Origin
Columbus, OH
Afternoon in Columbus on Sunday
Local time
2:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbus, OH to Zanesville, OH
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 7m
Distance
55.1 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbus, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Zanesville, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 55.1-mile drive from Columbus to Zanesville, Ohio, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 7 minutes to complete. The route is predominantly highway, with 91% of the journey on faster roads, making it an efficient way to travel between these two Midwest locations. With an estimated fuel cost of $9, this is an economical excursion. The overall feel is that of a practical, direct connection, ideal for those who want to get from point A to point B with minimal fuss and enjoy the convenience of a short travel time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Freeway | 50.2 mi | 54m |
| East Livingston Avenue | 2.7 mi | 6m |
| Lee Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South High Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Alum Creek Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Third Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Linden Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East Freeway
— 50.2 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbus, OH and Zanesville, OH.
1
Start on this road
77 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto East State Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
East State Street
3
Turn left onto South High Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South High Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto US 62; SR 3
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
East Main Street
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto US 23; US 33
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
South Third Street
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto US 23; US 33
2.7 mi
·
6 min
·
East Livingston Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto Alum Creek Drive
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Alum Creek Drive
Use the right lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 70 East
9
Merge onto I 70
50 mi
·
54 min
·
East Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 153
Toward SR 60 North, SR 146 West: State Street
11
Turn left onto Lee Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lee Street
12
At end of road, turn right onto Linden Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Linden Avenue
13
Turn left onto US 40
317 ft
·
5 sec
·
Main Street
14
Arrive at destination
US 40
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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
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 0.1 and 54.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South High Street
Turn left onto South High Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 62; SR 3 / East Main Street
Turn left onto US 62; SR 3 / East Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
0.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 23; US 33 / South Third Street
Turn right onto US 23; US 33 / South Third Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
3.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward I 70 East
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward I 70 East
6
54.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward SR 60 North, SR 146 West: State Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 153
Toward SR 60 North, SR 146 West: State Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.55 one way
$17.10 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $9.49 | $18.98 |
| premium | $4.91 | $10.65 | $21.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.17 | $24.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.79 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.82 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.71 | $3.53 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Zanesville, OH
Afternoon in Zanesville on Sunday
Local time
2:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
53°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
13 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 7m 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 highway-focused experience for the majority of this 55.1-mile trip, as 91% of the drive utilizes faster roadways. You'll encounter a significant uninterrupted stretch of 50.2 miles on the East Freeway, indicating long periods of consistent driving. While the main roads include East Freeway, East Livingston Avenue, and Lee Street, the profile suggests a consistent, high-speed journey for most of its duration. This isn't a winding, scenic byway, but rather a direct and efficient path designed for covering ground.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 50.2 mi on East Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on East Freeway and East Livingston Avenue. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South High Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 55.1 miles you will encounter 12 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: at 0.1 miles (South High Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (US 62; SR 3 / East Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (US 23; US 33 / South Third Street): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Columbus, OH
Full guide →Columbus is the capital of the American state of Ohio and is located centrally within the state as the core of the Greater Columbus area. Sited in an area where the Rust Belt, Bible Belt, Appalachia, and the Farm Belt meet, Columbus is a fusion of many different parts of America. It is the home of the Ohio State University. The combination of Ohio Government and the Ohio State University has fueled amazing growth both financially and physically in Columbus. It has created a business and research environment that has provided substantial employment opportunities to the diverse ethnic and local graduates of the Ohio State University, and other academic institutions in Columbus. The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC), is projected to be one of the top 50 supercomputers in the world and among the top 10 supercomputing academic centers.
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 1h 7m. Total distance: 55.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 50.2 miles on East Freeway. 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 0.1 miles (South High Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (US 62; SR 3 / East Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (US 23; US 33 / South Third Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Zanesville, OH 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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