Temple, Texas: Distance to Austin, Medical Travel & Airport Access on the I-35 Corridor
Temple sits in the middle of the I-35 corridor between Austin and the Dallas–Fort Worth area, and it gets searched for reasons most travel sites never address. The biggest one is medical travel: Temple is one of Baylor Scott & White Health's three flagship academic medical center cities, alongside Dallas and Fort Worth. This guide answers the distance questions first, then covers the medical-travel logistics, the airport choices, and the Waco add-on just 36 miles north. Start with the Austin to Temple route guide for the corridor itself.
The Quick Answer: How Far Is Temple from Austin?
Austin and Temple are about 68 miles apart on I-35, typically a drive of about one hour and 15 minutes in normal conditions. That matches our dedicated Temple–Austin distance page, and it makes Temple an easy same-day trip from Austin — close enough for a morning medical appointment or an afternoon at the Railroad & Heritage Museum downtown, far enough that an overnight is often smarter when treatment schedules run long.
The Full Distance Picture
| From Temple to… | Miles | Typical drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Austin (downtown) | 68 miles | about 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Austin airport (AUS) | 80 miles | about 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Waco | 36 miles | about 42 minutes |
| DFW Airport | 146 miles | about 2 hours 40 minutes |
The DFW figure is the one that trips up online calculators — published estimates for Temple to DFW range from about two hours 13 minutes to two hours 41 minutes because they measure from different endpoints and use different routes. Our figure reflects the I-35 corridor through Waco and Dallas to the airport itself, so expect closer to two hours and 40 minutes when you actually have a flight to catch. For the Dallas side of the corridor, see our Temple to Dallas guide, and for the reverse direction our Temple to Austin guide covers the southbound trip.
Medical Travel: The Reason Most People Come to Temple
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center–Temple is a Level I trauma center and was ranked among the top hospitals in Texas in recent U.S. News reporting; the institution marked 125 years in Temple in 2022. McLane Children's Hospital, the pediatric campus, sits on the same grounds — which is why families from Austin, Waco, and the smaller towns along I-35 make this drive repeatedly, sometimes weekly, for appointments and treatments.
That pattern changes what "airport access" means here. A patient flying in for care does not want a rental-car counter and a highway interchange on treatment day; family caregivers driving down from Austin do not want to navigate an unfamiliar campus at seven in the morning. A scheduled door-to-door pickup — airport curb to hospital entrance, or front door to the McLane Children's campus — removes the hardest part of the trip. Travelers flying in through Austin can start with our Austin airport shuttle service page, and those connecting through the north should compare the DFW shuttle service.
Which airport for Temple?
Austin–Bergstrom (AUS) is the closer airport at about 80 miles, while DFW offers many more nonstops at about 146 miles. For medical itineraries the trade-off usually comes down to flight schedule and ground-connection reliability: the shorter AUS drive is easier to protect on a tight appointment day.
Planning the Drive on I-35
I-35 through Temple carries a mix of commuter, freight, and college traffic, and the pattern is predictable. Northbound morning lanes build as Waco-bound and Dallas-bound traffic funnels through, while southbound afternoons thicken toward Austin — especially on Fridays before a home football weekend in either city. Construction zones along the corridor shift from season to season, so check conditions the day you travel rather than trusting a mapping estimate saved from last month. For medical appointments, the practical rule is to build in 20 to 30 minutes of margin and treat the trip as an hour and a half from Austin's northern suburbs rather than the pure downtown-to-downtown figure — the extra cushion costs little and protects a schedule that cannot simply move to tomorrow.
Waco Is 36 Minutes North
Waco sits 36 miles up I-35 — about a 42-minute drive — which turns Temple into a practical base for Central Texas trips. The Magnolia Silos, Baylor University, and the Dr Pepper Museum draw weekend visitors, and our Dr Pepper Museum guide covers that stop in detail. Waco travelers planning bigger trips use the same corridor: cruise departures from the Gulf make the Waco to Galveston route a busy family lane, and it runs straight past Temple.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Temple from Austin?
About 68 miles on I-35, typically a one-hour-and-15-minute drive in normal traffic.
How far is Temple from DFW Airport?
