Origin
Brandon, MS
Late night in Brandon on Tuesday
Local time
4:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Brandon, MS to Meridian, MS
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
1h 27m
Distance
78.3 mi
126 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 41m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brandon, MS
Wikimedia Commons
Meridian, MS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick transit across Mississippi, the 78.3-mile trip from Brandon to Meridian is a straightforward option. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 27 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. With a fuel budget of approximately $12, it is an economical choice for those looking to reach their destination without significant expense. Since both cities are located within the Southeast region, you will remain in a familiar landscape throughout the journey. Because the total duration is quite short, there is no need to worry about overnight logistics. Overall, this route is best viewed as a practical, efficient connection between two Mississippi hubs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 72.8 mi | 1h 18m |
| 8th Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| US 11 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| US 80 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| East Government Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 25th Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 72.8 mi, about 1h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brandon, MS and Meridian, MS.
1
Start on US 80
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Government Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
2
Continue on US 80
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
US 80
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
4
Merge onto I 20
73 mi
·
1 hr 18 min
·
I 20
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
Toward South US 11, North Mississippi 19: Philadelphia, Meridian Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Turn left onto US 11
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
US 11
7
Turn right onto 8th Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
8th Street
8
Turn right onto 25th Avenue
272 ft
·
11 sec
·
25th Avenue
9
Arrive at destination
25th Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 39.2 miles from Brandon, MS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 20 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 72.8 miles.
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 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 78.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 80 / East Government Street
Depart onto US 80 / East Government Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
2.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 20
Merge onto I 20
Merge point - match speed before joining
7
75.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
Take the exit toward South US 11, North Mississippi 19: Philadelphia, Meridian Airport
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 South US 11, North Mississippi 19: Phila...
4
76.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
|
8th Street
Turn right onto 8th Street
Navigation decision point
4
78.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 27m in
|
25th Avenue
Turn right onto 25th Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.83 one way
$23.65 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $12.98 | $25.96 |
| premium | $4.56 | $14.05 | $28.11 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.29 | $34.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.5 | 0 | $8.22 | $3.76 |
| Efficient EV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.85 | $3.13 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31.3 | 0 | $10.96 | $5.01 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Meridian, MS
Late night in Meridian on Tuesday
Local time
4:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
82°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
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 27m 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?
Expect a focus on high-speed efficiency, as this route is 96% highway-driven. You will spend the vast majority of your time on I-20, which accounts for a 72.8-mile uninterrupted stretch of the journey. The drive maintains a consistent, highway-focused personality that favors steady travel over winding, technical roads. As you progress toward Meridian, you will eventually transition off the interstate onto 8th Street and US 11 to reach your final destination. While the experience is largely a standard interstate grind, the high highway percentage ensures a predictable and reliable pace for the duration of the 78.3-mile trip.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 72.8 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and 8th Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 80 / East Government Street.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Brandon, MS to Meridian, MS is easy. At 1h 27m with 96% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 80 / East Government Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (I 20): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 75.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Meridian, MS
Full guide →Meridian is a city in Mississippi. It was a titan of commerce of sorts during the Reconstruction era and up through the Great Depression, even after General Tecumseh Sherman had torched it, due to its being a hub to five major rail lines and manufacturing during its golden age. It is now a treasure trove for some of the architecture preserved from that period. Meridian is also noted for being the location of the US v. Cecil Price court case, where several Ku Klux Klan members were charged for the abduction and murder of three Civil Rights workers in 1964 in nearby Neshoba County, an event analogously portrayed in the film Mississippi Burning.
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 27m. Total distance: 78.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 72.8 miles on I 20. 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 (US 80 / East Government Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (I 20): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 75.3 miles: 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 Meridian, MS 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.
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