Fayetteville to Warren is 275.1 miles and takes about 5h 5m via I 40 and I 530, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Arkansas, taking you through the Southeast region. With over 80% of the trip on highways, it's a relatively straightforward route. Plan for a single day of travel, as the drive time is manageable. You'll be spending most of your time on interstates before transitioning to surface streets towards the end.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
137.6 miles from Fayetteville, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 22m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
140.4 mi
2h 21m
I 530
42.9 mi
44m
South Olive Street
41.9 mi
1h 2m
I 49
40.4 mi
40m
US 65
4.6 mi
6m
South Razorback Road
1.4 mi
2m
West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
0.9 mi
2m
North Main Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 140.4 mi, about 2h 21m
Traffic on I-530
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~852 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,084
Quietest
2 AM
~63 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 23 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fayetteville, AR and Warren, AR.
1
Start on this road
320 ft·28 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto South College Avenue
0.1 mi·16 sec·South College Avenue
3
Continue on South Nelson Hackett Boulevard
0.4 mi·53 sec·South Nelson Hackett Boulevard
4
Turn slight left onto South School Avenue
0.1 mi·20 sec·South School Avenue
5
Turn right onto AR 180
0.9 mi·2 min·West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto AR 16
1.4 mi·2 min·South Razorback Road
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on AR 265
0.4 mi·40 sec·South Cato Springs Road
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·19 sec
Use the left lane.
9
Merge onto I 49
40 mi·40 min·I 49
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·49 sec
Toward I 40 East: Alma, Little Rock
11
Merge onto I 40; US 71
140 mi·2 hr 21 min·I 40; US 71
12
Take the exit onto US 65
4.6 mi·6 min·US 65
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 530; US 65; US 167
43 mi·44 min·I 530; US 65; US 167
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·35 sec
15
Turn right onto US 63
42 mi·1 hr 2 min·South Olive Street
16
Turn right onto US 63B
298 ft·11 sec·Bond Street
17
Turn left onto US 63B
0.4 mi·53 sec·North Main Street
18
Turn right onto West Church Street
89 ft·3 sec·West Church Street
19
Arrive at destination
West Church Street
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 5m duration, departing Fayetteville in the morning allows ample time to reach Warren before evening. The longest stretch without a major road change is 140.4 miles on I 40, so plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly before you embark on that segment. While the drive is manageable in one day, consider that you'll be on interstates for the majority of the trip. The final approach into Warren involves surface streets, so be prepared for a change in driving pace after leaving I 530.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 137.6 miles from Fayetteville, AR, or about 2h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 140.4 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 61 miles or 1h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 137.6 miles or 2h 22m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Warren, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fayetteville, AR 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 Fayetteville, AR
This is one driving day of about 275.1 miles and 5h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Fayetteville, AR.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 40 for about 140.4 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 189.6 — 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|South College Avenue
Turn left onto South College Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|AR 180 / West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
Turn right onto AR 180 / West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
1.6 mi into trip|~4m in|AR 16 / South Razorback Road
Turn left onto AR 16 / South Razorback Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
44 mi into trip|~48m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 40 East: Alma, Little Rock
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40 East: Alma, Little Rock
6
189.6 mi into trip|~3h 16m in|I 530; US 65; US 167
Keep slight left at fork onto I 530; US 65; US 167
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$40.30 one way
$80.60 round trip
$3.72/gal25.4 MPG avg96 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.13
$44.74
$89.48
premium
$4.49
$48.59
$97.17
diesel
$5.60
$60.64
$121.28
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$40
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$65–$90
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 96.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
82.5
1
$28.89
$13.20
Efficient EV
68.8
0
$24.07
$11.00
EV Truck/SUV
110
1
$38.51
$17.61
Gas CO2
96 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Aug 29, 2026
Origin
Fayetteville, AR
Late night
in Fayetteville on Friday
Local time
5:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Clear
SE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Warren, AR
Late night
in Warren on Friday
Local time
5:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Mostly Clear
0 mph0% chanceLive 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
1 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
5h 5m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 drive is predominantly highway, with 83% of the 275.1 miles covered on interstates. You'll experience a long stretch of 140.4 miles on I 40, likely with consistent cruising. The transition to surface roads begins as you approach Warren, with South Olive Street being one of the final segments. Expect a significant amount of exit and merge activity on the interstate portions.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 140.4 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and I 530. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South College Avenue.
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 275.1 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 (South College Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (AR 180 / West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (AR 16 / South Razorback Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,551 ft207 ft
Total Climb
330 ft
Total Descent
1,519 ft
Highest Point
1,551 ft
~19.7 mi in
Elevation Range
1,344 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Fayetteville, AR to Warren, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Little Rock along the way.
Fayetteville is a city of 87,000 people (2018) in the Ozarks and the Ozarks Region of Arkansas.
It is home for the main campus of the University of Arkansas, and has many characteristics of a college town, including many bars, restaurants and specialty stores. It serves as a regional hub for live music and performances, with several venues. Fayetteville is also part of the booming Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers-Bentonville metropolitan area in Northwest Arkansas, and has experienced dramatic growth since the 1990s.
Fayetteville's core area of interest centers around the historic downtown square and Dickson Street, which runs between Highway 71B (also known as College Avenue) and the University of Arkansas campus, and is the "main drag" for restaurants and bars.
Top landmarks
•Campus of the University of Arkansas — College campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas, US
•Chi Omega Greek Theatre — outdoor theater on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas
•Fayetteville Confederate Cemetery — military cemetery in Arkansas
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 5m. Total distance: 275.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 140.4 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Warren, AR before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South College Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (AR 180 / West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (AR 16 / South Razorback Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.1 hours each way, a round trip means 10.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Warren, AR before the return drive.
