Origin
Covington, GA
Morning in Covington on Tuesday
Local time
6:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Covington, GA to Marietta, GA
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
1h 8m
Distance
54.9 mi
88 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Covington, GA
Mr. Location Scout
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Covington to Marietta, you are looking at a 54.9-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 8 minutes. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. You should budget approximately $9 for fuel to cover the distance. The route cuts through the Southeast, transitioning between two Georgia hubs. Because the drive is straightforward and relatively short, it offers great flexibility for your schedule. It is a practical, no-nonsense connection between these two cities that gets you where you need to be efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Highway | 22.8 mi | 24m |
| Ralph David Abernathy Freeway | 9.1 mi | 10m |
| Horace E Tate Freeway | 7.2 mi | 8m |
| Larry McDonald Memorial Highway | 7 mi | 8m |
| Downtown Connector | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| North Marietta Parkway | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Highway 278 Northwest | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| US 278 | 0.7 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 Marietta, 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
9.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Ralph David Abernathy Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 58B
Toward Hill Street, Turner Field
Use the slight right lane.
11
At end of road, turn right onto Hill Street Southeast
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Hill Street Southeast
12
Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
13
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 75 North, I 85 North
14
Merge onto I 75; I 85
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Downtown Connector
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 75
7.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Horace E Tate Freeway
Toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 75
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 265
Toward GA 120 Alternate: North Marietta Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn left onto GA 120 ALT
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
North Marietta Parkway
Use the left / straight lanes.
19
Turn left onto Church Street
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Church Street
Use the left lane.
20
Arrive at destination
West Park Square
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.4 miles from Covington, GA, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 52.2 — 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
8
33.9 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward Hill Street, Turner Field
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 58B
Toward Hill Street, Turner Field
6
34.7 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the ramp toward I 75 North, I 85 North
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 75 North, I 85 North
8
38 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
I 75 / Horace E Tate Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 75 / Horace E Tate Freeway toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
7
52.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward GA 120 Alternate: North Marietta Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 265
Toward GA 120 Alternate: North Marietta Parkway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.59 one way
$17.17 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.39 | $18.77 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.16 | $20.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.12 | $24.24 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 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 | $5.76 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.80 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.69 | $3.51 |
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
Marietta, GA
Morning in Marietta on Tuesday
Local time
6:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
81°F
Decatur, GA
27 mi in
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
2 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 8m 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 mixed driving experience as you navigate this 54.9-mile corridor. Roughly 36% of your time will be spent on highways, specifically utilizing the Purple Heart Highway, Ralph David Abernathy Freeway, and Horace E Tate Freeway. You will spend your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 22.8 miles along the Purple Heart Highway. The road transitions from regional highway segments into more urban freeway stretches, creating a varied pace behind the wheel. Prepare for a blend of open road cruising and the typical flow of metro-area traffic as you approach your destination.
36% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 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?
9/10
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 0.1 miles in near Church Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.9 miles you will encounter 14 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 33.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.7 miles: 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 Covington, GA and Marietta, GA, road signs point toward Turner Field and Chattanooga.
Turner Field
33.9 mi in
|
~39m
Chattanooga
38 mi in
|
~46m
|
via I 75
About the Cities
Starting in Covington, GA
Full guide →Founded 1822
Top landmarks
- • Newton County Courthouse — courthouse in Georgia, United States
Arriving in Marietta, GA
Full guide →Founded 1834
Marietta is a city of 61,000 people (2019) in Metro Atlanta. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Dobbins Air Reserve Base on the south side of town and a Lockheed Martin manufacturing plant are among the major industries in the city.
Top landmarks
- • Marietta National Cemetery — veterans cemetery in Cobb County, Georgia, United States
- • Aviation History & Technology Center — museum in Marietta, Georgia, USA
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 8m. Total distance: 54.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). 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.
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 Marietta, GA 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 0.1 miles (Church Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 33.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Marietta, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Marietta, GA
More trips to Marietta, GA
Explore more options from Covington, GA or browse trips ending in Marietta, GA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse GA road trips.