Origin
Kingsport, TN
Morning in Kingsport on Sunday
Local time
6:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kingsport, TN to Johnson City, TN
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
23.4 mi
38 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
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.
Johnson City, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick transition between Kingsport and Johnson City, Tennessee, you are looking at a straightforward 25.9-mile journey. This drive typically takes about 28 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip that requires no overnight stays. You will navigate primarily via local thoroughfares like Broad Street, East Main Street, and East Sullivan Street, keeping you entirely off the interstate system. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $4, the trip is highly economical for commuters or casual travelers. Since both cities are located within the Southeast region, the environment remains consistent throughout your transit. It is a practical, no-nonsense route that favors local connectivity over high-speed highway travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| James H. Quillen Parkway | 18.3 mi | 21m |
| South Wilcox Drive | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| East Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Market Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Broad Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Sullivan Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Buffalo Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Center Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
James H. Quillen Parkway
— 18.3 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kingsport, TN and Johnson City, TN.
1
Start on TN 36
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Center Street
2
Turn right onto Broad Street
436 ft
·
12 sec
·
Broad Street
3
Enter roundabout onto Broad Street
49 ft
·
1 sec
·
Broad Street
4
Continue on Broad Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Broad Street
5
Turn left onto East Main Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
6
Continue on East Sullivan Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
East Sullivan Street
7
Turn right onto TN 126
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
South Wilcox Drive
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
9
Merge onto I 26; US 23
18 mi
·
21 min
·
James H. Quillen Parkway
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 23
Toward TN 91
11
Turn right onto SR 91
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
East Market Street
12
Turn left onto Buffalo Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Buffalo Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Turn right
433 ft
·
31 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 23.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Broad Street
Turn right onto Broad Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Broad Street
Enter roundabout onto Broad Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
TN 126 / South Wilcox Drive
Turn right onto TN 126 / South Wilcox Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
22.7 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward TN 91
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 23
Toward TN 91
5
23.1 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Buffalo Street
Turn left onto Buffalo Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.66 one way
$7.32 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.02 | $8.03 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.50 | $9.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.17 | $10.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7 | 0 | $2.46 | $1.12 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.05 | $0.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.28 | $1.50 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Johnson City, TN
Morning in Johnson City on Sunday
Local time
6:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°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
5 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
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?
Expect a turn-heavy, local driving experience that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Because this route involves zero highway miles, you will navigate local streets for the duration of the 28-minute trip. There is no long-distance cruising here; in fact, the longest stretch you will encounter is 0 miles on Broad Street, emphasizing the frequent turns and urban navigation required. The character of the road is defined by its local nature, lacking the monotonous, wide-open feel of an interstate. You should prepare for a drive that demands your full attention as you transition between these two Tennessee hubs.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.3 mi on James H. Quillen Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on James H. Quillen Parkway and South Wilcox Drive. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Broad Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 31m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Broad Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.3 miles (TN 126 / South Wilcox Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Kingsport, TN
Full guide →Kingsport (pop. 48,205) is a city in Eastern Tennessee.
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: 23.4 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 (78%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.3 miles on James H. Quillen Parkway. 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: at 0.1 miles (Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Broad Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.3 miles (TN 126 / South Wilcox Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Johnson City, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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