Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
22.4 mi
36 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elba, AL
Earth Photart
Kinston, AL
Sora Shimazaki
Elba to Kinston is 22.4 miles and takes about 29 minutes via Old Curtis Road and AL 52, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Alabama's Southeast region, offering a quick connection between two communities. Given its brief duration, this route is ideal for a quick errand or as a segment of a larger trip. You'll encounter a mix of road types, so expect a varied driving experience that won't take up much of your day.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Old Curtis Road | 12.3 mi | 14m |
| AL 52 | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| US 84 | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| Hickman Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Davis Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| AL 189 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Polka Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Simmons Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Elba, AL and Kinston, AL.
Start on Simmons Street
Turn left onto Polka Street
Turn right onto Davis Street
Continue on Hickman Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto AL 189
Turn left onto US 84
Continue on US 84
Turn left onto US 84; US 331
Turn sharp left onto AL 52
Turn right onto AL 189
Turn right
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 22.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Polka Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Davis Street
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn right onto AL 189
Navigation decision point
Turn sharp left onto AL 52
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$3.28 one way
$6.56 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.13 | $3.64 | $7.29 |
| premium | $4.49 | $3.96 | $7.91 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $4.94 | $9.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.35 | $1.08 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.96 | $0.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.43 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Elba on Friday
Local time
6:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
91°F
Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Evening in Kinston on Friday
Local time
6:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
89°F
Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
About 37% of this 22.4-mile route is highway, meaning you'll spend roughly 8.3 miles on faster roads. The longest continuous stretch on surface roads is 12.3 miles on Old Curtis Road. You'll notice the transition from more open highway driving to navigating local surface streets as you approach your destination. This mixed profile provides a varied driving experience over the short distance.
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 early in the drive near Polka Street.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 29m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Polka Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Davis Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (AL 189): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
282 ft
Total Descent
204 ft
Highest Point
430 ft
~6.4 mi in
Elevation Range
238 ft
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Fast_food
Later in the drive, short detour
Opp, AL
Cuisine: donut
Hours: Mo-Fr 06:00-14:00; Sa 06:00-11:00
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
Founded 1851
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 22.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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