Origin
North Druid Hills, GA
Morning in North Druid Hills on Tuesday
Local time
7:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Druid Hills, GA to Atlanta, GA
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
16m
Distance
10.2 mi
16 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 17m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Druid Hills, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Atlanta, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from North Druid Hills to downtown Atlanta is a quick, straightforward trip covering just 10.2 miles. You can expect the drive to take about 16 minutes under normal conditions, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel cost estimate of only $2, this is an extremely budget-friendly commute within the Southeast region. The route utilizes a mix of local roads and major expressways to navigate the urban landscape. Whether you are heading into the city for work or a quick outing, the brevity of this journey offers maximum flexibility for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast Expressway | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| Downtown Connector | 3 mi | 4m |
| North Druid Hills Road Northeast | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Capitol Square Southwest | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Lavista Road Northeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Capitol Avenue Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Northeast Expressway
— 4.5 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Druid Hills, GA and Atlanta, GA.
1
Start on this road
250 ft
·
20 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
69 ft
·
7 sec
3
Turn right onto GA 236
342 ft
·
16 sec
·
Lavista Road Northeast
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Turn sharp left onto North Druid Hills Road Northeast
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
North Druid Hills Road Northeast
Use the left lane.
5
Turn slight left
182 ft
·
10 sec
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
7
Merge onto I 85
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Northeast Expressway
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on I 75; I 85
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Downtown Connector
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 248A
Toward Martin Luther King Junior Drive, State Capitol, Turner Field
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn slight right onto Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
288 ft
·
13 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
Use the right lane.
11
Turn left onto Capitol Square Southwest
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Capitol Square Southwest
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue Southeast
318 ft
·
6 sec
·
Capitol Avenue Southeast
Use the right lane.
13
Arrive at destination
Capitol Avenue Southeast
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 10.1 — 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
|
GA 236 / Lavista Road Northeast
Turn right onto GA 236 / Lavista Road Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Druid Hills Road Northeast
Turn sharp left onto North Druid Hills Road Northeast
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
9.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward Martin Luther King Junior Drive, State Capitol, Turner Field
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 248A
Toward Martin Luther King Junior Drive, State C...
6
10 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Capitol Square Southwest
Turn left onto Capitol Square Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
10.1 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Capitol Avenue Southeast
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue Southeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.60 one way
$3.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $1.74 | $3.49 |
| premium | $4.70 | $1.89 | $3.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.25 | $4.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.07 | $0.49 |
| Efficient EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.89 | $0.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.43 | $0.65 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Morning in Atlanta on Tuesday
Local time
7:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Mostly Clear
W 0 to 10 mph
1% chance
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
17 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
16m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This is a mixed drive that transitions quickly from local streets to high-speed arteries. You will spend about 45% of your time on highways, primarily utilizing the Northeast Expressway and the Downtown Connector. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 4.5-mile segment on the Northeast Expressway, which provides the bulk of the fast-paced driving. As you move from North Druid Hills Road Northeast into the heart of the city, the character of the road shifts from neighborhood-adjacent thoroughfares to the denser, more complex traffic patterns of central Atlanta.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.5 mi on Northeast Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near GA 236 / Lavista Road Northeast.
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 10.2 miles you will encounter 9 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 (GA 236 / Lavista Road Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (North Druid Hills Road Northeast): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Atlanta, GA
Full guide →“The Big Peach” · Founded 1845
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.
Top landmarks
- • Georgia State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Georgia
- • Virginia-Highland — human settlement in Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- • Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park — heritage site in Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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 16m. Total distance: 10.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (45%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.5 miles on Northeast Expressway. 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: at 0.1 miles (GA 236 / Lavista Road Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (North Druid Hills Road Northeast): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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