Decherd, TN to Nashville, TN is 87.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 46 minutes via I-24 and South Jackson Street, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive primarily stays within the Southeast region, moving from one Tennessee town to another. Expect a mixed driving experience that's manageable for a single day. It's a straightforward trip connecting two points in the state, making it a convenient option for many.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.6 miles from Decherd, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 24
27.8 mi
30m
South Jackson Street
15.7 mi
18m
Florida Short Route
8.7 mi
9m
Shelbyville Highway
8.6 mi
9m
Tullahoma Highway
6.1 mi
7m
SR 437
6 mi
6m
South Main Street
3 mi
3m
South Church Street
2.7 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
I 24
— 27.8 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Decherd, TN and Nashville, TN.
1
Start on this road
330 ft·16 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto SR 50
0.9 mi·1 min·West Main Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto US 41A
1.4 mi·1 min·Decherd Boulevard
4
Continue on US 41A
1.8 mi·2 min·Tullahoma Highway
5
Continue on US 41A
3.0 mi·3 min·South Main Street
6
Continue on US 41A
4.3 mi·5 min·Tullahoma Highway
7
Continue on US 41A
16 mi·18 min·South Jackson Street
8
Turn right onto SR 437
6.0 mi·6 min·SR 437
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
10
Turn right onto US 231; SR 82
8.7 mi·9 min·Florida Short Route
11
Continue on US 231; SR 269
8.6 mi·9 min·Shelbyville Highway
12
Continue on US 231
2.7 mi·4 min·South Church Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left
0.4 mi·47 sec
Toward US 231 South: Shelbyville, Calsonic Arena, Tennessee Walking Horse National CelebrationUse the left lane.
14
Merge onto I 24
28 mi·30 min·I 24
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 53Toward I 440 West: MemphisUse the slight right lane.
16
Continue on I 440
0.9 mi·59 sec·Debra K Johnson Memorial Parkway
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 6Toward US 31 A, US 41 A: Nolensville PikeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn right onto US 31A; US 41A
363 ft·6 sec·Nolensville Pike
Use the left / right lanes.
19
Continue on US 31A; US 41A
0.9 mi·1 min·4th Avenue South
20
Continue on US 31A; US 41A
0.2 mi·20 sec·Ensley Boulevard
21
Turn left onto US 31A; US 41A
0.9 mi·1 min·2nd Avenue South
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
22
Turn slight left onto US 31A; US 41; US 41A; US 70S
0.7 mi·1 min·Lafayette Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
23
Enter roundabout onto US 31; US 41; US 41A; US 70S
169 ft·2 sec·8th Avenue South
24
Continue on US 31; US 41; US 41A; US 70S
0.3 mi·40 sec·8th Avenue South
25
Continue on US 31; US 41; US 41A; US 431
0.2 mi·34 sec·Rosa L Parks Boulevard
26
Turn right onto Rosa L Parks Avenue
0.2 mi·34 sec·Rosa L Parks Avenue
Use the straight lane.
27
Turn right onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
411 ft·15 sec·Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
28
Turn left onto 7th Avenue North
0.2 mi·1 min·7th Avenue North
29
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip of under two hours, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Decherd in the morning or afternoon will still allow you to reach Nashville well within daylight hours. With only a 1 hour 46 minute estimated drive time, you likely won't need extensive stops, but be mindful of the longest stretch of 27.8 miles on I-24 where you'll want to ensure you have adequate fuel before entering it. The total fuel cost is estimated at just $14, so budget accordingly.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 43.6 miles from Decherd, TN, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 27.8 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 19 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.6 miles or 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Nashville, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Decherd, TN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Decherd, TN
This is one driving day of about 87.3 miles and 1h 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Decherd, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 24 for about 27.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 53.3 and 86.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
53.3 mi into trip|~1h 4m 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...
7
81.5 mi into trip|~1h 35m in
Take the exit toward I 440 West: Memphis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 53
Toward I 440 West: Memphis
8
83.2 mi into trip|~1h 37m in
Take the exit toward US 31 A, US 41 A: Nolensville Pike
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 6
Toward US 31 A, US 41 A: Nolensville Pike
7
83.4 mi into trip|~1h 38m in|US 31A; US 41A / Nolensville Pike
Turn right onto US 31A; US 41A / Nolensville Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
7
86.9 mi into trip|~1h 44m in|Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
Turn right onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.65 one way
$27.30 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg31 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$14.99
$29.97
premium
$4.89
$16.80
$33.60
diesel
$5.61
$19.27
$38.55
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26.2
0
$9.17
$4.19
Efficient EV
21.8
0
$7.64
$3.49
EV Truck/SUV
34.9
0
$12.22
$5.59
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Decherd, TN
Late night
in Decherd on Tuesday
Local time
5:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Nashville, TN
Late night
in Nashville on Tuesday
Local time
5:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 46m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route offers a mixed drive, with about 40% of the journey on highways. You'll experience stretches on I-24, including one uninterrupted segment of 27.8 miles. The drive incorporates local roads like South Jackson Street and Florida Short Route, breaking up the faster highway travel. This blend means you'll shift between quicker cruising and more local road navigation as you progress towards Nashville.
40% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.8 mi on I 24.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 53.3 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
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 87.3 miles you will encounter 16 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 53.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 81.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 83.2 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.
Between Decherd, TN and Nashville, TN, road signs point toward Calsonic Arena and Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.
Nashville is the capital of the American state of Tennessee. With 716,000 residents in 2022, it is the state's largest city. Nashville is sometimes called the "Country Music Capital of the World" or more often "Music City, USA"; however, Nashville has done much to escape its country music image and become a regional center of culture and commerce. In fact, Dell, Nissan, and Amazon have all moved some operations to or near the city. The music is various; major rap artists and rock bands (Jelly Roll, Young Buck, Haystak, Kings of Leon, Paramore, and Ben Folds) claim Nashville as their hometown, and the city is also the epicenter of the contemporary Christian music industry. Nashville has been the home of the world-famous Grand Ole Opry since 1925. Nashville also has a great bar scene. If you like to drink, you can go "Honky-tonking," also known as bar-hopping.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 46m. Total distance: 87.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (40%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27.8 miles on I 24. 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 Nashville, 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 53.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 81.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 83.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Nashville, TN before heading back.
