Traveling from Atlanta to Augusta spans 148 miles and typically takes about 2 hours and 44 minutes. Because this is a relatively short trek across Georgia's Southeast region, it is perfectly suited for a single-day trip. You can expect to spend roughly $24 on fuel for the journey. Navigating this route involves a combination of the Carl Sanders Highway, the Purple Heart Highway, and the Ralph David Abernathy Freeway. Since you only need one planned stop, the trip is efficient and straightforward, making it an ideal choice if you are looking to reach your destination without a multi-day commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
74 miles from Atlanta, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 22m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Carl Sanders Highway
84.9 mi
1h 30m
Purple Heart Highway
46.9 mi
50m
Ralph David Abernathy Freeway
9.3 mi
11m
Calhoun Expressway
2.7 mi
3m
Washington Road
2.4 mi
4m
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
0.4 mi
<1m
11th Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Hill Street Southeast
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Carl Sanders Highway
— 84.9 mi, about 1h 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Atlanta, GA and Augusta, GA.
1
Start on Capitol Avenue Southeast
69 ft·1 sec·Capitol Avenue Southeast
2
Turn slight right
156 ft·6 sec
3
Turn slight right onto Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southeast
257 ft·7 sec·Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southeast
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
0.4 mi·47 sec·Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
5
Turn right onto Hill Street Southeast
0.3 mi·58 sec·Hill Street Southeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward I 20 East: Augusta
7
Merge onto I 20
9.3 mi·11 min·Ralph David Abernathy Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 20
47 mi·50 min·Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 20
85 mi·1 hr 30 min·Carl Sanders Highway
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·38 sec
Exit 199Toward GA 28: Augusta
11
Keep slight right at fork
481 ft·11 sec
12
Turn straight onto GA 28
2.4 mi·4 min·Washington Road
13
Turn straight onto GA 28
2.7 mi·3 min·Calhoun Expressway
14
Continue on GA 28
0.1 mi·13 sec·Greene Street
15
Turn right onto 11th Street
0.4 mi·44 sec·11th Street
16
Turn right onto Walton Way
225 ft·3 sec·Walton Way
17
Arrive at destination
Walton Way
Trip Plan
To make the most of your 2-hour and 44-minute drive, plan your departure to avoid peak local congestion. Since you only have one designated stop, use that break to refuel and stretch your legs, keeping your total $24 fuel budget in mind for the round trip. The flexibility of this short route is a major advantage, allowing you to easily adjust your schedule if you encounter unexpected traffic on the local stretches. Prioritize staying alert during the turns, as the road character demands more attention than a typical highway cruise. If you are heading out early, check traffic conditions on the Ralph David Abernathy Freeway before you leave Atlanta.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 74 miles from Atlanta, GA, or about 1h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 84.9 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 33 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 74 miles or 1h 22m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 12m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Augusta, GA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Atlanta, GA 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 Atlanta, GA
This is one driving day of about 148 miles and 2h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Atlanta, GA.
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 Carl Sanders Highway for about 84.9 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 142.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|Hill Street Southeast
Turn right onto Hill Street Southeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
0.8 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 20 East: Augusta
Navigation decision point
Toward I 20 East: Augusta
5
1 mi into trip|~2m in|I 20 / Ralph David Abernathy Freeway
Merge onto I 20 / Ralph David Abernathy Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
142.1 mi into trip|~2h 35m in
Take the exit toward GA 28: Augusta
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 199
Toward GA 28: Augusta
5
142.4 mi into trip|~2h 35m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.14 one way
$46.29 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg52 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$25.31
$50.61
premium
$4.70
$27.39
$54.78
diesel
$5.61
$32.68
$65.35
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
44.4
0
$15.54
$7.10
Efficient EV
37
0
$12.95
$5.92
EV Truck/SUV
59.2
0
$20.72
$9.47
Gas CO2
52 kg
EV CO2
17 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.
Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026
Origin
Atlanta, GA
Late night
in Atlanta on Tuesday
Local time
4:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Augusta, GA
Late night
in Augusta on Tuesday
Local time
4:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Sunny
SW 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 14 at 1:51PM EDT by NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 9:32PM EDT by NWS Peachtree City GA
58°F
Smyrna, GA
74 mi in
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
8 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
2h 44m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Only 8% of this journey is spent on major highways, so you will spend the majority of your time navigating local roads. The longest uninterrupted section is an 84.9-mile stretch on the Carl Sanders Highway, which serves as the backbone of your travel. This mix of roads offers a different rhythm compared to a standard interstate cruise. Be prepared to shift your focus frequently as you transition between these specific thoroughfares throughout the drive.
Only 8% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 84.9 mi on Carl Sanders Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near Hill Street Southeast.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 44m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (Hill Street Southeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (I 20 / Ralph David Abernathy Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Atlanta is the vanguard of the New South, with the charm and elegance of the Old. It's a city that balances southern traditions with sleek modernism, and southern hospitality with three skylines and the world’s busiest airport. It's a city that has been burnt to the ground and built back up; seen the horrors of war; felt the pain of droughts and floods; and given birth to Martin Luther King, Jr., the greatest figure of the civil rights movement. Atlanta is the capital of the state of Georgia.
Top landmarks
•Georgia State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Georgia
•Virginia-Highland — human settlement in Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
•Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park — heritage site in Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Augusta is a city in Georgia's Classic Heartland. Due to its location inland on the Savannah River, Augusta was a city of major strategic importance by the end of the Civil War. It was spared most of the destruction of many other southern cities, so there are many old buildings and landmarks. Augusta is also home to the Augusta National Golf Club, one of the world's most prestigious and exclusive golf clubs, which plays host to the Masters golf tournament.
The longest stretch is about 84.9 miles on Carl Sanders Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (Hill Street Southeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (I 20 / Ralph David Abernathy Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Augusta, GA before heading back.
