Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 15m
Distance
124.4 mi
200 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$25
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Maryvale, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
South Tucson, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Maryvale, AZ to South Tucson, AZ is 124.4 miles and takes about 2h 15m via Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, with a fuel budget near $25 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Desert Southwest region, crossing from one part of Arizona to another. Expect a route with frequent turns, making it more of a local exploration than a simple point-A-to-point-B highway cruise. The 21% highway share means you'll be navigating city streets and local roads for a significant portion of the journey. Given the relatively short duration, it's an ideal same-day trip, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
62.2 miles from Maryvale, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 9m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 54.6 mi | 55m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 37.8 mi | 38m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 12.3 mi | 14m |
| Papago Freeway | 9.3 mi | 10m |
| North Freeway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| North 51st Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| West 22nd Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Maryvale, AZ and South Tucson, AZ.
Start on North 55th Avenue
Turn left onto West Indian School Road
Turn right onto North 51st Avenue
Turn left
Merge onto I 10
Continue on I 10
Continue on I 10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
Merge onto I 10; US 60
Continue on I 10
Continue on I 10
Continue on I 10
Take the exit
Continue on South Freeway Road
Turn left onto West 22nd Street
Turn right onto US 80 Hist
Arrive at destination
Since this is a single-day trip of just over 2 hours, you have a lot of flexibility with departure times. Aiming for a mid-morning start will allow you to avoid early rush hour traffic if you're departing from the Phoenix area. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as you transition from highway sections to more local roads where gas stations might be less frequent. The $25 fuel cost estimate is helpful for budgeting. With only one planned stop, consider making it a brief break to stretch your legs and grab a quick refreshment.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 27 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 62.2 miles or 1h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near South Tucson, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Maryvale, AZ 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 Maryvale, AZ
This is one driving day of about 124.4 miles and 2h 15m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
62 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.
A short stop after about 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 62.2 miles from Maryvale, AZ, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.2 and 122.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left toward I 10 East: Tucson
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 10; US 60 / Maricopa Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward 22nd Street - 29th Street, Starr Pass Boulevard, Silverlake Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$24.78 one way
$49.56 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $26.23 | $52.45 |
| premium | $5.59 | $27.38 | $54.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $27.47 | $54.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 37.3 | 0 | $13.06 | $5.97 |
| Efficient EV | 31.1 | 0 | $10.89 | $4.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 49.8 | 0 | $17.42 | $7.96 |
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (66% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Maryvale on Saturday
Local time
9:43 PM
MST
Current temp
59°F
Clear
Destination
Night in South Tucson on Saturday
Local time
9:43 PM
MST
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Monument
An Ancestral Sonoran Desert People's farming community and "Great House" are preserved at Casa Grande Ruins. Whether a gathering place for people or simply a waypoint marker in an extensive system of...
National Park
Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation's largest cacti. The giant saguaro is the universal symbol of the American west. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are pr...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This is a turn-heavy local drive, not a monotonous interstate journey. While 21% of the route utilizes highways like the Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway and Maricopa Freeway, you'll spend considerable time on local roads, indicated by the 'Turn-heavy local drive' profile. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 54.6 miles on the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience with frequent adjustments to direction as you navigate through populated areas, rather than a consistent high-speed cruise.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.2 miles in.
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 124.4 miles you will encounter 8 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 3.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.2 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 15m. Total distance: 124.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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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