Origin
Chelsea, AL
Late night in Chelsea on Tuesday
Local time
5:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chelsea, AL to Madison, AL
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
18m
Distance
11.3 mi
18 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chelsea, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Madison, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick trip from Chelsea to Madison, Alabama, expect a brief 11.3-mile journey that typically takes about 18 minutes to complete. Because of the short distance, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You will navigate through the Southeast region, utilizing a combination of I-565, Madison Boulevard, and Hughes Road to reach your destination. With a fuel cost estimate of only $2, it is a very budget-friendly drive. This trip is straightforward and efficient, making it an ideal option if you need to travel between these two points quickly without the hassle of a long-distance haul.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 565 | 3 mi | 3m |
| Madison Boulevard | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Hughes Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Drake Avenue Southwest | 1 mi | 1m |
| Patton Road Southwest | 1 mi | 1m |
| Triana Boulevard Southwest | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Jordan Lane Southwest | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Mill Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 565
— 3 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chelsea, AL and Madison, AL.
1
Start on Triana Boulevard Southwest
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Triana Boulevard Southwest
2
Turn left onto Drake Avenue Southwest
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Drake Avenue Southwest
3
Turn slight right
174 ft
·
7 sec
4
Turn slight right onto Patton Road Southwest
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Patton Road Southwest
5
Continue on Jordan Lane Southwest
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Jordan Lane Southwest
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
7
Merge onto I 565; US 72 Alternate
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
I 565; US 72 Alternate
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 13
Toward Madison Boulevard
9
Continue on Madison Boulevard
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Madison Boulevard
10
Turn right onto Hughes Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Hughes Road
11
Turn left onto Mill Road
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
Mill Road
12
Turn left onto Church Street
70 ft
·
1 sec
·
Church Street
13
Arrive at destination
Church Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 11.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Drake Avenue Southwest
Turn left onto Drake Avenue Southwest
Navigation decision point
4
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
3
3.3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 565; US 72 Alternate
Merge onto I 565; US 72 Alternate
Merge point - match speed before joining
5
6.4 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward Madison Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 13
Toward Madison Boulevard
4
11.3 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
Church Street
Turn left onto Church Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.71 one way
$3.41 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $1.87 | $3.75 |
| premium | $4.56 | $2.03 | $4.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.49 | $4.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.19 | $0.54 |
| Efficient EV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.99 | $0.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Madison, AL
Late night in Madison on Tuesday
Local time
5:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 10 mph
32% 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
26 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
18m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that balances short highway bursts with standard suburban navigation. Only 27% of your travel time occurs on highways, meaning you will spend the majority of your 18 minutes on local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 3-mile segment on I-565, which provides a brief reprieve from the turning and stopping required on Madison Boulevard and Hughes Road. Transitioning from the interstate onto local streets requires constant attention to your surroundings. This drive lacks the monotony of a long-haul interstate cruise, instead demanding a more active and engaged driving style as you navigate the final approach to Madison.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3 mi on I 565.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near Drake Avenue Southwest.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 18m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (Drake Avenue Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (I 565; US 72 Alternate): Merge point - match speed before joining.
About the Cities
Arriving in Madison, AL
Full guide →Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, is situated on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. As the anchor of the Greater Madison Area, it is home to the University of Wisconsin — Madison, one of the premier universities in the United States. It is a vibrant city known for its natural beauty, vibrant cultural scene, and academic excellence. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities such as hiking, biking, and exploring the city's many museums and art galleries. The city is also known for its diverse and delicious food options.
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 18m. Total distance: 11.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (27%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3 miles on I 565. 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: at 0.5 miles (Drake Avenue Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (I 565; US 72 Alternate): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Madison, AL 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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