Origin
Buford, GA
Late night in Buford on Sunday
Local time
2:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buford, GA to Marietta, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
45.2 mi
73 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buford, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel between Buford and Marietta, expect a straightforward 44.7-mile journey that typically takes about 53 minutes. This local drive stays entirely within the Southeast region of Georgia and is best suited as a quick day trip rather than an overnight excursion. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $7, it is an economical way to navigate between these two cities. You will primarily navigate via South Harris Street, Garnett Street, and Buford Highway Northeast. Because the route is concise and lacks a need for multiple stops, you can easily complete the trip in a single push without any complex logistics.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 85 | 16.4 mi | 17m |
| Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter | 12 mi | 14m |
| Larry McDonald Memorial Highway | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| Lanier Parkway | 3.5 mi | 3m |
| North Marietta Parkway | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| South Lee Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South Harris Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Buford Highway Northeast | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 85
— 16.4 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buford, GA and Marietta, 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
9.8 mi
·
10 min
·
I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 95B
Toward I 285 West Bypass: Chattanooga, Birmingham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 285 West: Chattanooga, Birmingham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 285
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 20
Toward I 75: Atlanta, Marietta, Chattanooga
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto I 75
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
18
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 265
Toward GA 120 Alternate: North Marietta Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn left onto GA 120 ALT
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
North Marietta Parkway
Use the left / straight lanes.
20
Turn left onto Church Street
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Church Street
Use the left lane.
21
Arrive at destination
West Park Square
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.6 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 185 decision points cluster between mile 23.1 and 37.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
23.1 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward I 285 West Bypass: Chattanooga, Birmingham
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 95B
Toward I 285 West Bypass: Chattanooga, Birmingh...
8
23.7 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 285 West: Chattanooga, Birmingham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 285 West: Chattanooga, Birmingham
8
36.2 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward I 75: Atlanta, Marietta, Chattanooga
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 20
Toward I 75: Atlanta, Marietta, Chattanooga
8
36.5 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
8
37.4 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.07 one way
$14.14 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.73 | $15.46 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.37 | $16.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.98 | $19.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.75 | $2.17 |
| Efficient EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.96 | $1.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.33 | $2.89 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Marietta, GA
Late night in Marietta on Sunday
Local time
2:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
57m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate grind, this route features zero highway miles, meaning you will navigate surface streets for the entire 44.7-mile distance. The road requires constant adjustments as you transition between local roads, creating a driving experience defined by frequent turns rather than high-speed cruising. You won't find any long, uninterrupted stretches here, so keep your focus on the changing flow of local traffic. It is a practical, ground-level perspective of the area that keeps you engaged with the local road network from start to finish.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.4 mi on I 85.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 23.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 45.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 23.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36.2 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.
Between Buford, GA and Marietta, GA, road signs point toward Birmingham and Chattanooga.
Birmingham
23.1 mi in
|
~28m
Chattanooga
36.2 mi in
|
~44m
About the Cities
Arriving in Marietta, GA
Full guide →Marietta is a city of 61,000 people (2019) in Metro Atlanta. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Dobbins Air Reserve Base on the south side of town and a Lockheed Martin manufacturing plant are among the major industries in the city.
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 57m. Total distance: 45.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (48%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.4 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 Marietta, 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 23.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. 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 Marietta, 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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