Origin
Alabaster, AL
Morning in Alabaster on Tuesday
Local time
7:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alabaster, AL to Gardendale, AL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
35 mi
56 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alabaster, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Gardendale, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Alabaster to Gardendale, you are looking at a quick 35-mile trip that typically takes about 43 minutes. This route stays entirely within the Southeast region of Alabama, making it an ideal candidate for a single-day journey. You will primarily utilize 1st Street South, I-65 North, and Fieldstown Road to complete the transit. With a fuel cost estimate of just $5, it is a very budget-friendly commute or errand run. Since the entire trip is short, you definitely do not need to worry about booking an overnight stay. It serves as a straightforward connection between these two locations, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your daily schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 65 | 31.4 mi | 36m |
| 1st Street South | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Fieldstown Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Decatur Highway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 31.4 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alabaster, AL and Gardendale, AL.
1
Start on this road
97 ft
·
14 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
177 ft
·
14 sec
3
Turn right onto US 31; AL 119
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Street South
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I-65 North: Birmingham
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 65
31 mi
·
36 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 271
Toward Fieldstown Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
452 ft
·
11 sec
Toward Gardendale
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn straight onto Fieldstown Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Fieldstown Road
9
Turn left onto US 31
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Decatur Highway
10
Continue on US 31
155 ft
·
9 sec
·
Decatur Highway
11
Arrive at destination
US 31
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 33.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
6
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I-65 North: Birmingham
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I-65 North: Birmingham
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 65
Merge onto I 65
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
32.9 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward Fieldstown Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 271
Toward Fieldstown Road
8
33.2 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Gardendale
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Gardendale
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.29 one way
$10.57 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $5.80 | $11.61 |
| premium | $4.56 | $6.28 | $12.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.73 | $15.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.06 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.90 | $2.24 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Gardendale, AL
Morning in Gardendale on Tuesday
Local time
7:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
22 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
43m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your attention as you navigate from Alabaster toward Gardendale. While a significant portion of your time is spent on I-65 North, the route is characterized by its transition between busier interstate lanes and more technical local roads. You will find that the character of the road changes as you shift from the initial local streets to the highway and eventually onto Fieldstown Road. Because this is a shorter trip, you will not encounter long, monotonous stretches of highway, keeping the experience engaging behind the wheel. Stay alert for the various turns required to complete the 35-mile distance efficiently.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.4 mi on I 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and 1st Street South. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 43m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 35 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.4 miles on I 65. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Gardendale, AL before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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