Origin
Cordova, AL
Morning in Cordova on Sunday
Local time
9:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cordova, AL to Birmingham, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
33.8 mi
54 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cordova, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Birmingham, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion from Cordova to Birmingham, you are looking at a very manageable 33.8-mile journey. This trip typically takes about 41 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day outing. You will primarily navigate via I-22, I-65, and County Road 20 as you move through the Southeast region of Alabama. Budgeting around $5 for fuel should be plenty to cover the distance for most standard vehicles. Since this is a straightforward drive, you do not need to worry about overnight stops or complex scheduling. It is a practical, no-nonsense path that connects two points in the state efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 22 | 25.5 mi | 27m |
| I 65 | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| County Road 20 | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| 5th Avenue North | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 1st Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 19th Street North | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Commerce Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 22
— 25.5 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cordova, AL and Birmingham, AL.
1
Start on Commerce Street
190 ft
·
8 sec
·
Commerce Street
2
Continue on Commerce Street
398 ft
·
11 sec
·
Commerce Street
3
Continue on 1st Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
1st Street
4
At end of road, turn right onto Green Avenue
24 ft
·
6 sec
·
Green Avenue
5
Turn left onto 1st Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
1st Street
6
At end of road, turn right onto CR 20
500 ft
·
10 sec
·
Jog Road
7
Continue on CR 20
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road 20
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
9
Merge onto I 22; US 78
26 mi
·
27 min
·
I 22; US 78
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 65 South: Birmingham
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 65
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
1.1 mi
·
2 min
Exit 261A
Toward 17th Street North, Downtown
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13
Turn left onto Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Turn right onto 19th Street North
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
19th Street North
15
Turn left onto 5th Avenue North
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
5th Avenue North
16
Turn right onto 24th Street North
46 ft
·
1 sec
·
24th Street North
17
Arrive at destination
24th Street North
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 31.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Green Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Green Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
1st Street
Turn left onto 1st Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CR 20 / Jog Road
At end of road, turn right onto CR 20 / Jog Road
Navigation decision point
7
28.1 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 65 South: Birmingham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 65 South: Birmingham
8
31.8 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward 17th Street North, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 261A
Toward 17th Street North, Downtown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.10 one way
$10.21 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $5.60 | $11.21 |
| premium | $4.56 | $6.07 | $12.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.46 | $14.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.8 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 | 10.1 | 0 | $3.55 | $1.62 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.96 | $1.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Birmingham, AL
Morning in Birmingham on Sunday
Local time
9:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°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
29 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
41m 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, as 85% of this 33.8-mile route is spent on major roads. The most significant portion of your time behind the wheel will be the 25.5-mile stretch along I-22, which allows for consistent speeds and steady cruising. While the majority of the trip is an interstate grind, the transition onto County Road 20 offers a shift in pace as you approach your destination. You will find that the road maintains a predictable flow, requiring little technical maneuvering. It is a functional, efficient drive designed to get you from Cordova to Birmingham with minimal complexity.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.5 mi on I 22.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 22 and I 65. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Green Avenue.
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 33.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Green Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (CR 20 / Jog Road): Navigation decision point.
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 Cordova, AL and Birmingham, AL, road signs point toward 17Th Street North and Downtown.
17Th Street North
31.8 mi in
|
~37m
Downtown
31.8 mi in
|
~37m
About the Cities
Arriving in Birmingham, AL
Full guide →Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama, and its cultural and economic nucleus. While it's best remembered as the site of protest, bombings, and other racial tumult during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, visitors to the Birmingham of today will find a pleasant green city of ridges, valleys, attractive views, and friendly, hospitable people.
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 41m. Total distance: 33.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.5 miles on I 22. 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 Birmingham, AL 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 0.2 miles (Green Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (CR 20 / Jog Road): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. 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 Birmingham, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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