Kingsport, TN to Union, TN is 191.2 miles and takes about 3h 43m via I-75, I-40, and I-81, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Tennessee, traversing the Southeast region. Expect a highway-focused experience for the bulk of your journey. With a recommended one-day drive time, this route is ideal for those looking to cover ground efficiently. It's a straightforward trip that gets you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
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
95.6 miles from Kingsport, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 75
59.9 mi
1h 4m
I 40
52.8 mi
59m
I 81
50.1 mi
53m
Spring Place Road Southeast
8.4 mi
14m
South Wilcox Drive
4 mi
6m
25th Street Northwest
3.5 mi
5m
Sullivan Gardens Drive
3.1 mi
3m
TN 93
2.3 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 59.9 mi, about 1h 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kingsport, TN and Union, 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
8
Turn right onto TN 93
1.5 mi·1 min·Sullivan Gardens Parkway
9
Continue on SR 93
1.5 mi·1 min·South Wilcox Drive
10
Continue on SR 93
3.1 mi·3 min·Sullivan Gardens Drive
11
Continue on TN 93
2.3 mi·2 min·TN 93
12
Continue on SR 93
0.3 mi·21 sec·SR 93
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
14
Merge onto I 81
49 mi·52 min·I 81
15
Continue on I 81
0.7 mi·45 sec·I 81
Exit 1BToward I 40 West: Knoxville
16
Merge onto I 40
53 mi·59 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
60 mi·1 hr 4 min·I 75
Toward I 75 South: Chattanooga
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward SR 60: Cleveland, Dayton
19
Turn right onto TN 60
0.2 mi·20 sec·Georgetown Road Northwest
20
Continue on TN 60
0.1 mi·12 sec·25th Street Northwest
21
Continue on TN 60
0.6 mi·59 sec·25th Street NW
22
Continue on TN 60
3.4 mi·5 min·25th Street Northwest
23
Continue on US 74; US 64 Bypass; TN 60
1.2 mi·1 min·Appalachian Highway
24
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
25
Keep slight left at fork
98 ft·7 sec
26
Turn left onto SR 74
8.4 mi·14 min·Spring Place Road Southeast
27
Turn slight right onto Hughes Lake Road Southeast
1.3 mi·3 min·Hughes Lake Road Southeast
28
Arrive at destination
Hughes Lake Road Southeast
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of 3 hours and 43 minutes, this drive is easily accomplished in a single day. Consider departing in the morning to maximize your daylight hours. With only one recommended stop, you'll have plenty of flexibility to take breaks as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 59.9-mile stretch on I-75, to avoid any unexpected detours for gas. The $30 fuel cost estimate should help you budget accordingly.
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 95.6 miles from Kingsport, TN, or about 1h 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59.9 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 42 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 95.6 miles or 1h 48m 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 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Union, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kingsport, 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 Kingsport, TN
This is one driving day of about 191.2 miles and 3h 43m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 42 miles from Kingsport, TN.
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 75 for about 59.9 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 175.6 — 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
62.9 mi into trip|~1h 11m in|I 40
Merge onto I 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
115.7 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|I 75
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75 toward I 75 South: Chattanooga
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 75 South: Chattanooga
5
175.6 mi into trip|~3h 15m in
Take the exit toward SR 60: Cleveland, Dayton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward SR 60: Cleveland, Dayton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.89 one way
$59.78 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg67 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$32.82
$65.64
premium
$4.89
$36.79
$73.59
diesel
$5.61
$42.21
$84.43
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 66.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
57.4
0
$20.08
$9.18
Efficient EV
47.8
0
$16.73
$7.65
EV Truck/SUV
76.5
0
$26.77
$12.24
Gas CO2
67 kg
EV CO2
22 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.
Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Kingsport, TN
Afternoon
in Kingsport on Sunday
Local time
12:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Partly Cloudy
SE 0 to 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Union, TN
Afternoon
in Union on Sunday
Local time
12:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Mostly Clear
0 mph1% chanceLive forecast
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
7 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
3h 43m on the road
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
National Park
Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of it...
28 mi from route
~70 min detour
Free
near mile 72.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 87% of the route utilizing major interstates. You'll spend a good portion of your time on I-75, including a longest stretch of 59.9 miles without a major exit. The interstates provide a consistent pace, allowing for steady progress. While the profile is primarily highway, be prepared for the standard shifts in traffic and potential construction that come with interstate travel.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 59.9 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and I 40. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Broad 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 191.2 miles you will encounter 15 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: at 0.1 miles (Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Broad Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 62.9 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Kingsport, TN to Union, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Dayton along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 43m. Total distance: 191.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 59.9 miles on I 75. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Union, TN 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 62.9 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Great Smoky Mountains National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Union, TN, but most travelers stay overnight.
