Origin
McDonough, GA
Late night in McDonough on Sunday
Local time
2:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from McDonough, GA to Atlanta, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
29.9 mi
48 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McDonough, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Atlanta, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to head north from McDonough to Atlanta, you are looking at a quick 29.9-mile journey that typically takes about 40 minutes. Because of the short duration, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about booking overnight accommodations. Your travel budget remains very light, with an estimated fuel cost of just $5 for the entire one-way trip. You will spend the vast majority of your time on major infrastructure, as this is a highway-focused drive within the Southeast region. Whether you are commuting for work or heading into the city for a quick outing, the simplicity of this route makes it a straightforward transition between these two Georgia locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 24.2 mi | 28m |
| Jonesboro Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Jonesboro Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Capitol Avenue Southeast | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Fulton Street Southwest | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| John Frank Ward Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Keys Ferry Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Macon Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 24.2 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between McDonough, GA and Atlanta, GA.
1
Start on US 23; GA 20; GA 42; GA 81
127 ft
·
10 sec
·
Atlanta Street
2
Turn left onto GA 20; GA 81
261 ft
·
13 sec
·
Keys Ferry Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Turn left onto US 23; GA 42
250 ft
·
14 sec
·
Macon Street
4
Turn left onto GA 20; GA 81
266 ft
·
8 sec
·
John Frank Ward Boulevard
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Continue on GA 20; GA 81
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Jonesboro Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Enter roundabout onto Jonesboro Road
133 ft
·
2 sec
·
Jonesboro Road
7
Continue on Jonesboro Road
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Jonesboro Road
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 75 North
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto I 75
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 75
Use the straight lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
18 mi
·
21 min
·
I 75
Toward I 75 North: Atlanta, Birmingham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 246
Toward Fulton Street, Central Avenue, Georgia State University
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
Toward Fulton Street, Zoo Atlanta
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto Fulton Street Southwest
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Fulton Street Southwest
Use the left / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto Capitol Avenue Southeast
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
Capitol Avenue Southeast
15
Arrive at destination
Capitol Avenue Southeast
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 28.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
GA 20; GA 81 / Keys Ferry Street
Turn left onto GA 20; GA 81 / Keys Ferry Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
GA 20; GA 81 / John Frank Ward Boulevard
Turn left onto GA 20; GA 81 / John Frank Ward Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
8
10.3 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 75
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75 toward I 75 North: Atlanta, Birmingham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 75 North: Atlanta, Birmingham
8
28.5 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward Fulton Street, Central Avenue, Georgia State University
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 246
Toward Fulton Street, Central Avenue, Georgia S...
8
28.8 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Fulton Street, Zoo Atlanta
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Fulton Street, Zoo Atlanta
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.68 one way
$9.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.11 | $10.22 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.53 | $11.07 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.60 | $13.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.62 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.91 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Atlanta, GA
Late night in Atlanta on Sunday
Local time
2:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°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
4 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
40m 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?
Expect a very efficient drive, as 81% of this trip is spent on the highway. You will spend the bulk of your time on I-75, which accounts for a 24.2-mile stretch of the journey, providing a consistent pace for most of the drive. The route transitions from local thoroughfares like Jonesboro Road and Jonesboro Street before merging onto the interstate. Because it is a highway-heavy path, the experience behind the wheel is predictable and moves quickly. You won't encounter any mandatory stops along the way, allowing you to maintain steady momentum from start to finish.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.2 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and Jonesboro Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near GA 20; GA 81 / Keys Ferry Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 29.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (GA 20; GA 81 / Keys Ferry Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (GA 20; GA 81 / John Frank Ward Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,040 ft
773 ft
Total Climb
303 ft
Total Descent
125 ft
Highest Point
1,040 ft
~29.9 mi in
Elevation Range
268 ft
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 McDonough, GA to Atlanta, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Birmingham along the way.
Birmingham
10.3 mi in
|
~15m
|
via I 75
About the Cities
Arriving in Atlanta, GA
Full guide →Atlanta is the vanguard of the New South, with the charm and elegance of the Old. It's a city that balances southern traditions with sleek modernism, and southern hospitality with three skylines and the world’s busiest airport. It's a city that has been burnt to the ground and built back up; seen the horrors of war; felt the pain of droughts and floods; and given birth to Martin Luther King, Jr., the greatest figure of the civil rights movement. Atlanta is the capital of the state of Georgia.
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 40m. Total distance: 29.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.2 miles on I 75. 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 Atlanta, 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 (GA 20; GA 81 / Keys Ferry Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (GA 20; GA 81 / John Frank Ward Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. 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 Atlanta, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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