About 146 miles to the airport itself — plan on roughly two hours and 40 minutes rather than the shorter estimates some calculators show.
How far is Waco from Temple?
About 36 miles north on I-35, roughly a 42-minute drive.
Is Baylor Scott & White in Temple a major hospital?
Yes — it is one of the system's flagship academic medical centers, a Level I trauma center ranked among the top hospitals in Texas, with the McLane Children's pediatric campus on the same grounds.
Is Temple easy to reach from Austin for a day trip?
Yes — 68 miles on a single interstate makes it one of the easier day trips in Central Texas, though weekend football and festival traffic can add 20 minutes or more each way.
What is there to do in Temple between appointments?
The Railroad & Heritage Museum downtown is the town's best-known stop, and the restaurants around downtown fill out a lunch break; for a longer window, Waco's attractions sit 42 minutes north on I-35.
What is the closest airport to Temple?
Austin–Bergstrom International Airport at about 80 miles, though many travelers connect through DFW for its larger route network.
What's Happening to I-35 Through Temple? The Corridor Plan, Explained
As of 2026, the stretch of interstate this guide is built around is itself a planning story. The City of Temple states plainly that the I-35 corridor plays a significant role in shaping the city's image for visitors and residents, and its I-35 Corridor Plan — a collaborative effort involving the public, city staff, the Corridor Advisory Committee, the Planning and Zoning Commission, and the City Council — is documented at plan35temple.com, where the city has also posted an online survey for residents and businesses along the route.
On the construction side, TxDOT has proposed improvements to I-35 from south of Loop 121 in Belton to the Loop 363/US 190/SH 36 interchange and has hosted in-person public meetings across the Segment 1 study area — including sessions at the Mayborn Civic & Convention Center, 3303 N. 3rd Street in Temple, and a Belton location on Loop 121 — with current schedules and maps posted at txdot.gov. Because work zones shift from season to season, the safety-minded habit is the same one we recommend for medical travel: check conditions the day you drive rather than trusting a saved map estimate. Questions about the corridor can go to City Hall at 2 N. Main Street, Temple, TX 76501 — (254) 298-5000 or customercare@templetx.gov.
Beyond the Highway: Downtown Temple, Parks, and Convention Stops
Temple rewards a longer stop than a fuel-and-go exit. The Railroad & Heritage Museum anchors downtown — the town's best-known stop — and the restaurants around downtown fill out a lunch break; the city has also announced a Santa Fe Community Market as a new downtown gathering place. Outdoors, Temple's parks and trail network give medical families and business travelers alike an easy way to unwind between appointments, and the Mayborn Civic & Convention Center hosts the meetings, programs, and community operations that bring repeat visitors up and down the corridor. For town-by-town coverage, the Texas Shuttle blog follows the corridor from Austin to Dallas.
AUS vs. DFW for Temple: Side-by-Side
| Factor | Austin–Bergstrom (AUS) | DFW International |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from Temple | about 80 miles | about 146 miles |
| Typical drive | about 1 hour 30 minutes | about 2 hours 40 minutes |
| Flight options | solid regional network | many more nonstops |
| Best for | protecting a tight appointment day | long-haul and international connections |
Both airports are ones we serve daily — compare the Austin airport shuttle service and the DFW shuttle service before you book airfare, not after.
More Temple Distance Questions, Answered
How far is Temple from DFW Airport?
About 146 miles to the airport itself — plan on roughly two hours and 40 minutes rather than the shorter estimates some calculators show.
How far is Waco from Temple?
About 36 miles north on I-35, roughly a 42-minute drive.
Is Baylor Scott & White in Temple a major hospital?
Yes. It is one of Baylor Scott & White Health's flagship academic medical centers — the same tier as its Dallas and Fort Worth campuses — and it marked 125 years in Temple in 2022, with McLane Children's Hospital on the same grounds.
Is Temple easy to reach from Austin for a day trip?
Yes — 68 miles on a single interstate makes it one of the easier day trips in Central Texas, though weekend football and festival traffic can add 20 minutes or more each way.
How do I book or reach Texas Shuttle?
Reservations can be made online in minutes. Texas Shuttle's location, phone, and hours: 320 Decker Drive, Irving, TX 75062 — call (817) 403-6196 for service to or
