Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 38m
Distance
196.5 mi
316 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$31
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Franklin, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Knoxville, TN
Wikimedia Commons
This 196.5-mile journey from Franklin, TN to Knoxville, TN is a straightforward drive that can easily be completed in a single day. Expect to spend around 3 hours and 38 minutes on the road, making it an ideal day trip. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 97% of the drive on major interstates like I-65 and I-40. With an estimated fuel cost of $31, this trip is also budget-friendly. This drive keeps you within the Southeast region, offering a consistent travel experience across Tennessee.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
98.3 miles from Franklin, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 50m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 174.1 mi | 3h 9m |
| I 65 | 14.1 mi | 15m |
| Murfreesboro Road | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Debra K Johnson Memorial Parkway | 2 mi | 2m |
| 3rd Avenue South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Henley Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| I 24 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Public Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Franklin, TN and Knoxville, TN.
Start on US 31 Business; TN 96
Continue on 3rd Avenue South
Continue on SR 96
Take the exit
Merge onto I 65
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 440
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 24
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on US 441
Continue on US 441
Arrive at destination
Given the 3-hour and 38-minute duration, you can comfortably complete this 196.5-mile drive in one day. Consider an early morning departure to maximize your time in Knoxville and avoid potential traffic. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $31, planning is minimal. The longest stretch on I-40 is over 174 miles, so ensure you're fueled up before entering this segment to maintain a smooth journey.
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.
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 43 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 98.3 miles or 1h 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Knoxville, TN than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Franklin, 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 Franklin, TN
This is one driving day of about 196.5 miles and 3h 38m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
98 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.
A short stop after about 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 98.3 miles from Franklin, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 40 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 174.1 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 17.5 and 195.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork toward I 440 East: Knoxville, Chattanooga
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 24 West: Nashville, Knoxville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 24 West, I 40 East: Nashville, Knoxville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 40 East: Knoxville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward Convention Center, East Tennessee History Center, Museum of Art
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$30.72 one way
$61.44 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $33.73 | $67.46 |
| premium | $4.89 | $37.81 | $75.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $43.38 | $86.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 68.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 58.9 | 0 | $20.63 | $9.43 |
| Efficient EV | 49.1 | 0 | $17.19 | $7.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 78.6 | 0 | $27.51 | $12.58 |
Gas CO2
69 kg
EV CO2
23 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Franklin on Saturday
Local time
11:23 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Rain Showers Likely then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Late night in Knoxville on Sunday
Local time
12:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
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
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Battlefield
The Battle of Stones River began on the last day of 1862 and became one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Civil War. The battle produced important military and political gains for the Union, and it ch...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This trip is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with a significant 97% of the 196.5 miles spent on major interstates. You'll experience long, uninterrupted stretches, including one segment of 174.1 miles primarily on I-40. While the majority of the route is on high-speed roads, there are brief sections utilizing local roads like Murfreesboro Road. The character of the drive is consistent for most of the journey, emphasizing efficient travel over varied scenery.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and I 65. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 17.5 miles in.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 196.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 17.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Franklin, TN to Knoxville, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Chattanooga along the way.
Chattanooga
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.
Knoxville, in Knox County, is the third-largest city in Tennessee. It is the home of the University of Tennessee's primary campus (UTK) and site of the 1982 World's Fair.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 38m. Total distance: 196.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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