Origin
Franklin, TN
Late night in Franklin on Tuesday
Local time
3:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Franklin, TN to Cross Plains, TN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
53.6 mi
86 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Franklin, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Cross Plains, TN
Sam McCool
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Franklin to Cross Plains, you are in for a straightforward 53.6-mile journey through Middle Tennessee. Clocking in at approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes, this trip is perfectly suited as a quick day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. Budgeting around $8 for fuel should comfortably cover your gas needs for the one-way excursion. Since both towns reside within the Southeast region, the transitions remain consistent throughout the drive. This route is designed for efficiency rather than leisure, making it an ideal choice if you prioritize reaching your destination quickly and reliably.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 65 | 33.9 mi | 37m |
| I 24 | 9 mi | 10m |
| TN 25 | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| Downtown Loop | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Murfreesboro Road | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| 3rd Avenue South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Public Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Robertson Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 33.9 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Franklin, TN and Cross Plains, TN.
1
Start on US 31 Business; TN 96
418 ft
·
7 sec
·
Public Square
2
Continue on 3rd Avenue South
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
3rd Avenue South
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on SR 96
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Murfreesboro Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 65
17 mi
·
18 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 82B
Toward I 40 East: Knoxville
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 40
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Downtown Loop
8
Continue on I 40
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Downtown Loop
Exit 211B; 211A
Toward I 24 West, I 40 East, I 24 East: Clarksville, Louisville, Knoxville, Chattanooga
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto Downtown Loop
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Downtown Loop
Exit 211B
Toward I 24 West: Clarksville, Louisville
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 24
9.0 mi
·
10 min
·
I 24
Exit 46A
Toward I 24 West, I 65 North: Clarksville, Louisville
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Continue on I 65
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
I 65
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
17 mi
·
18 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 112
Toward SR 25: Gallatin, Cross Plains, Springfield
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn left onto TN 25
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
TN 25
15
Turn right onto East Robertson Road
107 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Robertson Road
16
Arrive at destination
East Robertson Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.8 miles from Franklin, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 2.9 and 49.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
19.7 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 40 East: Knoxville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 82B
Toward I 40 East: Knoxville
9
20.7 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
Downtown Loop
Keep slight left at fork onto Downtown Loop toward I 24 West: Clarksville, Louisville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 211B
Toward I 24 West: Clarksville, Louisville
6
32.6 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
I 65
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
49.8 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Take the exit toward SR 25: Gallatin, Cross Plains, Springfield
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 112
Toward SR 25: Gallatin, Cross Plains, Springfie...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.38 one way
$16.76 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.20 | $18.40 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.31 | $20.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.83 | $23.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.63 | $2.57 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.69 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.50 | $3.43 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Cross Plains, TN
Late night in Cross Plains on Tuesday
Local time
3:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°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
18 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
1h 5m 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 highly efficient, highway-focused experience with 86% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will navigate a combination of I-65, I-24, and TN-25 to bridge the distance between these two Tennessee towns. The most significant portion of the drive is a 33.9-mile stretch on I-65, where you can maintain a steady pace for the bulk of your journey. While the interstate segments provide a fast, utilitarian feel, the final transition to TN-25 shifts the rhythm of the drive. Be prepared for a transition from high-speed interstate travel to the more localized feel of state highway driving as you approach your destination.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.9 mi on I 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and I 24. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles (Downtown Loop): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Franklin, TN and Cross Plains, TN, road signs point toward Louisville, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Springfield.
Louisville
20.2 mi in
|
~24m
|
via I 40
Knoxville
20.2 mi in
|
~24m
|
via I 40
Chattanooga
20.2 mi in
|
~24m
|
via I 40
Springfield
49.8 mi in
|
~58m
About the Cities
Starting in Franklin, TN
Full guide →Franklin is a city of 81,000 people (2018) in Tennessee, just a few miles south of Nashville. There are two main areas of interest. One is the Cool Springs area, which is identified by its corporate and retail growth surrounding one of the largest malls in the Southeast, the CoolSprings Galleria. The other is historic downtown Franklin which retains much of its small town charm. It is a walkable, friendly historic downtown district, recognized as a Great American Main Street.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 53.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.9 miles on I 65. 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 Cross Plains, 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 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles (Downtown Loop): 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 Cross Plains, 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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