Origin
Palmetto, GA
Afternoon in Palmetto on Sunday
Local time
4:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palmetto, GA to Atlanta, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
27.3 mi
44 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palmetto, GA
Airam Dato-on
Atlanta, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 27.3-mile journey from Palmetto, GA, to Atlanta, GA, is easily manageable in about 36 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 85% of the drive on major roads, and you can expect a fuel cost of around $4. Given the short distance and duration, there's no need to split this trip or plan for an overnight stay. The drive keeps you within the Southeast region, moving from one point in Georgia to another. This straightforward route is perfect for a quick commute or a short leg of a larger road trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 85 | 23.3 mi | 27m |
| Collinsworth Road | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Fayetteville Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Capitol Avenue Southeast | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Fulton Street Southwest | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Toombs Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 85
— 23.3 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palmetto, GA and Atlanta, GA.
1
Start on Toombs Street
280 ft
·
7 sec
·
Toombs Street
2
Continue on Fayetteville Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Fayetteville Road
3
Continue on Collinsworth Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Collinsworth Road
4
At end of road, turn left onto Collinsworth Road
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
Collinsworth Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 85 North
6
Merge onto I 85
23 mi
·
27 min
·
I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 246
Toward Fulton Street, Central Avenue, Georgia State University
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
Toward Fulton Street, Zoo Atlanta
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto Fulton Street Southwest
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Fulton Street Southwest
Use the left / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto Capitol Avenue Southeast
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
Capitol Avenue Southeast
11
Arrive at destination
Capitol Avenue Southeast
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 26.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 85 North
Navigation decision point
Toward I 85 North
5
2.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 85
Merge onto I 85
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
25.9 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward Fulton Street, Central Avenue, Georgia State University
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.
Exit 246
Toward Fulton Street, Central Avenue, Georgia S...
8
26.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Fulton Street, Zoo Atlanta
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Fulton Street, Zoo Atlanta
6
26.6 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
Fulton Street Southwest
Turn right onto Fulton Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.27 one way
$8.54 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $4.67 | $9.34 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.05 | $10.11 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.03 | $12.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.87 | $1.31 |
| Efficient EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.39 | $1.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.82 | $1.75 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Afternoon in Atlanta on Sunday
Local time
4:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Sunny
SW 10 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 12:59PM EDT by NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 15 at 8:01PM EDT by NWS Peachtree City GA
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
36m 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?
Expect a predominantly highway experience on this 27.3-mile drive, with 85% of your travel time spent on major roadways like I-85. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 23.3 miles on I-85, offering a consistent pace. While the profile is 'Highway-focused,' the route also incorporates local roads like Collinsworth Road and Fayetteville Road, which will likely offer a change of pace as you approach your destination. The transition between these road types should be smooth, maintaining a generally efficient travel experience.
85% 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: 23.3 mi on I 85.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 85 and Collinsworth Road. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 27.3 miles you will encounter 7 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 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.9 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 →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.
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 36m. Total distance: 27.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.3 miles on I 85. 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 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.9 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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