Origin
Alma, AR
Late night in Alma on Tuesday
Local time
4:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alma, AR to Chester, AR
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
21m
Distance
17.4 mi
28 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alma, AR
Sami Aksu
Chester, AR
Andrea Piacquadio
Trip Overview
Alma, AR to Chester, AR is 17.4 miles and takes about 21 minutes via I 49 and US 71, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Southeast region, making it a convenient hop between two points in Arkansas. The drive is predominantly highway, so expect a straightforward journey. It's a quick connection perfect for a brief excursion or a necessary leg of a larger trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 49 | 13.9 mi | 13m |
| East Front Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| US 71 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Fayetteville Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| US Highway 71 North | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Turner | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Central Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 49
— 13.9 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alma, AR and Chester, AR.
1
Start on Fayetteville Avenue
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Fayetteville Avenue
2
At end of road, turn left onto AR 162
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Fayetteville Avenue
3
Continue on US 71B; AR 162
0.5 mi
·
46 sec
·
US Highway 71 North
4
Turn left onto US 71
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 71
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 49 North: Fayetteville
6
Continue on I 49
14 mi
·
13 min
·
I 49
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Chester
8
Turn right onto AR 282
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Front Avenue
9
Turn right onto Turner
364 ft
·
21 sec
·
Turner
10
Turn left onto East Central Avenue
163 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Central Avenue
11
Arrive at destination
East Central Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 17.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
AR 162 / Fayetteville Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto AR 162 / Fayetteville Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 71
Turn left onto US 71
Navigation decision point
4
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 49 North: Fayetteville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 49 North: Fayetteville
4
16 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward Chester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Chester
5
17.3 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
East Central Avenue
Turn left onto East Central Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.63 one way
$5.26 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $2.88 | $5.77 |
| premium | $4.56 | $3.12 | $6.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.84 | $7.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.83 | $0.84 |
| Efficient EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.52 | $0.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7 | 0 | $2.44 | $1.11 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Chester, AR
Late night in Chester on Tuesday
Local time
4:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
5 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
21m 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 heavily focused on highway travel, with 87% of the route utilizing major highways like I 49 and US 71. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 13.9 miles on I 49, offering a consistent cruising experience. The profile suggests a highway-focused drive, meaning you'll spend most of your time on faster roads with minimal local traffic interruptions. Expect a smooth and efficient journey without many twists and turns.
87% 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: 13.9 mi on I 49.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 49 and East Front Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near AR 162 / Fayetteville Avenue.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 21m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (AR 162 / Fayetteville Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (US 71): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
About the Cities
Starting in Alma, AR
Full guide →Founded 1874
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 21m. Total distance: 17.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.9 miles on I 49. 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: at 0.2 miles (AR 162 / Fayetteville Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (US 71): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chester, AR 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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