The drive from Nashville, TN to Collegedale, TN covers 150.2 miles and takes about 2h 57m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 24, I 75, Apison Pike for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 135.8 miles on I 24.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.29 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
75.1 miles from Nashville, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 28m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 24
135.8 mi
2h 33m
I 75
6.8 mi
9m
Apison Pike
3.9 mi
7m
Downtown Loop
0.8 mi
1m
James Robertson Parkway
0.7 mi
1m
SR 317
0.4 mi
<1m
Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
0.3 mi
<1m
Interstate Drive
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 24
— 135.8 mi, about 2h 33m
Traffic on I-24
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 18 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,972 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,410
Quietest
2 AM
~353 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Nashville, TN and Collegedale, TN.
1
Start on this road
0.4 mi·2 min·this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
0.3 mi·43 sec·Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto James Robertson Parkway
0.7 mi·1 min·James Robertson Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn right onto Interstate Drive
451 ft·9 sec·Interstate Drive
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward I 24 EastUse the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Merge onto I 24
0.8 mi·1 min·Downtown Loop
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 24
2.1 mi·2 min·I 24
Exit 50AToward I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, ChattanoogaUse the slight left lane.
8
Take the exit onto I 24
134 mi·2 hr 30 min·I 24
Exit 213AToward I 24 East: ChattanoogaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
Exit 185 BToward I 75 North: KnoxvilleUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 75
6.8 mi·9 min·I 75
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit onto SR 317
0.4 mi·32 sec·SR 317
Exit 9Toward SR 317: Collegedale, Volkswagen DriveUse the slight right lane.
12
Continue on SR 317
3.0 mi·5 min·Apison Pike
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Continue on SR 317
0.8 mi·1 min·Apison Pike
14
Turn right onto Colcord Drive
70 ft·3 sec·Colcord Drive
15
Arrive at destination
Colcord Drive
Trip Plan
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 75.1 miles from Nashville, TN, or about 1h 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 135.8 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 33 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 75.1 miles or 1h 28m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Collegedale, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Nashville, 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 Nashville, TN
This is one driving day of about 150.2 miles and 2h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Nashville, 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 24 for about 135.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 75.1 miles from Nashville, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before I 24 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 135.8 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 146 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.4 mi into trip|~2m in|Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
At end of road, turn left onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
9
2.5 mi into trip|~6m in|I 24
Keep slight left at fork onto I 24 toward I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, Chattanooga
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 50A
Toward I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, Chattan...
7
4.6 mi into trip|~9m in|I 24
Take the exit onto I 24 toward I 24 East: Chattanooga
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 213A
Toward I 24 East: Chattanooga
8
138.3 mi into trip|~2h 39m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 75 North: Knoxville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 185 B
Toward I 75 North: Knoxville
8
146 mi into trip|~2h 50m in|SR 317
Take the exit onto SR 317 toward SR 317: Collegedale, Volkswagen Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 9
Toward SR 317: Collegedale, Volkswagen Drive
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.29 one way
$46.57 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg53 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$25.53
$51.07
premium
$4.93
$29.14
$58.28
diesel
$5.60
$33.11
$66.22
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 52.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
45.1
0
$15.77
$7.21
Efficient EV
37.6
0
$13.14
$6.01
EV Truck/SUV
60.1
0
$21.03
$9.61
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 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 Sep 2, 2026
Origin
Nashville, TN
Late night
in Nashville on Friday
Local time
5:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Clear
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 11:34PM CDT until September 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Nashville TN
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 11:34PM CDT until September 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Nashville TN
Destination
Collegedale, TN
Morning
in Collegedale on Friday
Local time
6:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Clear
0 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 11:34PM CDT until September 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Nashville TN
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 11:34PM CDT until September 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Nashville TN
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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 57m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Stones River National Battlefield
National Battlefield
The Battle of Stones River began on the last day of 1862 and became one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Civil War. The battle produced important military and political gains for the Union, and it ch...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
150.2 mi in 2h 57m, mostly highway — 135.8 mi of that is on I 24.
96% 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: 135.8 mi on I 24.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 24 and I 75. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 150.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (I 24): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.6 miles (I 24): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Nashville is the capital of the American state of Tennessee. With 716,000 residents in 2022, it is the state's largest city. Nashville is sometimes called the "Country Music Capital of the World" or more often "Music City, USA"; however, Nashville has done much to escape its country music image and become a regional center of culture and commerce. In fact, Dell, Nissan, and Amazon have all moved some operations to or near the city. The music is various; major rap artists and rock bands (Jelly Roll, Young Buck, Haystak, Kings of Leon, Paramore, and Ben Folds) claim Nashville as their hometown, and the city is also the epicenter of the contemporary Christian music industry. Nashville has been the home of the world-famous Grand Ole Opry since 1925. Nashville also has a great bar scene. If you like to drink, you can go "Honky-tonking," also known as bar-hopping.
Top landmarks
•Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum — hall of fame
•Parthenon — Parthenon in Nashville
•Tennessee State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Tennessee
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 57m. Total distance: 150.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 135.8 miles on I 24. 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 Collegedale, TN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (I 24): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.6 miles (I 24): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Stones River National Battlefield. 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 Collegedale, TN before heading back.
