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Trip from Marietta, GA to Gainesville, GA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 14m

Distance

60.6 mi

98 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 8m ★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 11m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

county seat of Hall County, Georgia, United States

Gainesville, GA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning a trip from Marietta to Gainesville, expect a straightforward 60.6-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 14 minutes. Since this route is well within the Southeast region, you won't experience drastic climate or landscape shifts, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You should budget approximately $10 for fuel to complete the trip. Because the drive is short, there is no need to plan for overnight stays or complex logistics. It is a highly efficient connection between these two Georgia cities, ideal for commuters or those heading out for a quick change of scenery.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Lanier Parkway 19.7 mi 21m
Interstate Highway 85 15.4 mi 16m
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter 12.1 mi 14m
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway 3.2 mi 3m
Queen City Parkway 2.1 mi 3m
Roswell Street 1.7 mi 3m
Northeast Expressway 0.7 mi <1m
Cobb Parkway South 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Lanier Parkway — 19.7 mi, about 21m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Marietta, GA and Gainesville, 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

3.2 mi · 3 min · Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 31 sec
Exit 259 Toward I 285 Bypass West, I 285 Bypass East: Birmingham, Tampa, Greenville, Augusta Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork

0.9 mi · 1 min
Toward I 285 East Bypass: Greenville, Augusta Use the slight right lane.
10

Merge onto I 285

12 mi · 14 min · Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

1.0 mi · 1 min
Exit 33B Toward I 85 North: Greenville Use the slight right lane.
12

Keep slight left at fork

525 ft · 12 sec
Toward I 85 North: Greenville, Pleasantdale Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Toward I 85 North: Greenville
14

Merge onto I 85

0.7 mi · 47 sec · Northeast Expressway
15

Continue on I 85

15 mi · 16 min · Interstate Highway 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight right at fork onto I 85

0.5 mi · 33 sec · I 85
17

Keep slight left at fork onto I 985

20 mi · 21 min · Lanier Parkway
Exit 113 Toward I 985 North: Gainesville Use the slight left / straight lanes.
18

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Exit 20 Toward GA 60, GA 53: Candler Road, Gainesville Use the slight right lane.
19

At end of road, turn left onto GA 60

2.1 mi · 3 min · Queen City Parkway
20

Turn right onto GA 60; GA 369

0.4 mi · 49 sec · Jesse Jewell Parkway Southwest
21

Turn right onto Green Street

36 ft · 1 sec · Green Street
22

Arrive at destination

Green Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Norcross, GA

30 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Sandy Springs, GA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lilburn, GA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 30.3 miles from Marietta, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 18

5 decision points cluster between mile 6.7 and 57.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
6.7 mi into trip | ~11m in

Take the exit toward I 285 Bypass West, I 285 Bypass East: Birmingham, Tampa, Greenville, Augusta

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. Exit 259 Toward I 285 Bypass West, I 285 Bypass East: Bi...
8
7.1 mi into trip | ~11m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 285 East Bypass: Greenville, Augusta

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 285 East Bypass: Greenville, Augusta
8
21.1 mi into trip | ~29m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 85 North: Greenville, Pleasantdale Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 85 North: Greenville, Pleasantdale Roa...
8
38.1 mi into trip | ~48m in | I 985 / Lanier Parkway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 985 / Lanier Parkway toward I 985 North: Gainesville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Exit 113 Toward I 985 North: Gainesville
8
57.8 mi into trip | ~1h 9m in

Take the exit toward GA 60, GA 53: Candler Road, Gainesville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 20 Toward GA 60, GA 53: Candler Road, Gainesville

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.48 one way

$18.95 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $10.36 $20.72
premium $4.70 $11.22 $22.43
diesel $5.61 $13.38 $26.76

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.2 0 $6.36 $2.91
Efficient EV 15.2 0 $5.30 $2.42
EV Truck/SUV 24.2 0 $8.48 $3.88

Gas CO2

21 kg

EV CO2

7 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 15, 2026

Origin

Marietta, GA

Night in Marietta on Saturday

Local time

10:53 PM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Gainesville, GA

Night in Gainesville on Saturday

Local time

10:53 PM

EDT

Current temp

50°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

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

1h 14m 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 trip is a highway-focused drive, with 66% of your time spent on major arteries like the Atlanta Bypass, the Perimeter, Interstate 85, and Lanier Parkway. You will experience a mix of fast-paced interstate travel and structured highway driving as you navigate toward your destination. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 19.7-mile segment along Lanier Parkway, which allows for steady cruising. While the road is designed for speed and direct access, it lacks the technical turns of a back-road route, so keep your focus on lane management during high-traffic segments.

66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.7 mi on Lanier Parkway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Lanier Parkway and Interstate Highway 85. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.7 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.6 miles you will encounter 18 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 6.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. 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.

Between Marietta, GA and Gainesville, GA, road signs point toward Tampa, Greenville and Augusta.

Tampa

6.7 mi in | ~11m

Greenville

6.7 mi in | ~11m

Augusta

6.7 mi in | ~11m

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.

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 1h 14m. Total distance: 60.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 19.7 miles on Lanier Parkway. 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 Gainesville, 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: at 6.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Gainesville, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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