Traveling from Memphis to Smyrna covers 126.8 miles across the state of Tennessee, a journey that typically takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes. Because of the manageable duration, this trip works perfectly as a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You can expect to spend approximately $19 on fuel to complete the trek. The route stays entirely within the Southeast region, moving from the Mississippi River area toward the outskirts of the Nashville metropolitan area. It is a straightforward, highway-focused drive that is well-suited for travelers looking to get from point A to point B efficiently. Whether you are heading out for business or a visit, the simplicity of this trip makes it a low-stress option for your schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
63.4 miles from Memphis, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 11m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
110.1 mi
2h 1m
TN 22
10.1 mi
13m
Buck Ditch Road
2.4 mi
9m
Davis Chapel Road
1.3 mi
5m
Hawkins Creek Road
1.1 mi
4m
Westport Road
1 mi
4m
North B. B. King Boulevard
0.2 mi
<1m
Lexington Clarksburg Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 110.1 mi, about 2h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Memphis, TN and Smyrna, TN.
1
Start on Poplar Avenue
190 ft·11 sec·Poplar Avenue
2
Turn left onto North B. B. King Boulevard
0.2 mi·33 sec·North B. B. King Boulevard
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·13 sec
Toward I 40 EastUse the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 40
12 mi·14 min·I 40
Use the straight lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
98 mi·1 hr 47 min·I 40
Toward I 40 East: Nashville, KnoxvilleUse the slight left / straight lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward Primary SR 22: Parkers Crossroad, Lexington, Huntingdon
7
Turn left onto SR 22
376 ft·4 sec·SR 22
8
Continue on TN 22
5.4 mi·7 min·TN 22
9
Continue on SR 22; SR 424
0.2 mi·21 sec·Lexington Clarksburg Road
10
Continue on TN 22
4.7 mi·6 min·TN 22
11
Turn right onto Davis Chapel Road
1.0 mi·3 min·Davis Chapel Road
12
Continue on Davis Chapel Road
0.3 mi·1 min·Davis Chapel Road
13
At end of road, turn right onto Westport Road
1.0 mi·4 min·Westport Road
14
Continue on Hawkins Creek Road
0.1 mi·30 sec·Hawkins Creek Road
15
Continue on Hawkins Creek Road
0.9 mi·3 min·Hawkins Creek Road
16
Turn left onto Buck Ditch Road
2.4 mi·9 min·Buck Ditch Road
17
Arrive at destination
Buck Ditch Road
Trip Plan
To keep your drive smooth, plan for at least one stop to stretch your legs during the 2-hour and 40-minute duration. Since the route relies so heavily on I-40, check traffic conditions before you depart to avoid potential congestion on this busy corridor. Fueling up before you head out is a smart move, though your $19 estimated cost should be easy to manage with a single tank. Given the flexibility of a shorter trip, you have the freedom to depart whenever works best for your itinerary without needing to account for a multi-day schedule. Pay close attention to the transition from the interstate onto Buck Ditch Road, as this final leg will feel significantly different from the open highway miles you covered earlier.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 63.4 miles from Memphis, TN, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 110.1 miles.
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 28 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 63.4 miles or 1h 11m 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 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Smyrna, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Memphis, TN 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 Memphis, TN
This is one driving day of about 126.8 miles and 2h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Memphis, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 40 for about 110.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 110.5 — 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|North B. B. King Boulevard
Turn left onto North B. B. King Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 40 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 40 East
5
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in|I 40
Merge onto I 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
12.3 mi into trip|~15m in|I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 East: Nashville, Knoxville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward I 40 East: Nashville, Knoxville
5
110.5 mi into trip|~2h 2m in
Take the exit toward Primary SR 22: Parkers Crossroad, Lexington, Huntingdon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Primary SR 22: Parkers Crossroad, Lexing...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.82 one way
$39.65 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg44 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$21.77
$43.53
premium
$4.89
$24.40
$48.80
diesel
$5.61
$28.00
$55.99
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 44.4 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
38
0
$13.31
$6.09
Efficient EV
31.7
0
$11.09
$5.07
EV Truck/SUV
50.7
0
$17.75
$8.12
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Memphis, TN
Late night
in Memphis on Sunday
Local time
5:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Cloudy
SSW 15 mph22% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Smyrna, TN
Late night
in Smyrna on Sunday
Local time
5:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
Brownsville, TN
63 mi in
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
11 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
2h 40m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a trip dominated by high-speed travel, as 95% of your time will be spent on major highways. You will settle into a long, uninterrupted stretch of 110.1 miles on I-40, which serves as the backbone of your journey. While the majority of the drive is a high-speed interstate experience, you will eventually transition onto TN-22 and Buck Ditch Road to reach your destination. This shift from the heavy traffic of the interstate to local roads provides a noticeable change in pace as you approach Smyrna. Prepare for a consistent, focused drive that prioritizes speed and direct navigation over winding secondary backroads.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 110.1 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and TN 22. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North B. B. King Boulevard.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 40m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North B. B. King Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Memphis, TN and Smyrna, TN, road signs point toward Knoxville, Primary Sr 22: Parkers Crossroad, Lexington and Huntingdon.
Memphis is the second largest city in the state of Tennessee, after Nashville. The state rests in the southeastern portion of the United States. Memphis, with a population of more than 651,000 (2019), is also the county seat for Shelby County. The city's claims to fame include Graceland, the mansion Elvis Presley lived in during his later years. Perhaps more importantly, Memphis is considered by many to be the home of blues music.
The longest stretch is about 110.1 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North B. B. King Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (I 40): 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 Smyrna, TN before heading back.
