Arlington, TN to Chattanooga, TN is 308.8 miles and takes about 5h 42m via I 40 and I 24, with a fuel budget near $47 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Tennessee, starting in the western part of the state and heading east. Expect a predominantly highway experience, making it a straightforward trip for a single day. It's a practical choice if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently across the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
154.4 miles from Arlington, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 50m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
146.9 mi
2h 37m
I 24
103.1 mi
1h 54m
Tennessee National Guard Parkway
52.2 mi
55m
Forrest Street
1.4 mi
3m
Hickory Withe Road
1 mi
2m
SR 196
0.7 mi
1m
US 27
0.7 mi
<1m
West Martin Luther King Boulevard
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 146.9 mi, about 2h 37m
Traffic on I-24
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 18 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,972 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,410
Quietest
2 AM
~353 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, TN and Chattanooga, TN.
1
Start on Walker Street
68 ft·3 sec·Walker Street
2
Continue on Forrest Street
1.4 mi·3 min·Forrest Street
3
Continue on Hickory Withe Road
1.0 mi·2 min·Hickory Withe Road
4
Continue on SR 196
0.7 mi·1 min·SR 196
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·46 sec
6
Merge onto I 40
147 mi·2 hr 37 min·I 40
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 840 East: Knoxville, Franklin
8
Merge onto I 840
52 mi·55 min·Tennessee National Guard Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.8 mi·2 min
Exit 53AToward I 24 East: ChattanoogaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 24
103 mi·1 hr 54 min·I 24
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·46 sec
Exit 184BToward US 27 North: Downtown Chattanooga
12
Continue on US 27
0.7 mi·59 sec·US 27
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Exit 1BToward Downtown
14
Turn right onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard
0.2 mi·29 sec·West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
TN 8
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 42m duration, starting in the morning is recommended to ensure you arrive with ample daylight. With only one recommended stop, you can plan for a brief break or push through if needed. Keep an eye on fuel levels, especially during the 146.9-mile segment on I 40, as services might be less frequent in some stretches. The $47 fuel cost is an estimate, so check current prices before you depart. Since this is a single-day drive, you have the flexibility to adjust your pace as needed.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 154.4 miles from Arlington, TN, or about 2h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 146.9 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 68 miles or 1h 17m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 154.4 miles or 2h 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chattanooga, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Arlington, 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 Arlington, TN
This is one driving day of about 308.8 miles and 5h 42m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 68 miles from Arlington, 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 I 40 for about 146.9 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.5 and 308.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.5 mi into trip|~8m in|I 40
Merge onto I 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
150.4 mi into trip|~2h 45m in
Take the exit toward I 840 East: Knoxville, Franklin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 840 East: Knoxville, Franklin
5
151.1 mi into trip|~2h 47m in|I 840 / Tennessee National Guard Parkway
Merge onto I 840 / Tennessee National Guard Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
203.3 mi into trip|~3h 43m in
Take the exit toward I 24 East: Chattanooga
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 53A
Toward I 24 East: Chattanooga
6
308.6 mi into trip|~5h 42m in|West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Turn right onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.51 one way
$103.02 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg108 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.62
$56.20
$112.41
premium
$5.25
$63.86
$127.73
diesel
$6.28
$76.30
$152.60
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$52
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$77–$102
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 108 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
92.6
1
$32.42
$14.82
Efficient EV
77.2
0
$27.02
$12.35
EV Truck/SUV
123.5
1
$43.23
$19.76
Gas CO2
108 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Oct 22, 2026
Origin
Arlington, TN
Late night
in Arlington on Thursday
Local time
5:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Clear
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Chattanooga, TN
Morning
in Chattanooga on Thursday
Local time
6:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Clear
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
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
1 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
5h 42m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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...
4 mi from route
~9 min detour
Free
near mile 202.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is almost entirely on highways, with a 98% highway share. You'll experience a 146.9-mile stretch on I 40, which is the longest continuous highway segment. The drive will feel like cruising on interstates for most of the 5h 42m, with the transition to surface roads being minimal. Expect frequent exits and merging traffic as you navigate through various towns and cities.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 146.9 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and I 24. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.5 miles in near I 40.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 308.8 miles you will encounter 9 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: at 3.5 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 150.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 151.1 miles (I 840 / Tennessee National Guard Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,906 ft282 ft
Total Climb
2,003 ft
Total Descent
1,610 ft
Highest Point
1,906 ft
~264.7 mi in
Elevation Range
1,624 ft
Notable High Points
1,906 ft at ~264.7 miles+832 ft prominence
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 Arlington, TN to Chattanooga, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Franklin along the way.
Chattanooga is the 4th largest city in Tennessee. It is the seat of Hamilton County. It is in Southeast Tennessee on the Tennessee River and near the border of Georgia. It was immortalized in the popular 1941 song "Chattanooga Choo Choo", made famous by Glenn Miller.
Top landmarks
•Delta Queen — paddle steamer launched in 1926
•Hunter Museum of American Art — art museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee
•Saints Peter and Paul Basilica — historic church in Tennessee, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 42m. Total distance: 308.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 146.9 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 33 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 33 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.5 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 150.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 151.1 miles (I 840 / Tennessee National Guard Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Stones River National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.7 hours each way, a round trip means 11.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Chattanooga, TN before the return drive.
