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Trip from East Chattanooga, TN to Lafayette, TN

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 22m

Distance

110.8 mi

178 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$17

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 29 min
4 AM
2h 13m ★
6 AM
2h 23m
8 AM
2h 42m
10 AM
2h 29m
12 PM
2h 27m
3 PM
2h 30m
5 PM
2h 41m
8 PM
2h 17m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Macon County, Tennessee, United States of America

Lafayette, TN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Spanning 110.8 miles, your journey from East Chattanooga to Lafayette, Tennessee, is an efficient trip that clocks in at approximately 2 hours and 22 minutes. Because this drive is relatively short, it is easily manageable as a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You can expect to spend about $17 on fuel for the trek, making it a budget-friendly option for travelers moving within the Southeast region. The route utilizes a combination of Artillery Road, TN 8, and SR 111 to navigate between these two points. Whether you are heading out for business or a quick visit, the straightforward nature of this drive makes it a practical choice for your travel plans.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

55.4 miles from East Chattanooga, TN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 10m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Artillery Road 43.5 mi 56m
TN 8 12.6 mi 17m
SR 111 11.5 mi 13m
US 27 9.3 mi 10m
TN 153 7.9 mi 9m
I 40 7.9 mi 8m
TN 111 5.9 mi 6m
Nashville Highway 5.7 mi 8m
Longest stretch: Artillery Road — 43.5 mi, about 56m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between East Chattanooga, TN and Lafayette, TN.

1

Start on North Chamberlain Avenue

52 ft · 3 sec · North Chamberlain Avenue
2

Turn right onto SR 17

0.3 mi · 40 sec · Glass Street
3

At end of road, turn left onto SR 17

0.6 mi · 1 min · Campbell Street
4

Continue on SR 17

2.0 mi · 3 min · Bonny Oaks Drive
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward TN 153 North
6

Merge onto TN 153

7.9 mi · 9 min · TN 153
Use the straight lane.
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 50 sec
Toward Dayton, Soddy-Daisy
8

Merge onto US 27

9.3 mi · 10 min · US 27
9

Keep slight left at fork onto TN 111

5.9 mi · 6 min · TN 111
10

Continue on SR 111

11 mi · 13 min · SR 111
11

Continue on TN 8; TN 111

13 mi · 17 min · TN 8; TN 111
12

Continue on SR 111

44 mi · 56 min · Artillery Road
13

Turn left

0.4 mi · 49 sec
14

Merge onto I 40

7.9 mi · 8 min · I 40
15

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward TN 56 North: Baxter, Gainesboro
16

Turn right onto SR 56

2.3 mi · 3 min · Gundy Quarels Memorial Highway
17

Turn left onto US 70N

5.7 mi · 8 min · Nashville Highway
18

Arrive at destination

US 70N; SR 96

Trip Plan

Since this 110.8-mile drive takes less than two and a half hours, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around local traffic patterns. There are no mandatory stops scheduled for this route, so you can easily complete the journey in one go if you prefer. To stay on track, keep a close eye on your fuel gauge before starting, as the $17 estimate assumes a standard vehicle efficiency. Given the reliance on Artillery Road, TN 8, and SR 111, ensure your GPS is updated to handle the transitions between these specific roads smoothly. Planning your departure for mid-morning or early afternoon will help you avoid the heaviest congestion in East Chattanooga, setting you up for a smooth arrival in Lafayette.

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 55.4 miles from East Chattanooga, TN, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 43.5 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 24 miles or 30m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 55.4 miles or 1h 10m 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 56m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lafayette, TN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving East Chattanooga, TN so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from East Chattanooga, TN

This is one driving day of about 110.8 miles and 2h 22m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from East Chattanooga, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Artillery Road for about 43.5 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Dunlap, TN, TN

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Dunlap, TN

55 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

Soddy-Daisy, TN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 24 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Dunlap, TN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 55.4 miles from East Chattanooga, 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.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Renaissance Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Hours: 6 am–11 pm

+14236436096

Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~10 min detour

3.8 mi from route ~10 min detour

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Hours: 11 am–8 pm

+14237604333

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 102.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0.4 mi into trip | ~0m in | SR 17 / Campbell Street

At end of road, turn left onto SR 17 / Campbell Street

Navigation decision point

5
3.3 mi into trip | ~5m in | TN 153

Merge onto TN 153

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
11.2 mi into trip | ~15m in

Take the exit toward Dayton, Soddy-Daisy

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward Dayton, Soddy-Daisy
4
20.9 mi into trip | ~27m in | TN 111

Keep slight left at fork onto TN 111

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
102.6 mi into trip | ~2h 10m in

Take the exit toward TN 56 North: Baxter, Gainesboro

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward TN 56 North: Baxter, Gainesboro

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$17.32 one way

$34.64 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 39 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $19.02 $38.04
premium $4.89 $21.32 $42.64
diesel $5.61 $24.46 $48.93

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$17

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$42–$67

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 38.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 33.2 0 $11.63 $5.32
Efficient EV 27.7 0 $9.69 $4.43
EV Truck/SUV 44.3 0 $15.51 $7.09

Gas CO2

39 kg

EV CO2

13 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.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

East Chattanooga, TN

Late night in East Chattanooga on Sunday

Local time

12:48 AM

EDT

Current temp

84°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lafayette, TN

Night in Lafayette on Saturday

Local time

11:48 PM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

75°F

Dunlap, TN

55 mi in

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

1 hour earlier

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

33 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

2h 22m 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 transition across the state, with highway travel accounting for 50 percent of your total time on the road. The route features a notable 43.5-mile stretch along Artillery Road, which serves as the longest uninterrupted portion of your trip. You will encounter a blend of road types, shifting between larger thoroughfares and local routes that offer a varied pace behind the wheel. This balance keeps the drive engaging, moving you steadily through the landscape without the monotony often found on longer, strictly interstate-based trips. By the time you reach Lafayette, you will have navigated a functional mix of terrain that requires a steady, alert driving style.

50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43.5 mi on Artillery Road.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near SR 17 / Campbell Street.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h 22m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (SR 17 / Campbell Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (TN 153): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 East Chattanooga, TN and Lafayette, TN, road signs point toward Dayton, Soddy-Daisy and Gainesboro.

Dayton

11.2 mi in | ~15m

Soddy-Daisy

11.2 mi in | ~15m

Gainesboro

102.6 mi in | ~2h 10m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 22m. Total distance: 110.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (50%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 43.5 miles on Artillery Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (SR 17 / Campbell Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (TN 153): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lafayette, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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