Origin
Alpharetta, GA
Late night in Alpharetta on Tuesday
Local time
4:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alpharetta, GA to Athens, GA
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
1h 28m
Distance
61.8 mi
99 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 22m
★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alpharetta, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Athens, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Alpharetta to Athens is 61.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 28 minutes via University Parkway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Georgia, moving you from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. Expect a primarily highway-focused experience for this relatively short trip. With a total travel time under 1.5 hours, it's a convenient option for a quick journey without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| University Parkway | 33.5 mi | 40m |
| Duluth Highway | 8.2 mi | 12m |
| State Bridge Road | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| Old Milton Parkway | 3.9 mi | 7m |
| GA Inner Loop 10 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Prince Avenue | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Inner Loop 10 | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| Pleasant Hill Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
University Parkway
— 33.5 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alpharetta, GA and Athens, GA.
1
Start on Academy Street
139 ft
·
11 sec
·
Academy Street
2
Turn left onto GA 9
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
South Main Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto GA 120
3.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Old Milton Parkway
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on GA 120
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
State Bridge Road
Use the straight lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto State Bridge Road
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
State Bridge Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on Pleasant Hill Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Pleasant Hill Road
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left onto Howell Ferry Road
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Howell Ferry Road
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on McClure Bridge Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
McClure Bridge Road
9
Enter roundabout onto West Lawrenceville Street
129 ft
·
3 sec
·
West Lawrenceville Street
10
Continue on West Lawrenceville Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Lawrenceville Street
11
Continue on GA 120
8.2 mi
·
12 min
·
Duluth Highway
Use the left lane.
12
Take the ramp onto US 29; GA 8
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
US 29; GA 8
Toward GA 316 East, US 29 North, GA 8 North: Winder
Use the left lane.
13
Merge onto GA 316; US 29; GA 8
33 mi
·
40 min
·
University Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
380 ft
·
12 sec
Use the left lane.
15
Turn left onto Oconee Connector
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Oconee Connector
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Use the left lane.
17
Merge onto GA 10 Loop
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Inner Loop 10
18
Continue on GA 10 Loop
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
GA Inner Loop 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Continue on GA 10 Loop
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
·
Inner Loop 10
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 14
Toward US 129 North: Prince Avenue, Jefferson
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork onto US 129
195 ft
·
12 sec
·
US 129
22
Turn left onto GA 15 Alternate
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Prince Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Continue on West Dougherty Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Dougherty Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
24
Turn left onto North Lumpkin Street
101 ft
·
2 sec
·
North Lumpkin Street
Use the left lane.
25
Arrive at destination
North Lumpkin Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 30.9 miles from Alpharetta, GA, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 61.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
GA 9 / South Main Street
Turn left onto GA 9 / South Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
5.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
State Bridge Road
Keep slight right at fork onto State Bridge Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
19.5 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
US 29; GA 8
Take the ramp onto US 29; GA 8 toward GA 316 East, US 29 North, GA 8 North: Winder
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward GA 316 East, US 29 North, GA 8 North: Wi...
8
59.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
Take the exit toward US 129 North: Prince Avenue, Jefferson
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 14
Toward US 129 North: Prince Avenue, Jefferson
7
61.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 28m in
|
North Lumpkin Street
Turn left onto North Lumpkin Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.66 one way
$19.33 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.57 | $21.13 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.44 | $22.88 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.64 | $27.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.49 | $2.97 |
| Efficient EV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.41 | $2.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.7 | 0 | $8.65 | $3.96 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
Athens, GA
Late night in Athens on Tuesday
Local time
4:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°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
20 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
1h 28m 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 route is largely highway-focused, with 61% of the drive utilizing faster roads. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 33.5 miles on University Parkway. The drive begins on local roads like State Bridge Road and Duluth Highway before transitioning to University Parkway, offering a mix of urban and more open highway driving. It's a straightforward path designed for efficient travel.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.5 mi on University Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on University Parkway and Duluth Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near GA 9 / South Main 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 61.8 miles you will encounter 15 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 (GA 9 / South Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles (State Bridge Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.5 miles (US 29; GA 8): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Athens, GA
Full guide →Athens is a vibrant college town of 127,000 people (2020) in the Classic Heartland region of Georgia. Athens is most popular in the late summer and fall when students, families of students or college football fans visit the University of Georgia.
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 28m. Total distance: 61.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.5 miles on University Parkway. 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 Athens, GA 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 (GA 9 / South Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles (State Bridge Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.5 miles (US 29; GA 8): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical 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 Athens, GA 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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