Traveling from Alcoa to Kingsport covers 113.2 miles and typically takes about 2 hours and 17 minutes. Because this journey is relatively short, it is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You can expect to spend approximately $17 on fuel for the trek through Southeast Tennessee. The route relies heavily on major thoroughfares like I-40 and I-81, making it a straightforward navigation experience. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a quick visit, this drive offers a reliable and efficient connection between these two cities.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
56.6 miles from Alcoa, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 11m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 81
50.5 mi
54m
I 40
34.2 mi
37m
Alcoa Highway
5.3 mi
6m
South Wilcox Drive
4.1 mi
6m
Old Knoxville Highway
3.2 mi
5m
Sullivan Gardens Drive
3.1 mi
3m
TN 93
2.4 mi
2m
Russell Road
1.7 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 50.5 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alcoa, TN and Kingsport, TN.
1
Start on Springbrook Road
23 ft·1 sec·Springbrook Road
2
Continue on Springbrook Road
79 ft·3 sec·Springbrook Road
3
At end of road, turn left onto Springbrook Road
94 ft·3 sec·Springbrook Road
4
Turn left onto Springbrook Road
115 ft·3 sec·Springbrook Road
5
Continue on East Edison Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·East Edison Street
6
Turn left onto North Wright Road
1.0 mi·2 min·North Wright Road
7
Turn right onto SR 335
0.7 mi·1 min·East Hunt Road
8
Turn left onto Russell Road
1.7 mi·3 min·Russell Road
9
Turn left onto Williams Mill Road
0.3 mi·53 sec·Williams Mill Road
10
At end of road, turn left onto SR 33
3.2 mi·5 min·Old Knoxville Highway
11
Continue on SR 33
1.2 mi·2 min·Maryville Pike
12
Turn left onto Old Maryville Pike
0.1 mi·30 sec·Old Maryville Pike
13
Turn left onto SR 168
0.8 mi·1 min·West Governor John Sevier Highway
14
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·44 sec
15
Merge onto US 129
5.3 mi·6 min·Alcoa Highway
16
Keep slight right at fork
494 ft·9 sec
Toward I 40 East, I 275 North: Asheville, Lexington
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·44 sec
Toward I 40 East, I 275 North: Asheville, Lexington
18
Merge onto I 40
34 mi·37 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
51 mi·54 min·I 81
Exit 421Toward I 81 North: Bristol
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
Exit 50Toward SR 93: Jonesborough, Fall Branch
21
Keep slight right at fork
509 ft·14 sec
Exit 50Toward SR 93: Jonesborough, Fall Branch
22
Merge onto SR 93
0.6 mi·38 sec·SR 93
23
Continue on TN 93
2.4 mi·2 min·TN 93
24
Continue on SR 93
3.1 mi·3 min·Sullivan Gardens Drive
25
Continue on SR 93
1.5 mi·1 min·South Wilcox Drive
26
Continue on SR 93
1.4 mi·1 min·Sullivan Gardens Parkway
27
Turn left onto SR 126
2.6 mi·4 min·South Wilcox Drive
Use the straight lane.
28
Turn left onto East Sullivan Street
0.2 mi·24 sec·East Sullivan Street
29
Turn slight left onto East Main Street
0.7 mi·1 min·East Main Street
30
Turn right onto Broad Street
0.1 mi·15 sec·Broad Street
31
Enter roundabout onto Broad Street
46 ft·1 sec·Broad Street
32
Continue on Broad Street
433 ft·19 sec·Broad Street
33
Turn left onto TN 36
0.1 mi·23 sec·West Center Street
34
Arrive at destination
TN 36
Trip Plan
Since your total drive time is just over two hours, you have plenty of flexibility in your schedule to leave whenever it suits your plans. You won't need to worry about planning formal stops to break up the journey, as the duration is manageable without a designated rest period. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge before merging onto the interstates, as your estimated $17 budget will be most efficiently spent if you fill up before hitting the heavy highway segments. Because the route is dominated by I-81 and I-40, be prepared for typical interstate traffic volume throughout your transit. Utilizing the 113.2-mile distance as a single stretch allows you to reach Kingsport efficiently, giving you more time to enjoy your destination once you arrive.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 56.6 miles from Alcoa, TN, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 50.5 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 25 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 56.6 miles or 1h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kingsport, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Alcoa, TN so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Alcoa, TN
This is one driving day of about 113.2 miles and 2h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Alcoa, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 81 for about 50.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 22
5 decision points cluster between mile 15 and 100.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
15 mi into trip|~25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 40 East, I 275 North: Asheville, Lexington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40 East, I 275 North: Asheville, Lexin...
6
15.1 mi into trip|~25m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 40 East, I 275 North: Asheville, Lexington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40 East, I 275 North: Asheville, Lexin...
6
49.6 mi into trip|~1h 4m in|I 81
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81 toward I 81 North: Bristol
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 421
Toward I 81 North: Bristol
6
100.1 mi into trip|~1h 58m in
Take the exit toward SR 93: Jonesborough, Fall Branch
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 50
Toward SR 93: Jonesborough, Fall Branch
8
100.3 mi into trip|~1h 58m in
Keep slight right at fork toward SR 93: Jonesborough, Fall Branch
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 50
Toward SR 93: Jonesborough, Fall Branch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.70 one way
$35.40 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg40 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$19.43
$38.86
premium
$4.89
$21.78
$43.57
diesel
$5.61
$24.99
$49.99
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 39.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34
0
$11.89
$5.43
Efficient EV
28.3
0
$9.91
$4.53
EV Truck/SUV
45.3
0
$15.85
$7.24
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Alcoa, TN
Late night
in Alcoa on Sunday
Local time
12:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 0 to 15 mph7% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Kingsport, TN
Late night
in Kingsport on Sunday
Local time
12:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 0 to 10 mph17% chanceLive forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
1 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
2h 17m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
National Park
Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of it...
27 mi from route
~68 min detour
Free
near mile 35.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is heavily highway-focused, with 79% of your time spent on high-speed roads. You will transition from Alcoa Highway onto the interstates, where you can settle into a steady pace. A significant portion of your travel includes a 50.5-mile stretch on I-81, which serves as the longest uninterrupted segment of the drive. Expect a utilitarian, interstate-heavy personality rather than winding backroads or technical turns. Being behind the wheel here is largely about maintaining consistent speeds while navigating the primary transport corridors of the region.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
34 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 50.5 mi on I 81.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and I 40. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 113.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.6 miles (I 81): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Alcoa, TN and Kingsport, TN, road signs point toward Lexington and Fall Branch.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 17m. Total distance: 113.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 50.5 miles on I 81. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Kingsport, TN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 15 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.6 miles (I 81): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Great Smoky Mountains National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kingsport, TN before heading back.
