Greenville, MS to Meridian, MS is 211 miles and takes about 4 hours 11 minutes via I 20, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip keeps you within Mississippi, traversing the Southeast region. Expect a mix of highway cruising and surface roads as you make your way east. With only one recommended stop and a drive under five hours, this route is very manageable for a single day.
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
105.6 miles from Greenville, MS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 20
88 mi
1h 35m
North Martin Luther King Drive
46.2 mi
55m
Jerry Clower Boulevard
38.8 mi
47m
US 82
15.8 mi
19m
MS 182
9.2 mi
13m
US 49
8.7 mi
10m
8th Street
1.4 mi
2m
US 11
1.2 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 88 mi, about 1h 35m
Traffic on I-20
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 31 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,874 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,958
Quietest
2 AM
~188 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Greenville, MS and Meridian, MS.
1
Start on MS 814
10 ft·7 sec·South Broadway Street
2
Turn left onto Main Street
0.9 mi·2 min·Main Street
3
Turn left onto MS 182
9.2 mi·13 min·MS 182
4
Turn left onto US 82; US 278
16 mi·19 min·US 82; US 278
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn right onto US 49W
46 mi·55 min·North Martin Luther King Drive
6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 49W
0.5 mi·53 sec·US 49W
Toward US 49 South: Jackson
7
Merge onto US 49
39 mi·47 min·Jerry Clower Boulevard
8
Take the exit onto US 49
4.9 mi·5 min·US 49
9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 49
3.8 mi·5 min·US 49
10
Merge onto I 20; I 55; US 49
1.1 mi·1 min·I 20; I 55; US 49
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 20; US 49
85 mi·1 hr 32 min·I 20; US 49
Toward Meridian, Hattiesburg
12
Continue on I 20; I 59; US 80
1.4 mi·1 min·I 20; I 59; US 80
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·44 sec
Toward South US 11, North Mississippi 19: Philadelphia, Meridian AirportUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn left onto US 11
1.2 mi·1 min·US 11
15
Turn right onto 8th Street
1.4 mi·2 min·8th Street
16
Turn right onto 25th Avenue
272 ft·11 sec·25th Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
25th Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 4 hour 11 minute drive time, starting your trip in the morning will give you plenty of daylight to reach Meridian. The route is efficient, with only one recommended stop, so you can choose to push through or take a leisurely break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the longest stretch without a clear stopping point is 88 miles on I 20. The estimated fuel cost is around $30, so plan accordingly before you depart Greenville.
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 105.6 miles from Greenville, MS, or about 2h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 88 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 46 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 105.6 miles or 2h 12m 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 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Meridian, MS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Greenville, MS 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 Greenville, MS
This is one driving day of about 211.1 miles and 4h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Greenville, MS.
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 20 for about 88 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 208.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Main Street
Turn left onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.9 mi into trip|~2m in|MS 182
Turn left onto MS 182
Navigation decision point
5
72.1 mi into trip|~1h 31m in|US 49W
Keep slight right at fork onto US 49W toward US 49 South: Jackson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 49 South: Jackson
6
121.2 mi into trip|~2h 32m in|I 20; US 49
Keep slight right at fork onto I 20; US 49 toward Meridian, Hattiesburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Meridian, Hattiesburg
7
208.1 mi into trip|~4h 5m in
Take the exit toward South US 11, North Mississippi 19: Philadelphia, Meridian Airport
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.
Toward South US 11, North Mississippi 19: Phila...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.30 one way
$58.61 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg74 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$32.79
$65.57
premium
$4.29
$35.65
$71.29
diesel
$4.80
$39.86
$79.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 73.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
63.3
0
$22.17
$10.13
Efficient EV
52.8
0
$18.47
$8.44
EV Truck/SUV
84.4
1
$29.55
$13.51
Gas CO2
74 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Greenville, MS
Morning
in Greenville on Sunday
Local time
6:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Mostly Clear
WSW 5 to 10 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:23PM CDT until July 19 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Mobile AL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 12:07PM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
Destination
Meridian, MS
Morning
in Meridian on Sunday
Local time
6:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Clear
W 0 to 5 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:23PM CDT until July 19 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Mobile AL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 12:07PM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
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
2 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
4h 11m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument
National Monument
Medgar and Myrlie Evers were partners in the civil rights struggle. The assassination of Medgar Evers in the carport of their home on June 12, 1963, was the first murder of a nationally significant le...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 116.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend 58% of this 211-mile trip on the highway, primarily on I 20. The longest continuous stretch on I 20 is 88 miles. After the highway portion, you'll transition to a mixed highway and surface road profile. Be aware that transitions between highway and surface roads can bring more frequent exits and intersections.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 88 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Street.
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 211.1 miles you will encounter 13 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: near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (MS 182): Navigation decision point; at 72.1 miles (US 49W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
479 ft107 ft
Total Climb
522 ft
Total Descent
309 ft
Highest Point
479 ft
~166.1 mi in
Elevation Range
372 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 Greenville, MS to Meridian, MS, road signs begin pointing toward Hattiesburg along the way.
Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 30,000 in 2020, making it the ninth largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington County.
Top landmarks
•Doe's Eat Place — restaurant in Greenville, Mississippi, United States
•First National Bank of Greenville — historic building in Greenville, Mississippi
•Washington County Courthouse — Courthouse in Greenville, Mississippi
Meridian is a city in Mississippi. It was a titan of commerce of sorts during the Reconstruction era and up through the Great Depression, even after General Tecumseh Sherman had torched it, due to its being a hub to five major rail lines and manufacturing during its golden age. It is now a treasure trove for some of the architecture preserved from that period. Meridian is also noted for being the location of the US v. Cecil Price court case, where several Ku Klux Klan members were charged for the abduction and murder of three Civil Rights workers in 1964 in nearby Neshoba County, an event analogously portrayed in the film Mississippi Burning.
Top landmarks
•Meridian Regional Airport — airport in Mississippi, USA
•Threefoot Building — historic office building located in downtown Meridian, Mississippi
•Alex Loeb Building — commercial building in Meridian, Mississippi
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 11m. Total distance: 211.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 88 miles on I 20. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 14 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Meridian, MS 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. There are 14 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (MS 182): Navigation decision point; at 72.1 miles (US 49W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Meridian, MS, but most travelers stay overnight.
