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Trip from Atlanta, GA to Marietta, GA

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

Drive Time

27m

Distance

20.4 mi

33 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 25m ★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m

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

capital city of Georgia, United States

Atlanta, GA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Atlanta, GA to Marietta, GA is 20.4 miles and takes about 27m via Horace E Tate Freeway/Larry McDonald Memorial Highway/Downtown Connector, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive within the Southeast region, connecting two points in Georgia. It's a practical option for those looking for a quick commute or a short hop between cities. You'll experience a mixed drive profile, so expect some highway time and some city road navigation. Given its brevity, this trip is best suited for a single-day excursion.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Horace E Tate Freeway 7.2 mi 8m
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway 7 mi 8m
Downtown Connector 3.1 mi 4m
North Marietta Parkway 1.8 mi 3m
Church Street 0.4 mi <1m
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast 0.1 mi <1m
Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southeast <0.1 mi <1m
Capitol Avenue Southeast <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Horace E Tate Freeway — 7.2 mi, about 8m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Atlanta, GA and Marietta, 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

0.1 mi · 13 sec · Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Toward I 75 North, I 85 North
6

Merge onto I 75; I 85

3.1 mi · 4 min · Downtown Connector
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight right at fork onto I 75

7.2 mi · 8 min · Horace E Tate Freeway
Toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 75

7.0 mi · 8 min · Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 30 sec
Exit 265 Toward GA 120 Alternate: North Marietta Parkway Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Turn left onto GA 120 ALT

1.8 mi · 3 min · North Marietta Parkway
Use the left / straight lanes.
11

Turn left onto Church Street

0.4 mi · 59 sec · Church Street
Use the left lane.
12

Arrive at destination

West Park Square

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 20 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in

Take the ramp toward I 75 North, I 85 North

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 75 North, I 85 North
5
0.4 mi into trip | ~0m in | I 75; I 85 / Downtown Connector

Merge onto I 75; I 85 / Downtown Connector

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
3.5 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 75 / Horace E Tate Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 75 / Horace E Tate Freeway toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
7
17.8 mi into trip | ~22m in

Take the exit toward GA 120 Alternate: North Marietta Parkway

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 265 Toward GA 120 Alternate: North Marietta Parkway
5
20 mi into trip | ~26m in | Church Street

Turn left onto Church Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.19 one way

$6.38 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $3.49 $6.98
premium $4.70 $3.78 $7.55
diesel $5.61 $4.50 $9.01

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 7.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.1 0 $2.14 $0.98
Efficient EV 5.1 0 $1.78 $0.82
EV Truck/SUV 8.2 0 $2.86 $1.31

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (71% 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 18, 2026

Origin

Atlanta, GA

Late night in Atlanta on Sunday

Local time

4:01 AM

EDT

Current temp

66°F

Mostly Clear

SW 0 to 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 18 at 2:14AM EDT by NWS Peachtree City GA

Fire Weather Watch

Fire Weather Watch issued April 17 at 2:19PM EDT until April 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL

Destination

Marietta, GA

Late night in Marietta on Sunday

Local time

4:01 AM

EDT

Current temp

52°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

14 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

27m 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 route offers a mixed driving experience, with 44% of the journey on highways. You'll navigate segments of the Horace E Tate Freeway, Larry McDonald Memorial Highway, and the Downtown Connector. The longest uninterrupted stretch measures 7.2 miles on the Horace E Tate Freeway, providing a taste of highway cruising. As you progress, the drive transitions, incorporating more urban road segments as you approach your destination. Be prepared for varying traffic conditions typical of city-to-city travel in a metropolitan area.

44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.2 mi on Horace E Tate Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 20.4 miles you will encounter 7 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 0.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.4 miles (I 75; I 85 / Downtown Connector): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles (I 75 / Horace E Tate Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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 Atlanta, GA to Marietta, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Chattanooga along the way.

Chattanooga

3.5 mi in | ~5m | via I 75

About the Cities

Starting in Atlanta, GA

Full guide →

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.

Arriving in Marietta, GA

Full guide →

Marietta is a city of 61,000 people (2019) in Metro Atlanta. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Dobbins Air Reserve Base on the south side of town and a Lockheed Martin manufacturing plant are among the major industries in the city.

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 27m. Total distance: 20.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

27m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 7.2 miles on Horace E Tate Freeway. 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 Marietta, 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: at 0.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.4 miles (I 75; I 85 / Downtown Connector): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles (I 75 / Horace E Tate Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. 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 Marietta, 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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