Origin
Marietta, GA
Late night in Marietta on Sunday
Local time
12:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Marietta, GA to Decatur, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
23.2 mi
37 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Decatur, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Planning a trip from Marietta to Decatur? This 23.2-mile drive will take you about 37 minutes and is easily manageable as a single-day excursion. With no highway driving, expect a local feel throughout. Your estimated fuel cost for this short hop is around $4. This route is straightforward, making it a convenient option for a quick journey within the Southeast region of Georgia. It's a great choice if you're looking for a simple, direct connection between these two points without needing to worry about overnight stays.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Horace E Tate Freeway | 7.3 mi | 8m |
| Larry McDonald Memorial Highway | 5.2 mi | 5m |
| North Avenue Northwest | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Ponce de Leon Avenue Northeast | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Roswell Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| West Ponce de Leon Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Downtown Connector | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Cobb Parkway South | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Horace E Tate Freeway
— 7.3 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Marietta, GA and Decatur, GA.
1
Start on West Park Square
117 ft
·
11 sec
·
West Park Square
2
Continue on South Park Square
343 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Park Square
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on Roswell Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Roswell Street
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn right onto US 41; GA 3
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Cobb Parkway South
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn left onto GA 120
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Marietta Parkway
Use the left lane.
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 75 South: Atlanta
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 75
5.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 75
7.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Horace E Tate Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 75; I 85
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Downtown Connector
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 249D
Toward US 78, US 278: North Avenue, Georgia Institute of Technology
11
Turn left onto US 29; US 78; US 278; GA 8
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
North Avenue Northwest
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn left onto US 23; GA 42
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Moreland Avenue Northeast
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto US 23; US 29; US 78; US 278; GA 8; GA 10
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Ponce de Leon Avenue Northeast
14
Keep slight right at fork onto West Ponce de Leon Avenue
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
West Ponce de Leon Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
15
Turn right onto East Court Square
226 ft
·
16 sec
·
East Court Square
16
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 22 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Park Square
Continue onto South Park Square
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
3.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward I 75 South: Atlanta
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 75 South: Atlanta
6
16.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward US 78, US 278: North Avenue, Georgia Institute of Technology
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 249D
Toward US 78, US 278: North Avenue, Georgia Ins...
6
17.2 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
US 29; US 78; US 278; GA 8 / North Avenue Northwest
Turn left onto US 29; US 78; US 278; GA 8 / North Avenue Northwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
22 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
West Ponce de Leon Avenue
Keep slight right at fork onto West Ponce de Leon Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.63 one way
$7.26 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $3.97 | $7.93 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.29 | $8.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.12 | $10.24 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.1 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 | $2.44 | $1.11 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.03 | $0.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.25 | $1.48 |
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
Decatur, GA
Late night in Decatur on Sunday
Local time
12:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
37m 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 is a turn-heavy local drive, meaning you'll be navigating city streets for the entire 23.2 miles. With 0% highway share, prepare for frequent turns and traffic lights rather than long stretches of open road. The longest uninterrupted stretch isn't noted, but given the profile, expect continuous interaction with local traffic. You'll be traveling primarily on South Park Square, Roswell Street, and Cobb Parkway South, so keep your attention focused on the road and surrounding urban environment.
37% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.3 mi on Horace E Tate Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Park Square.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 23.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Park Square): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Marietta, GA to Decatur, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Georgia Institute Of Technology along the way.
Georgia Institute Of Technology
16.9 mi in
|
~23m
About the Cities
Starting in Marietta, GA
Full guide →Marietta is a city of 61,000 people (2019) in Metro Atlanta. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Dobbins Air Reserve Base on the south side of town and a Lockheed Martin manufacturing plant are among the major industries in the city.
Arriving in Decatur, GA
Full guide →Decatur is a city that, despite being somewhat isolated from the rest of Atlanta, is so close to Georgia's state capital as to not really be separate. While Atlanta is an international city with corporate headquarters, world class convention facilities, and a fast pace, Decatur has retained a small city feel and a slightly slower pace. However, Decatur is closer to Atlanta's business, retail and cultural destinations than many of Atlanta's neighborhoods, so it can easily be mistaken for an in-town neighborhood of Atlanta.
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 37m. Total distance: 23.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.3 miles on Horace E Tate Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Decatur, GA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 (South Park Square): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Decatur, GA 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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