Origin
Athens, AL
Morning in Athens on Tuesday
Local time
8:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Athens, AL to East Florence, AL
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
57m
Distance
40.9 mi
66 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
6 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Athens, AL
Wikimedia Commons
East Florence, AL
Efrem Efre
Trip Overview
Athens, AL to East Florence, AL is 40.9 miles and takes about 57 minutes via United States Highway 72, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Alabama, moving from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. With an 88% highway share, most of this drive is on faster roads, making it a quick transit between these two points. It's a straightforward route, ideal for a quick errand or connecting to other travel plans without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| United States Highway 72 | 18.9 mi | 24m |
| US Highway 72 | 13.5 mi | 17m |
| US 72 | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| Huntsville Road | 3 mi | 5m |
| Washington Street West | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Lucas Ferry Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Midway Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Jefferson Street South | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
United States Highway 72
— 18.9 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Athens, AL and East Florence, AL.
1
Start on Jefferson Street South
10 ft
·
4 sec
·
Jefferson Street South
2
Turn right onto Washington Street West
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Washington Street West
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto Lucas Ferry Road
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Lucas Ferry Road
4
Turn right onto US 72
14 mi
·
17 min
·
US Highway 72
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on US 72
19 mi
·
24 min
·
United States Highway 72
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on US 72
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
US 72
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn left onto CR 32
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Huntsville Road
Use the left lane.
8
Turn sharp right onto Midway Street
60 ft
·
2 sec
·
Midway Street
9
Arrive at destination
Midway Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.5 miles from Athens, AL, 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 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 40.9 — 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
|
Washington Street West
Turn right onto Washington Street West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Lucas Ferry Road
Turn left onto Lucas Ferry Road
Navigation decision point
6
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 72 / US Highway 72
Turn right onto US 72 / US Highway 72
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
38 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
CR 32 / Huntsville Road
Turn left onto CR 32 / Huntsville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
40.9 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
Midway Street
Turn sharp right onto Midway Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.18 one way
$12.35 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $6.78 | $13.56 |
| premium | $4.56 | $7.34 | $14.68 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.03 | $18.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.29 | $1.96 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
East Florence, AL
Morning in East Florence on Tuesday
Local time
8:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°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
57m 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 predominantly highway driving, with 88% of the 40.9 miles on roads like US Highway 72. You'll experience a stretch of 18.9 miles on United States Highway 72 without exiting, offering a continuous cruising experience. Expect a generally high volume of exits and entrances common to highway travel for much of the trip. The final portion will transition away from the highway to surface roads as you approach East Florence.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.9 mi on United States Highway 72.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on United States Highway 72 and US Highway 72. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Washington Street West.
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 57m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Washington Street West): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (Lucas Ferry Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (US 72 / US Highway 72): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Athens, AL
Full guide →Athens is a city of 27,000 people (2016) in northern Alabama, USA about 15 miles south of the Tennessee border and 20 miles west of Huntsville. It is the county seat of Limestone county. The city’s proximity to transportation, recreational facilities, and educational centers make it a vibrant spot today. The rich soil has provided for a strong agricultural base, and for recreational opportunities. The Swan Creek Greenway offers hiking, a covered bridge, and access to an archery course.
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 57m. Total distance: 40.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.9 miles on United States Highway 72. 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: near the start (Washington Street West): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (Lucas Ferry Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (US 72 / US Highway 72): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at East Florence, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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