Skip to main content

Trip from Benton, TN to Chattanooga, TN

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

Drive Time

1h 1m

Distance

47.6 mi

77 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 56m ★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 58m

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

city in Tennessee

Benton, TN

Wikimedia Commons

city in and county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States

Chattanooga, TN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Benton, TN to Chattanooga, TN is 47.6 miles and takes about 1h 1m via I 75, US 64, and US 74, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused drive connecting two points within the Southeast region of Tennessee. Given its short distance and predictable duration, it's ideal for a same-day trip, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your schedule. Plan for a simple transit between these locations, with most of your journey on well-maintained highways.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 75 18.4 mi 22m
US 64 7.5 mi 8m
US 74 7 mi 9m
I 24 5.8 mi 7m
US 411 5.5 mi 7m
US 27 1.7 mi 2m
West Martin Luther King Boulevard 0.2 mi <1m
Benton Station Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 75 — 18.4 mi, about 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Benton, TN and Chattanooga, TN.

1

Start on Town Creek Road

314 ft · 14 sec · Town Creek Road
2

Turn left onto Benton Station Road

433 ft · 13 sec · Benton Station Road
3

Turn right onto US 411

5.5 mi · 7 min · US 411
4

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec
5

Merge onto US 64; US 74

7.5 mi · 8 min · US 64; US 74
6

Take the exit onto US 74; US 64 Bypass

7.0 mi · 9 min · US 74; US 64 Bypass
7

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Use the left / straight lanes.
8

Merge onto I 75

18 mi · 22 min · I 75
Use the straight lane.
9

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 56 sec
Toward I 24 West: Chattanooga, Nashville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on I 24

5.8 mi · 7 min · I 24
Toward Chattanooga, Nashville
11

Take the exit onto US 27

0.2 mi · 15 sec · US 27
Exit 178 Toward US 27 North: Downtown, Lookout Mountain Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto US 27

0.2 mi · 16 sec · US 27
Exit 178 Toward US 27 North: Downtown, Lookout Mountain Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork onto US 27

1.4 mi · 1 min · US 27
Use the straight lane.
14

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Exit 1B Toward Downtown
15

Turn right onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard

0.2 mi · 29 sec · West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
16

Arrive at destination

TN 8

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Cleveland, TN

24 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.

Pacing Suggestions

South Cleveland, TN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Collegedale, TN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 23.8 miles from Benton, TN, 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.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 20.3 and 45.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
20.3 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit

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

Use the left / straight lanes.
7
39 mi into trip | ~49m in

Take the exit toward I 24 West: Chattanooga, Nashville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 24 West: Chattanooga, Nashville
8
45.4 mi into trip | ~57m in | US 27

Take the exit onto US 27 toward US 27 North: Downtown, Lookout Mountain

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 178 Toward US 27 North: Downtown, Lookout Mountain
10
45.6 mi into trip | ~58m in | US 27

Keep slight left at fork onto US 27 toward US 27 North: Downtown, Lookout Mountain

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 178 Toward US 27 North: Downtown, Lookout Mountain
6
45.8 mi into trip | ~58m in | US 27

Keep slight left at fork onto US 27

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.44 one way

$14.88 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $8.17 $16.34
premium $4.89 $9.16 $18.32
diesel $5.61 $10.51 $21.02

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.3 0 $5.00 $2.28
Efficient EV 11.9 0 $4.17 $1.90
EV Truck/SUV 19 0 $6.66 $3.05

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Benton, TN

Late night in Benton on Sunday

Local time

2:01 AM

EDT

Current temp

72°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Chattanooga, TN

Late night in Chattanooga on Sunday

Local time

2:01 AM

EDT

Current temp

84°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

84°F

Cleveland, TN

24 mi in

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

12 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 1m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This route is predominantly a highway drive, with 96% of the journey taking place on major roadways like I 75, US 64, and US 74. Expect a fairly continuous stretch of 18.4 miles on I 75, offering a consistent pace. The overall feel is one of efficient travel, prioritizing getting you from point A to point B with minimal detours or winding backroads. It’s a drive designed for covering ground quickly on established infrastructure.

96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.4 mi on I 75.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and US 64. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 20.3 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.6 miles you will encounter 13 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 20.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 39 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 45.4 miles (US 27): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Benton, TN to Chattanooga, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Nashville along the way.

Nashville

39 mi in | ~49m

About the Cities

Arriving in Chattanooga, TN

Full guide →

Chattanooga is the 4th largest city in Tennessee. It is the seat of Hamilton County. It is in Southeast Tennessee on the Tennessee River and near the border of Georgia. It was immortalized in the popular 1941 song "Chattanooga Choo Choo", made famous by Glenn Miller.

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 1h 1m. Total distance: 47.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 18.4 miles on I 75. 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 Chattanooga, TN 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 20.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 39 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 45.4 miles (US 27): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chattanooga, TN 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Benton, TN or browse trips ending in Chattanooga, TN.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TN road trips.