Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Nov 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
22 mi
35 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
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
Nashville, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Traveling the 22 miles from Franklin to Nashville is a quick, straightforward journey that typically takes about 29 minutes. Because this is a short, localized trip within the Southeast, you can easily complete the entire route in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Expect to spend roughly $3 on fuel, making this a very budget-friendly commute. You will rely primarily on I-65 and the Downtown Loop to navigate between these two Tennessee cities. It is a highly practical drive for those looking to transition from the suburbs into the heart of the state capital.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 65 | 17 mi | 19m |
| Murfreesboro Road | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Downtown Loop | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 3rd Avenue South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| George L Davis Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 7th Avenue North | 0.2 mi | 1m |
| Public Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Franklin, TN and Nashville, TN.
Start on US 31 Business; TN 96
Continue on 3rd Avenue South
Continue on SR 96
Take the exit
Merge onto I 65
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
Merge onto I 40; I 65
Take the exit
Turn straight onto US 70
Turn right onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
Turn left onto 7th Avenue North
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.9 and 20.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 65
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65 toward I 40 West, I 65 North: Memphis, Louisville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto I 40; I 65 / Downtown Loop
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Church Street, Charlotte Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$3.63 one way
$7.27 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.58 | $3.97 | $7.94 |
| premium | $5.20 | $4.50 | $9.00 |
| diesel | $6.35 | $5.50 | $11.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-11-02.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.31 | $1.06 |
| Efficient EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.93 | $0.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.08 | $1.41 |
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
Late night in Franklin on Wednesday
Local time
4:45 AM
CST
Current temp
77°F
Sunny
Destination
Late night in Nashville on Wednesday
Local time
4:45 AM
CST
Current temp
78°F
Patchy Fog then Sunny
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.
This is a highway-focused drive, with 77% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will experience a significant 17-mile stretch on I-65, which serves as the backbone of your journey before you transition into the Downtown Loop. While the route is efficient, it lacks the technical variety of backroads, favoring direct, high-speed travel instead. You should be prepared for a consistent, interstate-heavy experience that prioritizes speed over scenic detours. Once you exit the interstate, the character of the road shifts slightly as you navigate the final approach into the city center.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and Murfreesboro Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 22 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
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 3.2 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.7 miles (I 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
272 ft
Total Descent
363 ft
Highest Point
770 ft
~3.1 mi in
Elevation Range
286 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Franklin, TN to Nashville, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Louisville along the way.
Louisville
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Cafe
Near the end, right off the route
Nashville, TN
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Visit websiteCafe
Later in the drive, right off the route
Cuisine: sandwich
Visit websiteCafe
Later in the drive, right off the route
Cafe
Early in the drive, right off the route
Franklin, TN
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Visit websiteCafe
Near the end, short detour
Cuisine: american
Visit websiteCafe
Near the end, short detour
Nashville, TN
Restaurant
Near the end, right off the route
Nashville
Cuisine: american
Visit websiteFast_food
Later in the drive, right off the route
Nashville, TN
Cuisine: mexican
Visit websiteFast_food
Later in the drive, right off the route
Nashville, TN
Cuisine: burger
Hours: Mo 07:00-22:00; Tu 07:00-20:00; We-Su 07...
Visit websiteRestaurant
Later in the drive, right off the route
Cuisine: american
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the end, right off the route
Nashville, TN
Cuisine: mexican
Hours: Mo-Su 09:00-19:00
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the end, right off the route
Nashville
Cuisine: regional
Visit websiteAttraction
Near the end, right off the route
Attraction
Near the end, right off the route
Park
Near the end, right off the route
Park
Near the end, right off the route
Park
Near the end, right off the route
Park
Near the end, short detour
Museum
Near the end, right off the route
TN
Visit websiteMuseum
Near the end, right off the route
Tomb
Near the end, right off the route
Museum
Near the end, right off the route
Museum
Near the end, right off the route
Museum
Near the start, short detour
Motel
Near the end, short detour
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
Founded 1799
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.
Top landmarks
Founded 1779
Nashville is the capital of the American state of Tennessee. With 716,000 residents in 2022, it is the state's largest city. Nashville is sometimes called the "Country Music Capital of the World" or more often "Music City, USA"; however, Nashville has done much to escape its country music image and become a regional center of culture and commerce. In fact, Dell, Nissan, and Amazon have all moved some operations to or near the city. The music is various; major rap artists and rock bands (Jelly Roll, Young Buck, Haystak, Kings of Leon, Paramore, and Ben Folds) claim Nashville as their hometown, and the city is also the epicenter of the contemporary Christian music industry. Nashville has been the home of the world-famous Grand Ole Opry since 1925. Nashville also has a great bar scene. If you like to drink, you can go "Honky-tonking," also known as bar-hopping.
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 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 (77%). 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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