Origin
Montgomery, AL
Late night in Montgomery on Tuesday
Local time
3:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Montgomery, AL to Alabaster, 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 18m
Distance
69.6 mi
112 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alabaster, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 69.8-mile journey from Montgomery to Alabaster, Alabama, is easily manageable as a day trip, requiring just over an hour to complete. You'll primarily navigate on I-65 North and US 31, with a significant portion on local roads. With an estimated fuel cost of $11, this drive is quite economical. The route offers a practical way to travel within the Southeast region, connecting two points in Alabama without significant detours. It’s a simple, functional transit, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 65 | 66.6 mi | 1h 12m |
| 1st Street South | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| East South Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| I 85 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Union Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 66.6 mi, about 1h 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Montgomery, AL and Alabaster, AL.
1
Start on South Union Street
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
South Union Street
2
Turn left onto East South Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East South Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
4
Merge onto I 85
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
I 85
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I-65 North: Birmingham
6
Merge onto I 65; US 82
67 mi
·
1 hr 12 min
·
I 65; US 82
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward US 31, AL 3: Alabaster, Saginaw
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn slight left onto US 31
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Street South
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn left
177 ft
·
18 sec
10
Turn right
97 ft
·
7 sec
11
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.8 miles from Montgomery, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 65 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 66.6 miles.
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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 69.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East South Street
Turn left onto East South Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 85
Merge onto I 85
Merge point - match speed before joining
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I-65 North: Birmingham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I-65 North: Birmingham
7
68.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
Take the exit toward US 31, AL 3: Alabaster, Saginaw
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.
Toward US 31, AL 3: Alabaster, Saginaw
5
69.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.51 one way
$21.02 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $11.54 | $23.08 |
| premium | $4.56 | $12.49 | $24.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.37 | $30.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.9 | 0 | $7.31 | $3.34 |
| Efficient EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.09 | $2.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.8 | 0 | $9.74 | $4.45 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Alabaster, AL
Late night in Alabaster on Tuesday
Local time
3:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°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
19 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 18m 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 'turn-heavy local drive' for this route, with no segment on the highway. This means you'll be encountering more traffic signals and intersections than you would on a pure interstate journey. While the longest uninterrupted stretch isn't specified, the overall profile suggests a more stop-and-go experience. The drive progresses by transitioning from East South Street onto I-65 North and then US 31, indicating a shift from urban surface streets to larger arteries. You'll likely experience varied speeds and more frequent adjustments.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 66.6 mi on I 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and 1st Street South. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East South Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 69.6 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 0.1 miles (East South Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 1.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Starting in Montgomery, AL
Full guide →Montgomery is the capital of Alabama, in the River Heritage region of the state. Montgomery has also been recognized nationally for its downtown revitalization and new urbanism projects.
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 18m. Total distance: 69.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 66.6 miles on I 65. 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 Alabaster, AL 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 0.1 miles (East South Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 1.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. 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 Alabaster, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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