Getting Here
From Austin, Houston, San Antonio, the airport, the toll, the air.
Bastrop County is 30 minutes east of downtown Austin and 25 minutes east of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. From most of Texas's major population centers, it is a half-day drive or less. The drive in is part of the experience — the last 10 miles of every approach are noticeably nicer than the first 10.
From Austin
Two main routes — Highway 71 and the State Highway 130 Toll. Highway 71 is free, runs straight east from the airport, and is the route most locals use. Traffic builds at rush hour but the drive is straightforward. SH 130 Toll runs north-south, bypasses the city, and is faster from north Austin and Round Rock at the cost of $5-7 each way.
Drive times from Austin proper:
- Downtown Austin to Bastrop: 30 minutes via Highway 71.
- ABIA Airport to Bastrop: 25 minutes via Highway 71.
- Round Rock to Bastrop: 40 minutes via 130 Toll.
- UT Campus to Bastrop: 45 minutes via 71.
- Cedar Park to Bastrop: 50 minutes via 130 Toll.
From Houston
About 2 hours 30 minutes via I-10 and Highway 71 through La Grange. The drive is mostly two-lane state highway through small Texas towns — Sealy, Columbus, La Grange, Smithville — and is one of the more scenic ways into Central Texas.
From San Antonio
About 1 hour 45 minutes via I-35 and Highway 71 east, or via SH 130 Toll for a slightly longer but less-trafficked drive. The toll route saves time during Austin rush hours.
From Dallas / Fort Worth
About 3 hours 30 minutes via I-35 to Austin and then east on Highway 71 or 130 Toll. The 130 Toll bypasses Austin and saves 30-45 minutes during peak hours.
By Air
Austin-Bergstrom International (ABIA) is 25 minutes from downtown Bastrop and is the practical airport for almost all visitors. Houston Hobby and Houston Bush are options if you are flying from cities better-served from Houston, but the extra drive offsets most of the fare savings. Dallas Love and DFW are options for north Texas visitors, but the drive from Dallas is longer than the drive from a more direct Austin connection.
Ground Transportation
Rideshare from ABIA to Bastrop is reliable but expensive ($60-80). Several Bastrop hotels run airport shuttles for guests. There is no commuter rail or scheduled bus service into Bastrop County as of 2026, though Capital Metro has studied an extension along the 290 corridor toward Elgin. The 130 Toll has discussed a future bus-rapid-transit overlay but nothing is operational.
The Last 10 Miles
Whichever direction you come from, the last 10 miles into Bastrop are the prettiest part of the drive. Highway 71 west of town runs through the Lost Pines along the Colorado River. Highway 21 from the southeast climbs through ranchland with long views. Highway 95 from the north drops down through farmland into the historic downtown. Highway 290 to Elgin runs through the prairie at the ecological seam where the Blackland Prairie meets the Coastal Plain.
The first stop for most first-time visitors is the visitor center on Bastrop's Main Street — free maps, real local advice, and an honest answer about where to eat tonight.
The Toll vs. The Free Road
If you are coming from north Austin or Round Rock at rush hour, the 130 Toll is worth the $5-7. If you are coming from downtown Austin or south, Highway 71 is faster, free, and has more interesting scenery on the last stretch into Bastrop. If you are flying into ABIA, Highway 71 is essentially the only sensible option.