Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
36 mi
58 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buckeye, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Phoenix, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
If you are traveling from Buckeye to Phoenix, you are looking at a straightforward 40.4-mile trek across the Desert Southwest. Expect to spend about 43 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will navigate using a combination of North 1st Street, South Miller Road, and I-10 East to reach your destination. Budgeting approximately $8 for fuel covers the trip comfortably. Since both cities are located within the same desert region, the climate and environment remain consistent throughout your journey.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Papago Freeway | 19.2 mi | 22m |
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 9.6 mi | 10m |
| South Miller Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| North 1st Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North 1st Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Roosevelt Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Monroe Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Adams Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Buckeye, AZ and Phoenix, AZ.
Start on US 80 Hist
Turn right onto North 1st Street
Continue on South Miller Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 10
Continue on I 10
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto North 7th Avenue
Turn left onto West Roosevelt Street
Turn right onto North 1st Avenue
Keep slight right at fork onto North 1st Avenue
Turn left onto West Adams Street
Turn right onto North 1st Street
Turn right onto East Washington Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 18 miles from Buckeye, AZ, 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 0.4 and 34.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto North 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 10 / Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward 7th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward 7th Avenue South, Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus, Downtown Cultural/Sport Facilities
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$7.17 one way
$14.34 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $7.59 | $15.18 |
| premium | $5.59 | $7.92 | $15.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.95 | $15.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.78 | $1.73 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.04 | $2.30 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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 Buckeye on Tuesday
Local time
2:07 AM
MST
Current temp
62°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Phoenix on Tuesday
Local time
2:07 AM
MST
Current temp
68°F
Partly Cloudy
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.
This 40.4-mile trip is best described as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. You will spend 0% of your time on highways, meaning your focus will be on navigating local surface streets throughout the entire duration. There is no significant longest stretch to speak of, as the route is characterized by constant transitions rather than long, uninterrupted segments. Because the route relies on North 1st Street and South Miller Road, you should be prepared for frequent maneuvering through the local road network.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near North 1st Street.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 36 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (North 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles (I 10 / Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Founded 1888
Top landmarks
Founded 1868
Phoenix is the capital of the state of Arizona, the most populous city in the American Southwest. Warm and sunny winter weather have ensured a thriving tourism industry, and the city has become the region's primary political, cultural, economic, and transportation center. Phoenix is extremely hot and dry in the summertime, so always have sunscreen with you! It had about 1,625,000 residents in 2021, and is the fifth largest city in the United States.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 36 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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