04-22T19:38
Arrive Houston
Thu, Apr 23, 4:20 AM CDT
Route Timing
08h 41m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:42 PM to 4:12 PM CDT

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

Leave by
6:36 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Shallowater
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
Mullin
TX

Town of the United States

From Shallowater
272.8 mi
04h 20m
To Houston
265.7 mi
04h 20m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
91°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 20 mph SSW
Destination
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

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    43 m · 8 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto 7th Street

    788 ft · 40 sec · 7th Street

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Avenue E

    1146 ft · 23 sec · Avenue E

  4. 4

    Continue on United States Highway 84

    602 ft · 13 sec · United States Highway 84

  5. 5

    Turn left onto US 84 East: Lubbock

    1547 ft · 43 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Highway 84

    4.2 mi · 5 min · Highway 84

  7. 7

    Continue on Clovis Road

    6 mi · 7 min · Clovis Road

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Avenue Q

    4 mi · 5 min · Avenue Q

  9. 9

    Continue on Slaton Road

    4.8 mi · 6 min · Slaton Road

  10. 10

    Continue on East Highway 84

    6.9 mi · 7 min · East Highway 84

  11. 11

    Continue on Trooper Jerry Don Davis Memorial Highway

    4.5 mi · 5 min · Trooper Jerry Don Davis Memorial Highway

  12. 12

    Continue on East Highway 84

    20 mi · 20 min · East Highway 84

  13. 13

    Continue on North US Highway 84

    1 mi · 1 min · North US Highway 84

  14. 14

    Turn left onto East 15th Street

    734 ft · 17 sec · East 15th Street

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Ralls Road

    1863 ft · 38 sec · Ralls Road

  16. 16

    Turn straight onto North Avenue F

    1.1 mi · 2 min · North Avenue F

  17. 17

    At the end of the road, turn left onto US Highway 84

    73.9 mi · 1 hr 14 min · US Highway 84

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on I 20 East, US 84 East: Abilene

    6.5 mi · 7 min

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight right toward SH 70 South, SH 70 Business: Sweetwater, San Angelo

    737 ft · 18 sec

  20. 20

    Turn slight left onto Southwest Georgia Avenue

    624 ft · 17 sec · Southwest Georgia Avenue

  21. 21

    Turn right onto Lamar Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · Lamar Street

  22. 22

    Continue on State Highway 70

    10.4 mi · 11 min · State Highway 70

  23. 23

    Turn left onto State Highway 153

    69 mi · 1 hr 14 min · State Highway 153

  24. 24

    Continue on West Walnut Street

    1.6 km · 2 min · West Walnut Street

  25. 25

    Continue on East Walnut Street

    1.5 km · 1 min · East Walnut Street

  26. 26

    At the end of the road, turn left

    9.4 mi · 11 min

  27. 27

    Continue straight

    21.5 mi · 25 min

  28. 28

    Turn right onto Garmon Drive

    1.3 mi · 1 min · Garmon Drive

  29. 29

    Continue on US Highway 84 East

    29.2 mi · 33 min · US Highway 84 East

  30. 30

    Turn right

    22.2 mi · 25 min

  31. 31

    Continue straight

    14.8 mi · 15 min

  32. 32

    Merge slight left onto North US Highway 281

    79 m · 4 sec · North US Highway 281

  33. 33

    Continue on North Key Avenue

    2.3 mi · 5 min · North Key Avenue

  34. 34

    Continue on South US Highway 183

    35.3 mi · 38 min · South US Highway 183

  35. 35

    Continue straight

    2151 ft · 30 sec

  36. 36

    Keep slight left to continue on 183A Toll Road

    14.3 mi · 14 min · 183A Toll Road

  37. 37

    Continue straight

    14.8 mi · 17 min

  38. 38

    Continue on Bergstrom Expressway

    6.3 mi · 7 min · Bergstrom Expressway

  39. 39

    Continue on Bastrop Highway

    2119 ft · 26 sec · Bastrop Highway

  40. 40

    Take the exit slight left toward TX 71 East: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

    2541 ft · 1 min

  41. 41

    Continue on East State Highway 71

    2.2 mi · 3 min · East State Highway 71

  42. 42

    Turn straight onto Bastrop Freeway

    1.9 mi · 2 min · Bastrop Freeway

  43. 43

    Continue on East State Highway 71

    2388 ft · 29 sec · East State Highway 71

  44. 44

    Continue on Texas State Highway 71

    137 mi · 2 hr 25 min · Texas State Highway 71

  45. 45

    Take the exit slight left toward I 10 Toll: Katy Tollway

    1548 ft · 22 sec

  46. 46

    Merge slight left onto Katy Tollway

    3.2 mi · 4 min · Katy Tollway

  47. 47

    Take the exit slight right

    1092 ft · 15 sec

  48. 48

    Merge slight right onto Katy Freeway

    10.7 mi · 13 min · Katy Freeway

  49. 49

    Take the exit slight right toward Downtown, Theatre District

    2064 ft · 52 sec

  50. 50

    Continue on Smith Street

    704 ft · 29 sec · Smith Street

  51. 51

    Turn left onto Preston Street

    101 m · 17 sec · Preston Street

  52. 52

    Turn left onto Louisiana Street

    55 m · 5 sec · Louisiana Street

  53. 53

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Louisiana Street

Car Route Details

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

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
53 steps
16 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
10
5 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Texas State Highway 71
137 mi · 25%
US Highway 84
73.9 mi · 14%
State Highway 153
69 mi · 13%
US Highway 84 East
44 mi · 8%
South US Highway 183
35.7 mi · 7%
183A Toll Road
29.1 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Texas State Highway 71

Continue on Texas State Highway 71

137 mi · 02h 25m

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
08h 41m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
17h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+63.7 mi
474.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Mullin
04h 20m from Shallowater
Leave By
6:36 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Shallowater and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms near Houston.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 538.5 miles (866.7 km) and usually takes 08h 41m 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?

Mullin is a useful midpoint, sitting about 272.8 miles from Shallowater and 265.7 miles from Houston.

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

The direct path is about 474.8 miles (764.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 63.7 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 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 $71.80 one way or $143.60 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 168.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Mullin

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

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

BUS

Fort Hood, Texas

97 mi away
Hood Road & Old Ironsides Ave.
BUS

Killeen, Texas

101 mi away
200 East Avenue C

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Shallowater and Houston. Straight-line distance: 474.81 mi (764.13 km).

Shallowater

#1 Shallowater

City in Lubbock County, Texas, United States

Population2,613
Coordinates33.6889700, -101.9982300
Altitude1004
CountryUnited States
Houston

#2 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
Start: (-101.998234, 33.68897)
End: Louisiana Street (-95.363596, 29.76347)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 867 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)17h 56m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)13h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)10h 46m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 58m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 41m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 43m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
19 gal
71.94 L · about $71.80
Round trip
$143.60
38 gal · 143.88 L
Estimated CO2
168.9 kg one way
Round trip: 337.7 kg / 745 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $71.80 $143.60
Mid-grade $4.25 $80.79 $161.58
Premium $4.59 $87.23 $174.46
Diesel $3.99 $75.87 $151.73

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 Shallowater and Houston. The current time is 19:38:56.

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.