Houston to Austin (UT) (Katy, Elgin: live in, costs, airport)

[nuzrat]

Hello,
I've been digging around this forum for some ways to get to UT Austin from Houston. I need to get back to campus this weekend. I'm a freshman, so I'm not used to driving this far. I live near Katy. I know that one way to get to Austin is to take I-10 West, go all the way and pass Sealy, take the exit 695 La Grange/Austin (it comes after the exit Business to Columbus), and stay on Highway 71 (which is called Ben White Blvd in Austin) until I see Riverside Drive and make a right. From here on, I'm not sure what to do, because I don't want to take the freeway I-35 AT ALL.. for now. That is one scary freeway. Mapquest showed that I should take a slight right on I-35 N after getting on Riverside Drive. I'm confused if this is the freeway or just a road. I would like to avoid freeways in Austin at all costs. I've been on this route before with my cousin, but I wasn't paying enough attention. Can anyone give me same helpful tips on how to get to UT using this route? I'll need all the help I can get. Remember, I'm still just a teenager, so I want to stay safe! Another thing, when I'm on I-10, should I stay on the right lane all the way until I reach exit 695 La Grange/Austin, or should I stay on the middle lane? What about Highway 71? Which lane should I stay on?

I know another route is U.S. 290, but I would like to skip that for now.

Thanks to anyone who reads this. I know it's a lot, and I might sound like an amateur, which I am.

[chris_ut]

My advice to you is drop $80 for a gps device for your car until you learn your way around. The easiest route back to campus is to take I-35 but avoiding it only adds a couple minutes to the drive. 71 turns into 183 outside Austin. After you cross the river go left onto E. Ceasar Chavez, follow it a few miles till you get to Lamar then turn right (north) onto Lavaca St, that will take you through downtown and deposit you on the south side of campus turn left onto MLK then right onto Guadalupe which runs down the west side of campus. If you live in Jester turn right onto 21st St which is the 2nd right once you are on Guadalupe.

[Olive34]

If you dont like I-35 (I don't blame you), you can:
A) turn right (North) on Pleasant Valley before you get to i-35 and cut across the East side of town to campus - turn left (west) on Manor
B) Take Riverside past i-35 and go all the way down to Lamar and take a right (North) on Lamar and head up to campus that way.

Roads are clearly marked... you don't need to worry about staying in one lane. You'll have plenty of time to get over.

Good luck & hook 'em!

[TheEconomist]

Just take HWY 71 and then go North on Congress. You should be able to find campus from there. This will keep you off of I-35 and you can pick up some Freebirds on the way.

Or what Chris_ut said. That works too.

[bigmikeUT]

haha, is this person serious? i am sad to be a UT grad.

[Randy2931]

If you want to avoid 35 at all costs easiest way is I-10 to 71. 71 to 183. Exit Airport and left on MLK.

Or exit 7th off 183 and take it to 35 frontage road, take a right and it will only be a few blocks until MLK.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by chris_ut

My advice to you is drop $80 for a gps device for your car until you learn your way around. The easiest route back to campus is to take I-35 but avoiding it only adds a couple minutes to the drive. 71 turns into 183 outside Austin. After you cross the river go left onto E. Ceasar Chavez, follow it a few miles till you get to Lamar then turn right (north) onto Lavaca St, that will take you through downtown and deposit you on the south side of campus turn left onto MLK then right onto Guadalupe which runs down the west side of campus. If you live in Jester turn right onto 21st St which is the 2nd right once you are on Guadalupe.

Winner.

Plus, you might make better time if there's traffic on 35. And when isn't there?

[chris_ut]

Originally Posted by jfre81

Winner.

Plus, you might make better time if there's traffic on 35. And when isn't there?

Good point. I graduated many years ago but when I go back to Austin to visit friends the traffic seems to have increased exponentially.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by chris_ut

My advice to you is drop $80 for a gps device for your car until you learn your way around.

Or check out whether you can get a GPS app for your phone. That's what I do and I like it because I can use it whether I'm driving or I'm a passenger and I don't have to hide it every time I park because I take it with me everywhere I go.

[TheEconomist]

Originally Posted by bigmikeUT

haha, is this person serious? i am sad to be a UT grad.

He said he's still a teenager, a#$hole. He just wants advice on how to get there. Don't you remember being a kid and having to figure out life for the first time? It's actually a good idea to get advice from others on the best way to get around. I remember I took 290 to Austin when I lived on campus, but then when I moved to Riverside it took me a while to figure out that its faster to cut through Bastrop on 21 to link up to 71 which will directly deposit you on the east end of Riverside instead of having to drive through I-35. I wish someone had told me that back then so I could have been doing it the fastest way sooner.

OP: Don't speed in the small towns. You will get busted. Half of UT grads from Houston have a ticket in either Giddings or Elgin. 71 has fewer small towns, but they are still there. Don't think you have a grace period for slowing down. When you see the sign and some outliers of civilization, start slowing fast.