Origin
Covington, GA
Late night in Covington on Sunday
Local time
2:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Covington, GA to Atlanta, GA
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
35 mi
56 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great 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 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
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.
Covington, GA
Mr. Location Scout
Atlanta, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to head from Covington into Atlanta, you are looking at a quick 35-mile trip that typically takes around 41 minutes. This short commute is perfect for a one-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. With a fuel budget of just $6, it is an incredibly economical way to travel between these two Georgia cities. Since both locations are firmly situated in the Southeast, you will find the transition between the two quite seamless. Whether you are commuting for work or heading in for a day of exploration, this route offers a straightforward connection that fits easily into any schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Highway | 22.8 mi | 24m |
| Ralph David Abernathy Freeway | 9.3 mi | 11m |
| Highway 278 Northwest | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| US 278 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Pace Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Capitol Avenue Southeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Church Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Washington Street Southwest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Highway
— 22.8 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Covington, GA and Atlanta, GA.
1
Start on this road
80 ft
·
1 sec
·
this road
2
Turn straight onto Monticello Street Southwest
101 ft
·
2 sec
·
Monticello Street Southwest
3
Turn left onto Washington Street Southwest
236 ft
·
4 sec
·
Washington Street Southwest
4
Keep slight left at fork onto Church Street
305 ft
·
6 sec
·
Church Street
5
Continue on Pace Street
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Pace Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn left onto US 278; GA 12
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Highway 278 Northwest
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp onto US 278; GA 12
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 278; GA 12
Toward I 20 West: Atlanta
8
Merge onto I 20; US 278; GA 12
23 mi
·
24 min
·
Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 20
9.3 mi
·
11 min
·
Ralph David Abernathy Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 58A
Toward Capital Avenue, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue Southeast
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Capitol Avenue Southeast
Use the right lane.
12
Arrive at destination
Capitol Avenue Southeast
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 34.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Church Street
Keep slight left at fork onto Church Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 278; GA 12 / Highway 278 Northwest
Turn left onto US 278; GA 12 / Highway 278 Northwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 20; US 278; GA 12 / Purple Heart Highway
Merge onto I 20; US 278; GA 12 / Purple Heart Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
34.1 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward Capital Avenue, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 58A
Toward Capital Avenue, Downtown
5
34.7 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
Capitol Avenue Southeast
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue Southeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.47 one way
$10.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.98 | $11.97 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.48 | $12.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.73 | $15.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 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 | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.06 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.90 | $2.24 |
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
Atlanta, GA
Late night in Atlanta on Sunday
Local time
2:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 0 to 10 mph
1% 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
14 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
41m 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?
This drive functions as a mixed-profile route, balancing local roads with faster highway travel. You will spend roughly 31 miles of the journey on highways, specifically utilizing the Purple Heart Highway, the Ralph David Abernathy Freeway, and Highway 278 Northwest. The most significant portion of your time behind the wheel will be spent on the Purple Heart Highway, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 22.8 miles. While you start by navigating local stretches, the transition onto the major freeway system dictates the pace of the trip. Expect a practical driving experience that prioritizes efficiency over winding, scenic backroads.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.8 mi on Purple Heart Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Church 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 35 miles you will encounter 7 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 (Church Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 0.6 miles (US 278; GA 12 / Highway 278 Northwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (I 20; US 278; GA 12 / Purple Heart Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Atlanta, GA
Full guide →Atlanta is the vanguard of the New South, with the charm and elegance of the Old. It's a city that balances southern traditions with sleek modernism, and southern hospitality with three skylines and the world’s busiest airport. It's a city that has been burnt to the ground and built back up; seen the horrors of war; felt the pain of droughts and floods; and given birth to Martin Luther King, Jr., the greatest figure of the civil rights movement. Atlanta is the capital of the state of Georgia.
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: 35 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 (31%). 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 22.8 miles on Purple Heart Highway. 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 (Church Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 0.6 miles (US 278; GA 12 / Highway 278 Northwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (I 20; US 278; GA 12 / Purple Heart Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. 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 Atlanta, GA 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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