Chattanooga to Somerville is 275.5 miles and takes about 5h 31m via US-24, with a fuel budget near $44 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Tennessee, traversing the Southeast region. Since it's primarily surface roads, expect a more scenic and potentially slower pace compared to interstate travel. With a drive time just over five hours, it's a manageable one-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay. Plan for a relaxed drive that will take you through various Tennessee landscapes.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
137.7 miles from Chattanooga, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 45m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 64
47.4 mi
59m
I 24
44.7 mi
51m
Lawrenceburg Highway
44.4 mi
50m
Pulaski Highway
31 mi
35m
East Market Street
24.7 mi
28m
West Cherry Avenue
22.4 mi
26m
Winchester Highway
16.8 mi
19m
David Crockett Highway
13.6 mi
15m
Longest stretch:
US 64
— 47.4 mi, about 59m
Traffic on I-24
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 18 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,972 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,410
Quietest
2 AM
~353 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chattanooga, TN and Somerville, TN.
1
Start on TN 8
0.3 mi·55 sec·West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Turn left
0.2 mi·30 sec
Use the left lane.
3
Merge onto US 27
0.7 mi·58 sec·US 27
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·42 sec
Toward 24: Nashville, BirminghamUse the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto I 24
45 mi·51 min·I 24
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 134Toward 41A: Monteagle, Sewanee
7
Turn slight right
50 ft·9 sec
8
Turn left onto US 41A
1.6 mi·2 min·West Main Street
9
Continue on US 41A
0.4 mi·36 sec·David Crockett Highway
10
Continue on US 41A
1.8 mi·2 min·Sewanee Highway
11
Continue on US 41A
2.0 mi·2 min·Sollace M Freeman Highway
12
Continue on US 41A
5.0 mi·7 min·Sewanee Highway
13
Continue on US 41A
2.6 mi·3 min·Cumberland Street East
14
Continue on US 41A
1.8 mi·2 min·Cowan Highway
15
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·31 sec
16
Merge onto US 64
3.6 mi·4 min·Veterans Memorial Drive
17
Continue on US 64
13 mi·14 min·David Crockett Highway
18
Continue on US 64
17 mi·19 min·Winchester Highway
19
Continue on US 64 Business
0.5 mi·48 sec·Mulberry Avenue
20
Continue on US 64 Business
0.7 mi·1 min·College Street East
21
Turn slight right onto US 64 Business
0.2 mi·14 sec·Morgan Avenue North
22
Continue on US 64 Business
0.8 mi·1 min·Washington Street West
23
Continue on US 64
31 mi·35 min·Pulaski Highway
24
Turn left onto US 64
0.7 mi·50 sec·West College Street
25
Continue on US 64
44 mi·50 min·Lawrenceburg Highway
26
Continue on US 64
0.8 mi·56 sec·Dexter L Woods Memorial Boulevard
27
Turn right onto US 64
31 mi·35 min·US 64
28
Turn slight left onto Hanna Boulevard
521 ft·17 sec·Hanna Boulevard
29
Turn right onto Water Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Water Street
30
At end of road, turn left onto US 64; SR 69
4.0 mi·6 min·Bridge Avenue
31
Continue on US 64; SR 22; SR 69
16 mi·23 min·US 64; SR 22; SR 69
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Take the exit
334 ft·9 sec
33
Turn right onto US 64 Business
1.5 mi·2 min·Mulberry Avenue
34
Continue on US 64 Business
22 mi·26 min·West Cherry Avenue
Use the straight lane.
35
Continue on US 64
25 mi·28 min·East Market Street
36
Arrive at destination
US 64
Trip Plan
For this 275.5-mile drive, leaving Chattanooga in the morning should give you ample daylight to reach Somerville. Since the drive is around 5.5 hours and consists entirely of surface roads, you won't be covering ground as quickly as on an interstate. Consider making a stop around the halfway point to stretch your legs and refuel, especially since there's only one listed stop. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as surface road travel can sometimes be less predictable for gas station availability than major highways. Budgeting around $44 for fuel should be sufficient for this trip.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 137.7 miles from Chattanooga, TN, or about 2h 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 47.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 61 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 137.7 miles or 2h 45m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Somerville, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Chattanooga, TN so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Chattanooga, TN
This is one driving day of about 275.5 miles and 5h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Chattanooga, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 64 for about 47.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 46.4 — 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|TN 8 / West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Depart onto TN 8 / West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
1.3 mi into trip|~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 24: Nashville, Birmingham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward 24: Nashville, Birmingham
5
1.7 mi into trip|~3m in|I 24
Merge onto I 24
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
46.4 mi into trip|~54m in
Take the exit toward 41A: Monteagle, Sewanee
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 134
Toward 41A: Monteagle, Sewanee
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.81 one way
$83.63 round trip
$3.86/gal25.4 MPG avg96 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.31
$46.72
$93.43
premium
$4.73
$51.27
$102.54
diesel
$5.99
$64.99
$129.98
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 96.4 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
82.7
1
$28.93
$13.22
Efficient EV
68.9
0
$24.11
$11.02
EV Truck/SUV
110.2
1
$38.57
$17.63
Gas CO2
96 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Forecast as of Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Chattanooga, TN
Late night
in Chattanooga on Monday
Local time
2:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Sunny
NE 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Somerville, TN
Late night
in Somerville on Monday
Local time
1:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Patchy Frost then Sunny
ESE 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
5 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
5h 31m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route covers 275.5 miles with a 0% highway share, meaning you'll be on surface roads for the entire drive. The main roads are US-24 and then transitions to 41A and West Main Street. Given the lack of highway driving, you can anticipate a consistent pace without the abrupt changes in speed common on interstates. Expect to notice more local traffic and a steadier, more predictable driving experience throughout the 5h 31m trip.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
36 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 47.4 mi on US 64.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near TN 8 / West Martin Luther King Boulevard.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 275.5 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (TN 8 / West Martin Luther King Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
999 ft394 ft
Total Climb
455 ft
Total Descent
736 ft
Highest Point
999 ft
~59 mi in
Elevation Range
604 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Chattanooga, TN and Somerville, TN, road signs point toward 41A: Monteagle and Sewanee.
Chattanooga is the 4th largest city in Tennessee. It is the seat of Hamilton County. It is in Southeast Tennessee on the Tennessee River and near the border of Georgia. It was immortalized in the popular 1941 song "Chattanooga Choo Choo", made famous by Glenn Miller.
Top landmarks
•Delta Queen — paddle steamer launched in 1926
•Hunter Museum of American Art — art museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee
•Saints Peter and Paul Basilica — historic church in Tennessee, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 31m. Total distance: 275.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 47.4 miles on US 64. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 10 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Somerville, TN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 10 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (TN 8 / West Martin Luther King Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.5 hours each way, a round trip means 11.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Somerville, TN before the return drive.
