Origin
Charlotte, TN
Late night in Charlotte on Tuesday
Local time
5:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Charlotte, TN to Franklin, TN
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
57m
Distance
41.5 mi
67 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Charlotte, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Franklin, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 41.5-mile drive from Charlotte to Franklin, Tennessee, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in under an hour, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate State Highway 96 and SR 47, with about 72% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost is a budget-friendly $6, so you won't need to worry about breaking the bank on gas. Since there are no recommended overnight stops and the drive is short, you have a lot of flexibility in planning your departure time. This route stays within the Southeast region, offering a consistent driving experience.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 96 | 11.8 mi | 14m |
| SR 47 | 9.5 mi | 14m |
| SR 96 | 5.4 mi | 7m |
| Fairview Boulevard | 5.2 mi | 5m |
| White Bluff Road | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| TN 96 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Broadway Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| SR 48 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
State Highway 96
— 11.8 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charlotte, TN and Franklin, TN.
1
Start on Spencer Alley
32 ft
·
6 sec
·
Spencer Alley
2
Turn left onto SR 49
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Spring Street
3
Turn left onto SR 48
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
SR 48
4
Turn left onto SR 47
9.5 mi
·
14 min
·
SR 47
5
At end of road, turn left onto US 70
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway Street
6
Turn right onto CR 1847
5.2 mi
·
8 min
·
White Bluff Road
7
At end of road, turn left onto SR 96
5.4 mi
·
7 min
·
SR 96
8
Continue on TN 96
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
TN 96
9
Merge onto SR 96; SR 100
5.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Fairview Boulevard
10
Take the exit
292 ft
·
8 sec
11
Turn right onto TN 96
12 mi
·
14 min
·
State Highway 96
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on Bridge Street
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Bridge Street
13
Turn right onto 3rd Avenue North
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
3rd Avenue North
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
14
Enter roundabout onto US 31 Business; TN 96
174 ft
·
2 sec
·
Public Square
15
Arrive at destination
US 31 Business; TN 96
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.7 miles from Charlotte, TN, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 41.5 — 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
|
SR 49 / Spring Street
Turn left onto SR 49 / Spring Street
Navigation decision point
5
10.1 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
US 70 / Broadway Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 70 / Broadway Street
Navigation decision point
5
29.4 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
TN 96 / State Highway 96
Turn right onto TN 96 / State Highway 96
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
41.3 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
3rd Avenue North
Turn right onto 3rd Avenue North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
5
41.5 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
US 31 Business; TN 96 / Public Square
Enter roundabout onto US 31 Business; TN 96 / Public Square
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.49 one way
$12.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.12 | $14.25 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.99 | $15.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.16 | $18.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.63 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.81 | $2.66 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Franklin, TN
Late night in Franklin on Tuesday
Local time
5:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°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
21 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?
Expect a drive-focused experience, with a substantial 72% of the 41.5 miles taking place on highways. State Highway 96 will be your main companion for much of this journey, including the longest uninterrupted stretch of 11.8 miles. While predominantly highway, the route incorporates other state roads, offering a varied but generally efficient pace. The character is less about winding scenic byways and more about making good time between your starting point in Charlotte and your destination in Franklin.
72% 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: 11.8 mi on State Highway 96.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 96 and SR 47. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near SR 49 / Spring Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 57m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (SR 49 / Spring Street): Navigation decision point; at 10.1 miles (US 70 / Broadway Street): Navigation decision point; at 29.4 miles (TN 96 / State Highway 96): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Franklin, TN
Full guide →Franklin is a city of 81,000 people (2018) in Tennessee, just a few miles south of Nashville. There are two main areas of interest. One is the Cool Springs area, which is identified by its corporate and retail growth surrounding one of the largest malls in the Southeast, the CoolSprings Galleria. The other is historic downtown Franklin which retains much of its small town charm. It is a walkable, friendly historic downtown district, recognized as a Great American Main Street.
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: 41.5 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 (72%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.8 miles on State Highway 96. 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 (SR 49 / Spring Street): Navigation decision point; at 10.1 miles (US 70 / Broadway Street): Navigation decision point; at 29.4 miles (TN 96 / State Highway 96): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Stones River National Battlefield. 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 Franklin, TN 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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