Origin
Marion, AL
Late night in Marion on Tuesday
Local time
5:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Marion, AL to Tuscaloosa, AL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
58.4 mi
94 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Marion, AL
Muhammad Nabeel
Tuscaloosa, AL
Kelly
Trip Overview
Traveling from Marion to Tuscaloosa is a straightforward 58.4-mile journey that typically takes about one hour and three minutes. Because this is a relatively short trip within the Southeast region, you can easily complete it as a convenient day trip without the need for an overnight stay. Expect to budget approximately $8 for fuel, making this an economical excursion. You will primarily navigate via State Route 5 and the Martin Luther King Parkway. This route serves as a functional connection between these two Alabama locations, offering a practical way to reach your destination without significant travel fatigue.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 82 | 26.7 mi | 30m |
| State Route 5 | 24.3 mi | 33m |
| US 11 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| Old Montgomery Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Martin Luther King Parkway | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard North | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| I 359 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Skyland Boulevard East | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 82
— 26.7 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Marion, AL and Tuscaloosa, AL.
1
Start on Jefferson Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Jefferson Street
2
Continue on AL 14
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Martin Luther King Parkway
3
Turn left onto AL 5
23 mi
·
32 min
·
State Route 5
4
Enter roundabout onto AL 5
115 ft
·
4 sec
·
State Route 5
5
Continue on AL 5
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
State Route 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Toward Tuscaloosa
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto US 82
27 mi
·
30 min
·
US 82
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit
308 ft
·
10 sec
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on Old Montgomery Highway
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Old Montgomery Highway
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Turn left onto US 11
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Skyland Boulevard East
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto US 11; AL 69
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
US 11; AL 69
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 359; AL 69
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 359; AL 69
13
Continue on US 43; AL 69
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard North
Use the straight / left lanes.
14
Turn right onto University Boulevard
284 ft
·
10 sec
·
University Boulevard
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left
168 ft
·
12 sec
Use the left lane.
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.2 miles from Marion, AL, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 25 and 58.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
25 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
AL 5 / State Route 5
Enter roundabout onto AL 5 / State Route 5
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
25.9 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the ramp toward Tuscaloosa
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Tuscaloosa
5
26.2 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
US 82
Merge onto US 82
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
58.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
University Boulevard
Turn right onto University Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
58.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.82 one way
$17.64 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $9.68 | $19.36 |
| premium | $4.56 | $10.48 | $20.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.89 | $25.79 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.13 | $2.80 |
| Efficient EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.11 | $2.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.4 | 0 | $8.18 | $3.74 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Tuscaloosa, AL
Late night in Tuscaloosa on Tuesday
Local time
5:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Sunny
SW 5 mph
7% chance
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
24 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
1h 17m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Since the highway share is 0%, you won't be dealing with high-speed, multi-lane traffic, but rather the nuances of local roads. You will find that there is no single long stretch of road, as the route is defined by its frequent transitions along State Route 5. The lack of major highway segments means the pace remains steady and consistent throughout the hour-long commute. Navigating these local corridors provides a direct, hands-on driving experience that keeps you engaged from start to finish.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.7 mi on US 82.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 82 and State Route 5. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 25 miles in near AL 5 / State Route 5.
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 58.4 miles you will encounter 10 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 25 miles (AL 5 / State Route 5): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 25.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 26.2 miles (US 82): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Tuscaloosa, AL
Full guide →Tuscaloosa is a city of over 100,000 people (2020) in Metropolitan Alabama and home of the University of Alabama.
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 17m. Total distance: 58.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26.7 miles on US 82. 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 25 miles (AL 5 / State Route 5): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 25.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 26.2 miles (US 82): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Tuscaloosa, 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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