Origin
Christiana, TN
Late night in Christiana on Tuesday
Local time
5:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Christiana, 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
54m
Distance
40.5 mi
65 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Christiana, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Franklin, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Christiana to Franklin, you are looking at a manageable 40.5-mile journey that typically takes about 54 minutes to complete. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. Expect to spend roughly $6 on fuel, making it a budget-friendly option for a quick change of scenery within the Southeast region. The route utilizes a combination of local roads and interstate travel, providing a balanced transition between these two Tennessee communities. Since the entire drive stays within the state, you can enjoy a straightforward trip without any complex regional navigation. It is an ideal choice for travelers who prefer a quick, efficient connection rather than a long-haul expedition.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Murfreesboro Road | 12.8 mi | 19m |
| Tennessee National Guard Parkway | 10.3 mi | 10m |
| I 24 | 6.5 mi | 6m |
| Shelbyville Highway | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| South Church Street | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Hwy 269 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Horton Highway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 3rd Avenue South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Murfreesboro Road
— 12.8 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Christiana, TN and Franklin, TN.
1
Start on this road
11 ft
·
2 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Church Street
16 ft
·
5 sec
·
Church Street
3
Turn left onto Main Street
492 ft
·
23 sec
·
Main Street
4
Turn right onto Hwy 269
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Hwy 269
5
Turn right onto US 231; SR 269
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Shelbyville Highway
6
Continue on US 231
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
South Church Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 231 South: Shelbyville, Calsonic Arena, Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto I 24
6.5 mi
·
6 min
·
I 24
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 74A
Toward I 840 West: Memphis, Franklin
Use the right lane.
10
Merge onto I 840
10 mi
·
10 min
·
Tennessee National Guard Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 42
Toward US 31A, US 41A: Shelbyville, Lewisburg
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto US 31A; US 41A
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
Horton Highway
13
Turn left onto SR 96
13 mi
·
19 min
·
Murfreesboro Road
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on TN 96
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
3rd Avenue South
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Enter roundabout onto US 31 Business; TN 96
397 ft
·
6 sec
·
Public Square
16
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
20 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 40.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.2 miles from Christiana, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 8.3 and 26.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
8.3 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Turn left toward US 231 South: Shelbyville, Calsonic Arena, Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward US 231 South: Shelbyville, Calsonic Aren...
5
8.7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 24
Merge onto I 24
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
15.2 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward I 840 West: Memphis, Franklin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 74A
Toward I 840 West: Memphis, Franklin
5
16 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 840 / Tennessee National Guard Parkway
Merge onto I 840 / Tennessee National Guard Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
26.3 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward US 31A, US 41A: Shelbyville, Lewisburg
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 42
Toward US 31A, US 41A: Shelbyville, Lewisburg
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.33 one way
$12.66 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.95 | $13.90 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.79 | $15.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.94 | $17.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.25 | $1.94 |
| Efficient EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.54 | $1.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.67 | $2.59 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
5:35 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
18 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
54m 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?
This trip offers a mixed drive experience, spending about 44% of your time on highways. You will begin by navigating Murfreesboro Road, which features the route's longest uninterrupted stretch of 12.8 miles. As you progress, the journey transitions through Tennessee National Guard Parkway before merging onto I-24 to cover the remaining distance. This combination creates a varied pace behind the wheel, shifting from the steady rhythm of local roadways to the faster, high-traffic flow of the interstate. You can expect a functional drive that avoids the monotony of a purely interstate route while still maintaining consistent forward momentum.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.8 mi on Murfreesboro Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 8.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
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 40.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.7 miles (I 24): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.2 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 Christiana, TN and Franklin, TN, road signs point toward Calsonic Arena, Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration and Lewisburg.
Calsonic Arena
8.3 mi in
|
~11m
Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration
8.3 mi in
|
~11m
Lewisburg
26.3 mi in
|
~32m
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 54m. Total distance: 40.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). 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 12.8 miles on Murfreesboro Road. 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 Franklin, TN 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 8.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.7 miles (I 24): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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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