What is the fastest way to drive from Houston to Albuquerque.

6 to 20 to 84?
36 to 20 to 84?
45 to 20 to 84?
10 to 285?

I keep getting all sorts of different responses...just wondering what route you guys would take. I'm not at all concerned about scenery would just like to take the fastest route.

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would just like to take the fastest route

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IAH -> ABQ

I10 to I25
Ive gone winding thru all the little towns and you wind up losing alot of time with all the speedtraps along the way. Hop on I10W to El Paso and then pick up I25N to ABQ. Prob most direct route, either way it is a loooong drive, I think I did it in 12 or 14 hours straight once.

Per Google Maps, going I10-I25 is 1000 miles, going Huntsville-FW-Wichita Falls-Amarillo-ABQ is almost 900 but with all the small towns...

I am living in the big ABQ now and all the times I have gone back to Victoria trying different routes, I10-I25 is definitely the quickest. That and it is just great being able to drive 85-90 most of the way.

I've gone 45N to 287 South of Dallas, 287 through Ft. Worth and Wichita Falls to 40 in Amarillo, 40 through Tucumcari into Abq. Runs me about 12 hours if I can do it with minimal restroom and fuel stops. Done that route several times now. This time of year, I'd imagine it'd be a pretty drive.

Another alternative would be interstates all the way via Oklahoma City.

I know people who prefer that route to Amarillo over going up 287, but I think 287 is faster.

[This message has been edited by eric76 (edited 5/25/2011 2:12p).]

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I've gone 45N to 287 South of Dallas, 287 through Ft. Worth and Wichita Falls to 40 in Amarillo, 40 through Tucumcari into Abq. Runs me about 12 hours if I can do it with minimal restroom and fuel stops. Done that route several times now. This time of year, I'd imagine it'd be a pretty drive.

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+1 if you don't drive 80mph.

The I10 route isn't bad either, but is longer distance, and between that and driving faster, the trip would cost more in gas.

I'm from Albuquerque and used to make the drive from CS back home several times a year. I've tried all the routes mentioned and here's my favorite:

290 W to highway 6 N
highway 6 N just past Hearne
FM 485 W to Temple (you'll cross 77 and merge with 53/36 just outside of town)
highway 36 N all the way to Abilene
highway 84 through Lubbock and Clovis to Santa Rosa where you hit I-40

Is it the easiest drive, no. It is the fastest, maybe not, but not by much.

FWIW, I just think it's prettier and has lots of good places to stop and eat.

^
l
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I have driven this and it is a pretty drive.

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290 W to highway 6 N
highway 6 N just past Hearne
FM 485 W to Temple (you'll cross 77 and merge with 53/36 just outside of town)
highway 36 N all the way to Abilene
highway 84 through Lubbock and Clovis to Santa Rosa where you hit I-40

Is it the easiest drive, no. It is the fastest, maybe not, but not by much.

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Interesting.

I used to go from College Station to Lubbock by Highway 6 to Eastland and then the interstate to Abilene and from there to Lubbock and then north to Amarillo and on to Oslo. I quit when I realized that route always took me at least a couple of hours more then going up through Fort Worth and up 287. Going to Abilene and then north to Childress and on to Oslo was a bit faster.

My favorite in terms of the drive from College Station to Oslo was to stay on Highway 6 to Stamford, then over to Aspermont and up 83 to Childress and then on to Oslo through Canadian. But that was still significantly slower than 287.

[This message has been edited by eric76 (edited 5/25/2011 2:53p).]

By the way, if you tend to speed, it might be a good idea to stay away from many rural highways. I received a warning ticket about three miles north of Aspermont about 6 pm one day for doing 1 mph over the speed limit.

And remember that a lot of small towns are not going to be at all lenient towards people passing through speeding through their towns. If you are going to speed on the highways, make absolutely sure that you at least maintain the speed limit through the towns.

Amen - I've gotten a few tickets on the route I listed above and every one of them was because I wasn't paying attention as I approached a small town.

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290 W to highway 6 N
highway 6 N just past Hearne
FM 485 W to Temple (you'll cross 77 and merge with 53/36 just outside of town)
highway 36 N all the way to Abilene
highway 84 through Lubbock and Clovis to Santa Rosa where you hit I-40

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Drove to Colorado via this route once. Seemed VERY long, but then again, I was 13 and in the back seat of a Pontiac Bonnoville that smelled like spoiled milk... Go figure.