Origin
Birmingham, AL
Late night in Birmingham on Tuesday
Local time
5:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Birmingham, AL to Fairfield, AL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
11m
Distance
7.9 mi
13 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 11m
★
6 AM
0h 12m
8 AM
0h 14m
10 AM
0h 13m
12 PM
0h 12m
3 PM
0h 13m
5 PM
0h 14m
8 PM
0h 11m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Birmingham, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Fairfield, AL
Taryn Elliott
Trip Overview
Birmingham, AL to Fairfield, AL is 7.9 miles and takes about 11 minutes via I 20, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a very short drive entirely within Alabama, making it a convenient option for local travel. You'll primarily be on interstate, so expect a straightforward journey. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a quick trip with minimal planning needed. Consider this an easy transition between two nearby points in the Southeast.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 4.5 mi | 4m |
| 6th Avenue North | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Valley Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Avenue I | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| I 65 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Parkway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 24th Street North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Farrell Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 4.5 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Birmingham, AL and Fairfield, AL.
1
Start on 24th Street North
523 ft
·
19 sec
·
24th Street North
2
Turn left onto 6th Avenue North
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
6th Avenue North
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 65 North
4
Merge onto I 65
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
I 65
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 261C
Toward I 20 West, I 59 South: Tuscaloosa
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
6
Merge onto I 20; I 59
4.5 mi
·
4 min
·
I 20; I 59
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 119B
Toward Avenue I
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn straight
167 ft
·
6 sec
9
Turn left onto Avenue I
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
Avenue I
10
Continue on Valley Road
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Valley Road
11
Turn left onto Parkway
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Parkway
12
Turn slight left onto Hillside Drive
279 ft
·
13 sec
·
Hillside Drive
13
Turn right onto Farrell Avenue
366 ft
·
18 sec
·
Farrell Avenue
14
Turn right onto 52nd Street
165 ft
·
7 sec
·
52nd Street
15
Arrive at destination
52nd Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 6.5 — 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
|
6th Avenue North
Turn left onto 6th Avenue North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 65
Merge onto I 65
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
8
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 20 West, I 59 South: Tuscaloosa
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 261C
Toward I 20 West, I 59 South: Tuscaloosa
5
2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 20; I 59
Merge onto I 20; I 59
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
6.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward Avenue I
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 119B
Toward Avenue I
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.19 one way
$2.39 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $1.31 | $2.62 |
| premium | $4.56 | $1.42 | $2.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.74 | $3.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.83 | $0.38 |
| Efficient EV | 2 | 0 | $0.69 | $0.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.11 | $0.51 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Destination
Fairfield, AL
Late night in Fairfield on Tuesday
Local time
5:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
11m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 63% of the journey on major roads. You'll experience a consistent pace for most of the 7.9 miles, with the longest uninterrupted stretch being 4.5 miles on I 20. The route predominantly utilizes interstate travel, offering a direct and efficient path. Expect this to be a swift transit rather than a winding scenic tour. The character remains largely highway-like throughout the short distance.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.5 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and 6th Avenue North. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 6th Avenue North.
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 7.9 miles you will encounter 9 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 (6th Avenue North): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: 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.
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 Birmingham, AL to Fairfield, AL, road signs begin pointing toward Avenue I along the way.
Avenue I
6.5 mi in
|
~8m
About the Cities
Starting in Birmingham, AL
Full guide →Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama, and its cultural and economic nucleus. While it's best remembered as the site of protest, bombings, and other racial tumult during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, visitors to the Birmingham of today will find a pleasant green city of ridges, valleys, attractive views, and friendly, hospitable people.
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 11m. Total distance: 7.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.5 miles on I 20. 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 Fairfield, AL 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 0.1 miles (6th Avenue North): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. 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 Fairfield, AL 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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