Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 37m
Distance
119.5 mi
192 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$18
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Auburn, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Elba, AL
Earth Photart
The drive from Auburn, AL to Elba, AL covers 119.5 miles and takes about 2h 37m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 85, Troy Highway, Elba Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 41.9 miles on I 85. At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.51 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
59.8 miles from Auburn, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 11m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 85 | 41.9 mi | 44m |
| Troy Highway | 31.3 mi | 36m |
| Elba Highway | 27.4 mi | 46m |
| US 231 | 8.5 mi | 10m |
| Taylor Road | 5 mi | 7m |
| North College Street | 3.8 mi | 7m |
| Neil Grantham Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Claxton Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,769 veh/hr typical · worst 2,224
Quietest
2 AM
~183 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, AL and Elba, AL.
Start on this road
At end of road, turn left onto North College Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 85
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn straight onto AL 271
At end of road, turn left onto US 82; US 231
Continue on US 231
Continue on US 231; AL 10
Continue on US 231; AL 10
Take the exit
Turn slight right onto AL 87; AL 167
Turn right onto AL 87
Continue on North Troy Road
Continue on Neil Grantham Drive
Turn straight onto Claxton Avenue
Turn right onto Simmons Street
Arrive at destination
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.
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 26 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.8 miles or 1h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 59m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elba, AL than in the middle of the route.
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 119.5 miles and 2h 37m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
60 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.
A short stop after about 26 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 59.8 miles from Auburn, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 51.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn left onto North College Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I-85 South: Montgomery
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward SR 271: Auburn University Montgomery
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Keep slight left at fork toward Taylor Road South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn left onto US 82; US 231 / Troy Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$17.51 one way
$35.01 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.13 | $19.44 | $38.87 |
| premium | $4.49 | $21.11 | $42.21 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $26.34 | $52.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 35.9 | 0 | $12.55 | $5.74 |
| Efficient EV | 29.9 | 0 | $10.46 | $4.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 47.8 | 0 | $16.73 | $7.65 |
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Auburn on Friday
Local time
5:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
90°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Late night in Elba on Friday
Local time
5:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
93°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
70°F
Pisgah, AL
60 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
119.5 mi in 2h 37m — 42% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: I 85.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 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.
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 119.5 miles you will encounter 11 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 46.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
386 ft
Total Descent
895 ft
Highest Point
701 ft
Elevation Range
509 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Auburn, AL to Elba, AL, road signs begin pointing toward Taylor Road South along the way.
Taylor Road South
Founded 1836
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.
Top landmarks
Founded 1851
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 37m. Total distance: 119.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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