If you are planning a trip from Alexandria to East Chattanooga, you are looking at a 109.3-mile journey that typically takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes to complete. This route keeps you within the Southeast region of Tennessee, making it a straightforward trek that works perfectly as a one-day excursion. You should budget approximately $17 for fuel to cover the distance. Because the total drive time is relatively short, there is no need to worry about overnight accommodations or complicated travel splits. It is a practical, manageable route for anyone looking to navigate between these two points efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
54.7 miles from Alexandria, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
TN 8
12.6 mi
17m
Harrison Ferry Road
12.3 mi
17m
SR 111
11.5 mi
13m
Nashville Highway
11.1 mi
16m
Smithville Highway
10.9 mi
15m
US 27
9.6 mi
11m
State Highway 8
7.3 mi
10m
McMinnville Highway
6 mi
8m
Longest stretch:
TN 8
— 12.6 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alexandria, TN and East Chattanooga, TN.
1
Start on West Main Street
53 ft·4 sec·West Main Street
2
Turn right onto High Street
0.9 mi·1 min·High Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto SR 53
388 ft·12 sec·High Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto US 70; SR 53
11 mi·16 min·Nashville Highway
5
Continue on US 70
2.0 mi·3 min·Old Nashville Highway
6
Continue on US 70
0.4 mi·35 sec·Nashville Highway
7
Continue on US 70
0.7 mi·1 min·Old Nashville Highway
8
Continue on US 70
2.5 mi·3 min·West Broad Street
9
Turn right onto SR 56
1.8 mi·2 min·South Congress Boulevard
10
Continue on SR 56
6.0 mi·8 min·McMinnville Highway
11
Continue on SR 56
11 mi·15 min·Smithville Highway
12
Continue on SR 56
1.0 mi·1 min·North Chancery Street
13
Turn left onto SR 56
0.5 mi·41 sec·West Colville Street
14
Continue on SR 56
1.3 mi·1 min·Beersheba Highway
15
Turn slight left onto TN 8
12 mi·17 min·Harrison Ferry Road
16
Continue on TN 8
7.3 mi·10 min·State Highway 8
17
At end of road, turn right onto TN 8; TN 111
13 mi·17 min·TN 8; TN 111
18
Continue on SR 111
11 mi·13 min·SR 111
19
Continue on TN 111
5.9 mi·7 min·TN 111
20
Merge onto US 27
9.6 mi·11 min·US 27
21
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward TN 153 South: Chickamauga Dam
22
Continue on TN 153
4.7 mi·5 min·Dayton Pike
23
Keep slight left at fork onto TN 153
3.3 mi·4 min·TN 153
24
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 5BToward SR 17 SouthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Turn straight onto SR 17
2.5 mi·4 min·SR 17
26
Turn right onto SR 17
0.3 mi·38 sec·Glass Street
27
Turn left onto North Chamberlain Avenue
52 ft·1 sec·North Chamberlain Avenue
28
Arrive at destination
North Chamberlain Avenue
Trip Plan
To make the most of your 2.5-hour drive, try to time your departure to avoid peak local traffic, especially since you will be transitioning between state roads and highways. With only one recommended stop planned, you have plenty of flexibility to decide where you want to break up the journey. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge during the segments on TN 8, as service availability may fluctuate compared to the more heavily traveled highway sections. Since the total mileage is just over 100 miles, you can easily complete this trip in a single day without feeling rushed. Use that one scheduled stop strategically to stretch your legs before you hit the final stretch into East Chattanooga.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 54.7 miles from Alexandria, TN, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 12.6 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 24 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 54.7 miles or 1h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near East Chattanooga, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Alexandria, 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 Alexandria, TN
This is one driving day of about 109.3 miles and 2h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Alexandria, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on TN 8 for about 12.6 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 106.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.9 mi into trip|~1m in|SR 53 / High Street
At end of road, turn right onto SR 53 / High Street
Navigation decision point
4
1 mi into trip|~1m in|US 70; SR 53 / Nashville Highway
At end of road, turn left onto US 70; SR 53 / Nashville Highway
Navigation decision point
4
17.3 mi into trip|~27m in|SR 56 / South Congress Boulevard
Turn right onto SR 56 / South Congress Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
37 mi into trip|~55m in|SR 56 / West Colville Street
Turn left onto SR 56 / West Colville Street
Navigation decision point
7
106.3 mi into trip|~2h 24m in
Take the exit toward SR 17 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5B
Toward SR 17 South
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.09 one way
$34.18 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg38 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$18.76
$37.52
premium
$4.89
$21.03
$42.07
diesel
$5.61
$24.13
$48.26
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 38.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32.8
0
$11.48
$5.25
Efficient EV
27.3
0
$9.56
$4.37
EV Truck/SUV
43.7
0
$15.30
$7.00
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (66% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Alexandria, TN
Afternoon
in Alexandria on Sunday
Local time
12:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
East Chattanooga, TN
Afternoon
in East Chattanooga on Sunday
Local time
1:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
50°F
Altamont, TN
55 mi in
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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
8 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 30m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Stones River National Battlefield
National Battlefield
The Battle of Stones River began on the last day of 1862 and became one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Civil War. The battle produced important military and political gains for the Union, and it ch...
26 mi from route
~65 min detour
Free
near mile 3.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed driving experience as you navigate this 109.3-mile path. You will spend about 48% of your time on highways, though the route also incorporates smaller local roads like Harrison Ferry Road and portions of TN 8 and SR 111. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 12.6-mile segment on TN 8, which provides a bit of consistency before the terrain shifts. Because the road conditions vary between major thoroughfares and local stretches, you will need to stay alert to changes in speed and traffic patterns. It is a balanced drive that avoids the monotony of a purely interstate-focused trip.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.6 mi on TN 8.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near SR 53 / High Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 30m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (SR 53 / High Street): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (US 70; SR 53 / Nashville Highway): Navigation decision point; at 17.3 miles (SR 56 / South Congress Boulevard): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 30m. Total distance: 109.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.6 miles on TN 8. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (SR 53 / High Street): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (US 70; SR 53 / Nashville Highway): Navigation decision point; at 17.3 miles (SR 56 / South Congress Boulevard): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Stones River National Battlefield. 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 East Chattanooga, TN before heading back.
