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Trip from Ardmore, AL to Decatur, AL

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

40m

Distance

31.1 mi

50 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 37m ★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 38m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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town in Limestone County, Alabama, USA

Ardmore, AL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Decatur, AL, AL

Decatur, AL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning to travel from Ardmore to Decatur, you are looking at a quick 31.1-mile trip that typically takes about 40 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. You can expect to spend approximately $5 on fuel for the journey, making it a very economical drive through Alabama. Because both towns are located within the Southeast region, you will experience a consistent local atmosphere throughout the transition. Overall, this is a straightforward, practical commute that allows for plenty of flexibility in your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Interstate 65 South 10.8 mi 11m
US Highway 31 7.1 mi 8m
I-65 5.8 mi 6m
7th Street 2.1 mi 3m
Bee Line Highway 1.9 mi 2m
Huntsville-Brownsferry Road 0.8 mi 1m
Ardmore Avenue 0.5 mi <1m
6th Avenue Northeast 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Interstate 65 South — 10.8 mi, about 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ardmore, AL and Decatur, AL.

1

Start on TN 7

137 ft · 6 sec · Main Street
2

Turn right onto AL 53

0.5 mi · 59 sec · Ardmore Avenue
3

Turn right onto AL 53

0.3 mi · 28 sec · 6th Street
4

At end of road, turn left onto AL 53

427 ft · 13 sec · 1st Avenue West
5

Turn right onto AL 53

2.1 mi · 3 min · 7th Street
6

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 19 sec
Toward Birmingham
7

Merge onto I 65; US 31

11 mi · 11 min · Interstate 65 South
8

Continue on I 65

0.2 mi · 11 sec · I 65
9

Continue on I 65

5.8 mi · 6 min · I-65
10

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Exit 347 Toward Huntsville Brown's Ferry Road Use the slight right lane.
11

Keep slight right at fork

194 ft · 5 sec
Exit 347 Toward Huntsville Brownsferry Road
12

Turn straight onto AL 304

0.3 mi · 30 sec · Huntsville Brownsferry Road
13

Continue on AL 304

0.8 mi · 1 min · Huntsville-Brownsferry Road
14

Turn left onto US 31

7.1 mi · 8 min · US Highway 31
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
15

Continue on US 31

1.9 mi · 2 min · Bee Line Highway
16

Keep slight left at fork onto US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20

0.4 mi · 50 sec · 6th Avenue Northeast
Use the straight lane.
17

Turn right onto Lee Street Northeast

0.2 mi · 32 sec · Lee Street Northeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
18

Turn right

82 ft · 6 sec
19

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 30.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.8 mi into trip | ~1m in | AL 53 / 1st Avenue West

At end of road, turn left onto AL 53 / 1st Avenue West

Navigation decision point

7
20 mi into trip | ~24m in

Take the exit toward Huntsville Brown's Ferry Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 347 Toward Huntsville Brown's Ferry Road
6
20.3 mi into trip | ~24m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Huntsville Brownsferry Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 347 Toward Huntsville Brownsferry Road
6
30.5 mi into trip | ~38m in | US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast

Keep slight left at fork onto US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
5
30.9 mi into trip | ~39m in | Lee Street Northeast

Turn right onto Lee Street Northeast

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.70 one way

$9.39 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.21 $5.16 $10.31
premium $4.56 $5.58 $11.16
diesel $5.61 $6.87 $13.73

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9.3 0 $3.27 $1.49
Efficient EV 7.8 0 $2.72 $1.24
EV Truck/SUV 12.4 0 $4.35 $1.99

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (64% 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 12, 2026

Origin

Ardmore, AL

Late night in Ardmore on Sunday

Local time

2:57 AM

CDT

Current temp

83°F

Sunny

S 5 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 12 at 10:04AM CDT until April 12 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Huntsville AL

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 11 at 10:01PM CDT until April 12 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Birmingham AL

Destination

Decatur, AL

Late night in Decatur on Sunday

Local time

2:57 AM

CDT

Current temp

86°F

Sunny

S 5 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 12 at 10:04AM CDT until April 12 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Huntsville AL

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 11 at 10:01PM CDT until April 12 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Birmingham AL

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

3 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

40m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 77% of your time spent on major routes like Interstate 65 and US Highway 31. You will spend a significant portion of the trip navigating the interstate, including a 10.8-mile stretch that serves as the longest uninterrupted segment of the journey. Expect a fast-paced experience as you transition from the smaller roads near Ardmore onto the main thoroughfares. While the road personality is largely defined by this interstate grind, the efficiency of the route makes it a simple task for any driver. It is a no-nonsense path designed to get you to your destination with minimal fuss.

77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.8 mi on Interstate 65 South.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Interstate 65 South and US Highway 31. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near AL 53 / 1st Avenue West.

Driving Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 31.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (AL 53 / 1st Avenue West): Navigation decision point; at 20 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

912 ft 563 ft

Total Climb

66 ft

Total Descent

373 ft

Highest Point

912 ft

~3.9 mi in

Elevation Range

349 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Ardmore, AL to Decatur, AL, road signs begin pointing toward Birmingham along the way.

Birmingham

3 mi in | ~5m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 31.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

40m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 10.8 miles on Interstate 65 South. 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 Decatur, AL 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: at 0.8 miles (AL 53 / 1st Avenue West): Navigation decision point; at 20 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Decatur, AL 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Decatur, AL to Ardmore, AL

Plan the drive back the other way.

31.5 mi 41m

Continue From Decatur, AL

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