Traveling from Russellville to Tuscaloosa covers 100.4 miles, making for a manageable journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 59 minutes. Since this trip is well-suited for a single day, you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations along the way. You should budget approximately $15 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Alabama cities. Navigating through local streets like Main Avenue, 5th Street, and the Andrew Jackson Highway, you will experience a steady transit through the Southeast region. This route is an ideal choice if you prefer a direct, straightforward path without the need for multiple stops.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
49.8 miles from Russellville, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 10m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Andrew Jackson Highway
33.3 mi
46m
AL 13
33.3 mi
47m
US 43
28.6 mi
39m
Jackson Avenue North
1.7 mi
3m
Main Avenue
1.7 mi
3m
Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard
0.6 mi
<1m
University Boulevard
0.1 mi
<1m
5th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Andrew Jackson Highway
— 33.3 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Russellville, AL and Tuscaloosa, AL.
1
Start on Jackson Avenue North
1.7 mi·3 min·Jackson Avenue North
2
Turn right onto US 43; AL 13; AL 17
33 mi·46 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
3
Take the ramp onto AL 13
0.4 mi·45 sec·AL 13
4
Turn left onto AL 13
33 mi·46 min·AL 13
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on US 43
29 mi·39 min·US 43
6
Continue on Main Avenue
1.7 mi·3 min·Main Avenue
7
Turn left onto 5th Street
364 ft·12 sec·5th Street
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
9
Merge onto US 43; AL 69
0.6 mi·56 sec·Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard
10
Turn left onto University Boulevard
0.1 mi·19 sec·University Boulevard
Use the straight / left lanes.
11
Turn left
168 ft·12 sec
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Planning your departure is simple since the entire trip clocks in under two hours. Because there are no mandatory stops scheduled, you have the flexibility to power through the drive in one go or pull over whenever you need a break. Keep a close watch on your navigation as you transition between the Andrew Jackson Highway and local city streets, as the turn-heavy nature of the route requires frequent course adjustments. Since you are looking at a $15 fuel cost, filling up before you leave Russellville is a smart way to ensure you have enough gas to reach your destination without worry. Use the lack of planned stops to your advantage by keeping your schedule open for whatever pace suits you best.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 49.8 miles from Russellville, AL, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 33.3 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 22 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 49.8 miles or 1h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tuscaloosa, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Russellville, AL 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 Russellville, AL
This is one driving day of about 99.6 miles and 2h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Russellville, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Andrew Jackson Highway for about 33.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 99.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
1.7 mi into trip|~3m in|US 43; AL 13; AL 17 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Turn right onto US 43; AL 13; AL 17 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Navigation decision point
3
35 mi into trip|~49m in|AL 13
Take the ramp onto AL 13
Navigation decision point
6
35.5 mi into trip|~50m in|AL 13
Turn left onto AL 13
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
99.4 mi into trip|~2h 20m in|University Boulevard
Turn left onto University Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
99.5 mi into trip|~2h 21m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.04 one way
$30.08 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg35 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$16.51
$33.02
premium
$4.56
$17.88
$35.75
diesel
$5.61
$21.99
$43.98
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
29.9
0
$10.46
$4.78
Efficient EV
24.9
0
$8.71
$3.98
EV Truck/SUV
39.8
0
$13.94
$6.37
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 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 Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Russellville, AL
Late night
in Russellville on Tuesday
Local time
5:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Tuscaloosa, AL
Late night
in Tuscaloosa on Tuesday
Local time
5:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
57°F
Texas, AL
50 mi in
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 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
2h 21m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Because this route involves 0% highway travel, you will spend the entire 100.4 miles navigating local roads rather than high-speed interstates. The personality of this trip is defined by constant transitions rather than long, monotonous stretches. You will find that the road surface and traffic flow change frequently as you move from Russellville toward Tuscaloosa. It is a practical, ground-level way to experience the local landscape, offering a very different feel than a standard highway cruise.
62% 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: 33.3 mi on Andrew Jackson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Andrew Jackson Highway and AL 13. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near US 43; AL 13; AL 17 / Andrew Jackson Highway.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 21m 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 1.7 miles (US 43; AL 13; AL 17 / Andrew Jackson Highway): Navigation decision point; at 35 miles (AL 13): Navigation decision point; at 35.5 miles (AL 13): Lane positioning matters here.
The longest stretch is about 33.3 miles on Andrew Jackson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (US 43; AL 13; AL 17 / Andrew Jackson Highway): Navigation decision point; at 35 miles (AL 13): Navigation decision point; at 35.5 miles (AL 13): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Tuscaloosa, AL before heading back.
