Auburn, AL to Andalusia, AL is 145 miles and takes about 2h 49m via I 85 and I 65, with a fuel budget near $22 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Alabama, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. It's a straightforward trip primarily on interstates, making it a convenient option if you need to get between these two points efficiently. Expect a fairly quick transit with minimal fuss, ideal for a single-day excursion.
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
72.6 miles from Auburn, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 23m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 65
56.5 mi
1h 1m
I 85
51.2 mi
56m
Crum Foshee Highway
17.9 mi
20m
AL 106
9.4 mi
11m
North College Street
3.8 mi
7m
US 84
3.8 mi
5m
River Falls Street
0.9 mi
2m
Church Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 56.5 mi, about 1h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, AL and Andalusia, AL.
1
Start on this road
291 ft·25 sec·this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto North College Street
3.8 mi·7 min·North College Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward I-85 South: MontgomeryUse the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 85
51 mi·55 min·I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85
0.2 mi·15 sec·I 85
Toward I 65 South: Mobile, Day Street
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I-65 South: Mobile
7
Continue on this road
0.1 mi·14 sec·this road
Exit 171Toward I 65 South: Mobile
8
Merge onto I 65; US 82
57 mi·1 hr 1 min·I 65; US 82
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Toward 106, 55: Georgiana, Starlington
10
Turn left onto AL 106; AL 55
9.4 mi·11 min·AL 106; AL 55
11
Continue on AL 55
18 mi·20 min·Crum Foshee Highway
12
At end of road, turn left onto US 84; AL 55
3.8 mi·5 min·US 84; AL 55
13
Continue on US 29; AL 55
0.1 mi·19 sec·River Falls Street
14
Continue on River Falls Street
0.4 mi·53 sec·River Falls Street
15
Continue on River Falls Road
0.1 mi·15 sec·River Falls Road
16
Continue on River Falls Street
0.4 mi·1 min·River Falls Street
17
Turn left onto Church Street
0.3 mi·30 sec·Church Street
18
Enter roundabout onto Court Square
0.1 mi·12 sec·Court Square
19
Arrive at destination
Court Square
Trip Plan
For this 2-hour, 49-minute trip, you can easily complete it in a single day. Leaving in the morning will give you plenty of daylight to arrive. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost estimated at $22, planning is straightforward. The longest stretch without exiting is 56.5 miles on I 65, so ensure you have adequate fuel before embarking on that segment. This short drive offers flexibility, allowing you to depart at your convenience.
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 72.6 miles from Auburn, AL, or about 1h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 56.5 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 32 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 72.6 miles or 1h 23m 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 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Andalusia, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Auburn, AL 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 Auburn, AL
This is one driving day of about 145.2 miles and 2h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from Auburn, AL.
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 65 for about 56.5 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 145 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|North College Street
At end of road, turn left onto North College Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
3.9 mi into trip|~8m in
Take the ramp toward I-85 South: Montgomery
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I-85 South: Montgomery
6
55.2 mi into trip|~1h 4m in|I 85
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85 toward I 65 South: Mobile, Day Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 65 South: Mobile, Day Street
6
55.4 mi into trip|~1h 4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I-65 South: Mobile
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I-65 South: Mobile
7
145 mi into trip|~2h 48m in|Court Square
Enter roundabout onto Court Square
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.93 one way
$43.86 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg51 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$24.07
$48.14
premium
$4.56
$26.06
$52.12
diesel
$5.61
$32.06
$64.12
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
43.6
0
$15.25
$6.97
Efficient EV
36.3
0
$12.70
$5.81
EV Truck/SUV
58.1
0
$20.33
$9.29
Gas CO2
51 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 20, 2026
Origin
Auburn, AL
Morning
in Auburn on Tuesday
Local time
7:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Andalusia, AL
Morning
in Andalusia on Tuesday
Local time
7:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
6 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 49m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is primarily highway-focused, with 83% of the drive on interstates. You'll encounter the longest stretch of uninterrupted highway at 56.5 miles on I 65. After the interstate portions, you'll transition to surface roads for the remaining miles. Expect a consistent driving experience with fewer exits during the longest interstate segments.
83% 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: 56.5 mi on I 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and I 85. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North College Street.
Driving Effort6/10
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 145.2 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.1 miles (North College Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 55.2 miles (I 85): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Auburn, AL and Andalusia, AL, road signs point toward 55: Georgiana and Starlington.
Auburn is in the River Heritage region of Alabama, and home to Auburn University in downtown Auburn. During the university's home football games, the town fills up with thousands of alumni and college football fans for a weekend of tailgating.
Andalusia is a town of 8,800 people (2020) in the River Heritage portion of Alabama. This county seat in the southern fringe of the state was settled by white people back in 1841.
Top landmarks
•Covington County Courthouse and Jail — historic district in Alabama, United States
•Three Notch Museum — museum and historic train station in Andalusia, Alabama
•First National Bank Building — buliding in Andalusia, US
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 49m. Total distance: 145.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 56.5 miles on I 65. 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 Andalusia, AL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North College Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 55.2 miles (I 85): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Andalusia, AL before heading back.
