Nashville to Pulaski is 74.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 29 minutes via I 65 and Lewisburg Highway, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Southeast region, both starting and ending in Tennessee. It's a straightforward drive with a significant portion on the interstate, making it a quick and easy option for a day trip or a short hop between cities. You'll spend most of your time on the highway, so plan for efficient travel.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 65
60.3 mi
1h 5m
Lewisburg Highway
10.6 mi
15m
Downtown Loop
0.6 mi
<1m
East Grigsby Street
0.6 mi
<1m
Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
0.5 mi
1m
North 1st Street
0.5 mi
<1m
14th Avenue North
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 60.3 mi, about 1h 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Nashville, TN and Pulaski, TN.
1
Start on this road
0.4 mi·2 min·this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
0.5 mi·1 min·Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
3
Turn left onto US 70
0.2 mi·23 sec·14th Avenue North
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward Knoxville, HuntsvilleUse the slight left lane.
5
Merge onto I 40; I 65
0.6 mi·51 sec·Downtown Loop
6
Take the exit onto I 65
60 mi·1 hr 5 min·I 65
Exit 210Toward I 65 South: HuntsvilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·38 sec
Exit 22Toward 31A
8
Turn left onto US 31A
11 mi·15 min·Lewisburg Highway
9
Continue on US 31A
0.6 mi·55 sec·East Grigsby Street
10
At end of road, turn left onto US 31
0.2 mi·23 sec·North 1st Street
11
Continue on US 31
0.3 mi·28 sec·North 1st Street
12
Arrive at destination
US 31
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 37.1 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 65 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 60.3 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 62.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.4 mi into trip|~2m in|Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
At end of road, turn right onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
0.9 mi into trip|~3m in|US 70 / 14th Avenue North
Turn left onto US 70 / 14th Avenue North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
1.2 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the ramp toward Knoxville, Huntsville
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Knoxville, Huntsville
7
2.1 mi into trip|~5m in|I 65
Take the exit onto I 65 toward I 65 South: Huntsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 210
Toward I 65 South: Huntsville
5
62.4 mi into trip|~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward 31A
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 22
Toward 31A
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.32 one way
$22.64 round trip
$3.88/gal25.4 MPG avg26 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$12.47
$24.94
premium
$4.81
$14.04
$28.08
diesel
$5.40
$15.78
$31.57
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 26 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
22.3
0
$7.79
$3.56
Efficient EV
18.6
0
$6.49
$2.97
EV Truck/SUV
29.7
0
$10.39
$4.75
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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 25, 2026
Origin
Nashville, TN
Afternoon
in Nashville on Saturday
Local time
2:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NW 0 to 5 mph54% chanceLive forecast
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued April 24 at 11:35PM CDT until April 25 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued April 24 at 11:23PM CDT until April 25 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Nashville TN
Destination
Pulaski, TN
Afternoon
in Pulaski on Saturday
Local time
2:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
80°F
Brentwood Estates, TN
37 mi in
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
10 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
1h 29m 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?
You'll be on the highway for about 81% of this 74.2-mile drive. The longest stretch on I 65 covers 60.3 miles, offering a consistent cruising experience. After leaving the interstate, you'll transition to Lewisburg Highway and the Downtown Loop, which constitute the remaining approximately 13.9 miles of your route. Expect to notice the frequent exits and on-ramps associated with interstate travel for the majority of your drive.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 60.3 mi on I 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and Lewisburg Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 29m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (US 70 / 14th Avenue North): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Nashville, TN to Pulaski, TN, road signs begin pointing toward 31A along the way.
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
The longest stretch is about 60.3 miles on I 65. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.4 miles (Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (US 70 / 14th Avenue North): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Pulaski, TN before heading back.
