Origin
Buford, GA
Late night in Buford on Sunday
Local time
12:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buford, GA to Atlanta, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
38.4 mi
62 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buford, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Atlanta, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Buford to Atlanta is a straightforward journey covering 38.4 miles through the Southeast. You can expect to complete this drive in approximately 48 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a quick day trip. With a fuel budget of about $6, it is an incredibly economical route to navigate. The path primarily utilizes Lanier Parkway, South Lee Street, and I-85 to bridge the gap between these two Georgia locations. Because of the short duration, there is no need for an overnight stay, allowing you to reach your destination with ease and efficiency.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 85 | 31.2 mi | 36m |
| Lanier Parkway | 3.5 mi | 3m |
| South Lee Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South Harris Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Buford Highway Northeast | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Buford Drive | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Capitol Square Southwest | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Garnett Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 85
— 31.2 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buford, GA and Atlanta, GA.
1
Start on this road
26 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto South Harris Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Harris Street
3
Turn left onto Garnett Street
408 ft
·
13 sec
·
Garnett Street
4
Turn right onto GA 13
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
Buford Highway Northeast
5
Turn left onto South Lee Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South Lee Street
6
Turn left onto US 23; GA 20
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Buford Drive
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 985 South
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 985
3.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Lanier Parkway
9
Merge onto I 85
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 85
25 mi
·
29 min
·
I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 248A
Toward Martin Luther King Junior Drive, State Capitol, Turner Field
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn slight right onto Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
288 ft
·
13 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto Capitol Square Southwest
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Capitol Square Southwest
Use the straight / left lanes.
14
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue Southeast
318 ft
·
6 sec
·
Capitol Avenue Southeast
Use the right lane.
15
Arrive at destination
Capitol Avenue Southeast
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.2 miles from Buford, GA, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 38.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward I 985 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 985 South
6
13.3 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
I 85
Keep slight right at fork onto I 85
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
37.9 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward Martin Luther King Junior Drive, State Capitol, Turner Field
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 248A
Toward Martin Luther King Junior Drive, State C...
6
38.3 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
Capitol Square Southwest
Turn left onto Capitol Square Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
38.4 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
Capitol Avenue Southeast
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue Southeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.00 one way
$12.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.57 | $13.13 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.11 | $14.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.48 | $16.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 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 | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.38 | $2.46 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Atlanta, GA
Late night in Atlanta on Sunday
Local time
12:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 0 to 10 mph
1% chance
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
38 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
48m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This 38.4-mile trip is heavily highway-focused, with 90% of the route taking place on high-speed roads. You will spend the vast majority of your time on I-85, which accounts for a 31.2-mile stretch of the journey. While you start by navigating local connectors like Lanier Parkway and South Lee Street, the experience quickly transitions into a standard interstate commute. Expect a steady, uninterrupted pace once you merge onto the main highway. It is a functional, efficient drive designed for getting you from point A to point B without unnecessary complexity.
90% 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: 31.2 mi on I 85.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 85 and Lanier Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 38.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.3 miles (I 85): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.9 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 Atlanta, GA
Full guide →Atlanta is the vanguard of the New South, with the charm and elegance of the Old. It's a city that balances southern traditions with sleek modernism, and southern hospitality with three skylines and the world’s busiest airport. It's a city that has been burnt to the ground and built back up; seen the horrors of war; felt the pain of droughts and floods; and given birth to Martin Luther King, Jr., the greatest figure of the civil rights movement. Atlanta is the capital of the state of Georgia.
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 48m. Total distance: 38.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.2 miles on I 85. 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 Atlanta, GA 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 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.3 miles (I 85): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. 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 Atlanta, GA 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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