Austin, AR to Jonesboro, AR is 102.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 51 minutes via I 57, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arkansas, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. It's a straightforward, primarily highway-focused journey that's perfect for a single-day excursion. You'll find this route to be efficient for getting from point A to point B without much fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
51.4 miles from Austin, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
80.4 mi
1h 22m
US 78
12.1 mi
13m
Southwest Drive
7.4 mi
9m
South Main Street
1.4 mi
2m
AR 305
0.4 mi
<1m
Cate Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
AR 367
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 80.4 mi, about 1h 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Austin, AR and Jonesboro, AR.
1
Start on this road
219 ft·17 sec·this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto AR 367
82 ft·1 sec·AR 367
3
Turn left onto AR 305
0.4 mi·46 sec·AR 305
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·51 sec
5
Merge onto I 57; US 167
6.1 mi·6 min·I 57; US 167
6
Continue on I 57; US 64; US 167
74 mi·1 hr 16 min·I 57; US 64; US 167
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward AR 226: Jonesboro
8
Keep slight right at fork
346 ft·8 sec
9
Merge onto US 78; AR 226
12 mi·13 min·US 78; AR 226
10
Continue on US 49; US 63; US 78
7.4 mi·9 min·Southwest Drive
11
Continue on South Main Street
1.4 mi·2 min·South Main Street
12
Turn right onto Cate Avenue
207 ft·14 sec·Cate Avenue
13
Turn left
75 ft·5 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of 1 hour and 51 minutes, this route offers plenty of flexibility. You could easily depart in the morning and arrive well before lunch, or even make it a quick afternoon trip. With a fuel cost estimated at $16, keeping your tank topped off should be straightforward. There are no designated stops in the data, so plan your own breaks as needed, perhaps around the halfway point or when you feel the need to stretch. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you approach Jonesboro, as the longest stretch on I 57 is quite substantial.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 51.4 miles from Austin, AR, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.4 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 23 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 51.4 miles or 53m 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 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jonesboro, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Austin, AR so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Austin, AR
This is one driving day of about 102.9 miles and 1h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Austin, AR.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 80.4 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 102.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|AR 367
At end of road, turn right onto AR 367
Navigation decision point
3
0.9 mi into trip|~1m in|I 57; US 167
Merge onto I 57; US 167
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
81.3 mi into trip|~1h 24m in
Take the exit toward AR 226: Jonesboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward AR 226: Jonesboro
4
81.7 mi into trip|~1h 25m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
102.9 mi into trip|~1h 51m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.54 one way
$31.08 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg36 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$17.06
$34.12
premium
$4.56
$18.47
$36.94
diesel
$5.61
$22.72
$45.44
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
30.9
0
$10.80
$4.94
Efficient EV
25.7
0
$9.00
$4.12
EV Truck/SUV
41.2
0
$14.41
$6.59
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 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 17, 2026
Origin
Austin, AR
Late night
in Austin on Tuesday
Local time
5:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Jonesboro, AR
Late night
in Jonesboro on Tuesday
Local time
5:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Mostly Sunny
SSW 15 mph9% chanceLive 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
10 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
1h 51m 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?
With 90% of this drive on highways, expect a consistent pace. The majority of your travel will be on I 57, which accounts for the longest stretch of uninterrupted driving at 80.4 miles. This highway-focused profile means you'll likely experience a smooth, direct journey with minimal slowdowns. The road character remains largely consistent, prioritizing speed and directness over winding scenic byways.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 80.4 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and US 78. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near AR 367.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 51m drive. You will face about 7 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 (AR 367): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (I 57; US 167): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 81.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The longest stretch is about 80.4 miles on I 57. 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 (AR 367): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (I 57; US 167): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 81.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Jonesboro, AR before heading back.
