Origin
Alexandria, TN
Late night in Alexandria on Sunday
Local time
3:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alexandria, TN to Franklin, TN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
64.9 mi
104 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alexandria, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Franklin, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Alexandria, TN to Franklin, TN is 64.9 miles and takes about 1h 20m via I 40 and I 65, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Tennessee, moving from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. You'll mostly be on highways, making it a straightforward journey. Consider this drive for a quick transition between areas in Tennessee, where the focus is on efficient travel rather than extensive sightseeing along the way.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 26.3 mi | 28m |
| Sparta Pike | 15.4 mi | 21m |
| I 65 | 14.1 mi | 15m |
| Murfreesboro Road | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Debra K Johnson Memorial Parkway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Nashville Highway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Locust Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 3rd Avenue South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 26.3 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alexandria, TN and Franklin, TN.
1
Start on West Main Street
53 ft
·
4 sec
·
West Main Street
2
Turn right onto High Street
192 ft
·
6 sec
·
High Street
3
Turn right onto Spring Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Spring Street
4
At end of road, turn right onto Locust Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Locust Street
5
Turn right onto US 70
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Nashville Highway
6
Continue on US 70
15 mi
·
21 min
·
Sparta Pike
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I 40 West: Nashville
8
Merge onto I 40
26 mi
·
28 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 213A
Toward I 24 East, I 440 West: Memphis, Chattanooga
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 53
Toward I 440 West: Memphis
11
Continue on I 440
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Debra K Johnson Memorial Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 5
Toward I 65: Nashville, Huntsville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 65 South: Huntsville
14
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
this road
Exit 5
Toward 65: Huntsville
15
Merge onto I 65
14 mi
·
15 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 65
Toward TN 96: Franklin, Murfreesboro
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn right onto TN 96
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Murfreesboro Road
Use the right lane.
18
Continue on TN 96
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
3rd Avenue South
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Enter roundabout onto US 31 Business; TN 96
397 ft
·
6 sec
·
Public Square
20
Arrive at destination
US 31 Business; TN 96
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.5 miles from Alexandria, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 61.9 — 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
|
Spring Street
Turn right onto Spring Street
Navigation decision point
7
43.6 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 24 East, I 440 West: Memphis, Chattanooga
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 213A
Toward I 24 East, I 440 West: Memphis, Chattano...
8
47 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward I 65: Nashville, Huntsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5
Toward I 65: Nashville, Huntsville
6
47.1 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 65 South: Huntsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 65 South: Huntsville
8
61.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
Take the exit toward TN 96: Franklin, Murfreesboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 65
Toward TN 96: Franklin, Murfreesboro
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.15 one way
$20.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.14 | $22.28 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.49 | $24.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.33 | $28.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.5 | 0 | $6.81 | $3.12 |
| Efficient EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.68 | $2.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26 | 0 | $9.09 | $4.15 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Franklin, TN
Late night in Franklin on Sunday
Local time
3:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°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
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
1h 20m 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?
This drive is primarily highway-focused, with 66% of the journey on major roadways. Expect a good amount of time on I 40 and I 65, offering a consistent pace. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 26.3 miles on I 40, so you can settle in for a solid period of driving. While the main roads are highways, the initial part on Sparta Pike will offer a slightly different feel before merging onto the interstates. Overall, the character is geared towards covering distance efficiently.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.3 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Sparta Pike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Spring Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 64.9 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Spring Street): Navigation decision point; at 43.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Alexandria, TN and Franklin, TN, road signs point toward Chattanooga, Huntsville and 65: Huntsville.
Chattanooga
43.6 mi in
|
~54m
Huntsville
47 mi in
|
~59m
65: Huntsville
47.2 mi in
|
~59m
About the Cities
Arriving in Franklin, TN
Full guide →Franklin is a city of 81,000 people (2018) in Tennessee, just a few miles south of Nashville. There are two main areas of interest. One is the Cool Springs area, which is identified by its corporate and retail growth surrounding one of the largest malls in the Southeast, the CoolSprings Galleria. The other is historic downtown Franklin which retains much of its small town charm. It is a walkable, friendly historic downtown district, recognized as a Great American Main Street.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 64.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26.3 miles on I 40. 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 Franklin, TN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 (Spring Street): Navigation decision point; at 43.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Franklin, TN 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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