Origin
Huntsville, AL
Morning in Huntsville on Sunday
Local time
9:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Huntsville, AL to Decatur, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
25.8 mi
42 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Huntsville, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Decatur, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 25.8-mile trip from Huntsville to Decatur, Alabama, is easily manageable in about 31 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate on I-565, with portions of the Huntsville-Decatur Highway and Bee Line Highway also part of the journey. Given its short distance and straightforward nature, it's not a route that requires an overnight stay. Expect a fuel cost of around $4 for this drive. Both your origin and destination are within the Southeast region, so you won't be crossing any major regional boundaries. This drive is a practical option for a quick hop between these two Alabama cities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 565 | 18.9 mi | 20m |
| Huntsville-Decatur Highway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Bee Line Highway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Washington Street Northeast | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 6th Avenue Northeast | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Lee Street Northeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| US 72 Alternate | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Side Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 565
— 18.9 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Huntsville, AL and Decatur, AL.
1
Start on Spring Street Southwest
4 ft
·
3 sec
·
Spring Street Southwest
2
Turn right onto West Side Square
376 ft
·
16 sec
·
West Side Square
3
Continue on South Side Square
369 ft
·
16 sec
·
South Side Square
4
Turn left onto East Side Square
371 ft
·
9 sec
·
East Side Square
5
Continue on Washington Street Southeast
364 ft
·
9 sec
·
Washington Street Southeast
6
Continue on Washington Street Northeast
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
Washington Street Northeast
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
8
Merge onto I 565; US 72 Alternate
19 mi
·
20 min
·
I 565; US 72 Alternate
9
Continue on US 72 Alternate; SR 20
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
US 72 Alternate; SR 20
10
Continue on US 72 Alternate; AL 20
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Huntsville-Decatur Highway
Use the right lane.
11
Continue on US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Bee Line Highway
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
6th Avenue Northeast
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn right onto Lee Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Lee Street Northeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn right
82 ft
·
6 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 25.8 — 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
|
West Side Square
Turn right onto West Side Square
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Side Square
Turn left onto East Side Square
Navigation decision point
6
25.2 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Keep slight left at fork onto US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
25.6 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Lee Street Northeast
Turn right onto Lee Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
25.8 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.90 one way
$7.79 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $4.28 | $8.55 |
| premium | $4.56 | $4.63 | $9.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.70 | $11.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.71 | $1.24 |
| Efficient EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.26 | $1.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.61 | $1.65 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Decatur, AL
Morning in Decatur on Sunday
Local time
9:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°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
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
31m 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?
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 74% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 18.9 miles on I-565, offering a chance for consistent speed. The profile suggests a highway-centric experience, meaning you'll likely encounter well-maintained roads designed for efficient travel. While the majority is highway, expect some transitions as you move between I-565 and the other mentioned roads, offering a brief change of pace before reaching your destination.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.9 mi on I 565.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 565 and Huntsville-Decatur Highway. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Side Square.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 25.8 miles you will encounter 7 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 (West Side Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Side Square): Navigation decision point; at 25.2 miles (US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Huntsville, AL
Full guide →Huntsville is in northern Alabama, about 20 miles (32 km) from the border with Tennessee. The city is a center for missile defense and aerospace technologies, with companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman having major operations here. Cummings Research Park, the second largest research park in the country, is home to many of these companies.
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 31m. Total distance: 25.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.9 miles on I 565. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (West Side Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Side Square): Navigation decision point; at 25.2 miles (US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Decatur, AL 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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