Origin
Dickson, TN
Night in Dickson on Saturday
Local time
11:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dickson, TN to Nashville, TN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
42.1 mi
68 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dickson, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Nashville, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Dickson to Nashville, you are in for a quick 42.1-mile journey that typically takes about 50 minutes. Because of the short duration, this trip is perfectly suited as a simple one-day outing, requiring no overnight stay. You can expect to spend roughly $6 on fuel for the entire drive, making it a very budget-friendly transit across Tennessee. The route keeps you firmly within the Southeast region, transitioning you from the smaller-town atmosphere of Dickson into the heart of Nashville. It is a straightforward, practical connection that functions best as a direct commute or a quick getaway. Whether you are heading to the city for business or leisure, this drive offers a reliable link between the two locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 34.8 mi | 37m |
| SR 46 | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| West College Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Downtown Loop | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 7th Avenue North | 0.2 mi | 1m |
| Charlotte Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 12th Avenue North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 34.8 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dickson, TN and Nashville, TN.
1
Start on US 70 Business
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West College Street
2
Turn right onto SR 46
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
SR 46
Use the left lane.
3
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto I 40
35 mi
·
37 min
·
I 40
Use the straight lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 208A
Toward I 40 East, I 65 South: Knoxville, Huntsville
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 40; I 65
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
·
Downtown Loop
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 209
Toward US 70: Charlotte Avenue, Demonbreun Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on 12th Avenue North
200 ft
·
12 sec
·
12th Avenue North
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Turn left onto US 70
329 ft
·
7 sec
·
Charlotte Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Continue on Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
11
Turn left onto 7th Avenue North
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
7th Avenue North
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21 miles from Dickson, TN, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 41.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
SR 46
Turn right onto SR 46
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
5.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
9
40.2 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 40 East, I 65 South: Knoxville, Huntsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 208A
Toward I 40 East, I 65 South: Knoxville, Huntsv...
8
41 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward US 70: Charlotte Avenue, Demonbreun Street
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 209
Toward US 70: Charlotte Avenue, Demonbreun Stre...
7
41.3 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
US 70 / Charlotte Avenue
Turn left onto US 70 / Charlotte Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.58 one way
$13.16 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.23 | $14.45 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.10 | $16.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.30 | $18.59 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.7 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 | 12.6 | 0 | $4.42 | $2.02 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.89 | $2.69 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Nashville, TN
Night in Nashville on Saturday
Local time
11:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
54°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
22 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
50m 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?
This trip is heavily highway-focused, with 94% of your travel occurring on major thoroughfares. You will spend the vast majority of your time on I-40, which accounts for a substantial 34.8-mile stretch of the journey. The experience is primarily defined by this interstate grind, offering a consistent and efficient pace as you head toward Nashville. Beyond the interstate, you will navigate short segments of SR 46 and West College Street to complete your transit. Expect a functional, high-speed driving environment where the road transitions from local access roads directly into the heavy-traffic flow of the interstate corridor.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.8 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and SR 46. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near SR 46.
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 9 decision points packed into just 42.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (SR 46): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 42.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.8 miles on I 40. 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 0.6 miles (SR 46): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Stones River National Battlefield. 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 Nashville, TN 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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