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Trip from Russellville, AR to North Little Rock, AR

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 15m

Distance

72 mi

116 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Fair

2 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 10m ★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

seat of Pope County, Arkansas, USA

Russellville, AR

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Traveling the 72.6 miles from Russellville to North Little Rock is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Because of the quick duration, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You can expect to spend approximately $11 on fuel for this transit, making it a very economical excursion. The path transitions you through the Southeast region of Arkansas, moving from Russellville toward the metropolitan area of North Little Rock. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a quick getaway, this drive offers a reliable and efficient connection between these two cities.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 40 68.3 mi 1h 9m
East Main Street 2.3 mi 3m
North Main Street 0.7 mi 1m
AR 331 0.3 mi <1m
North Arkansas Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 40 — 68.3 mi, about 1h 9m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Russellville, AR and North Little Rock, AR.

1

Start on AR 7

106 ft · 9 sec · North Arkansas Avenue
2

Turn left onto US 64

2.3 mi · 3 min · East Main Street
3

Turn left onto AR 331

0.3 mi · 28 sec · AR 331
Use the left lane.
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Exit 84 Toward I-40
5

Merge onto I 40

68 mi · 1 hr 9 min · I 40
6

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Use the right lane.
7

Turn slight right

93 ft · 4 sec
8

Turn slight right onto North Main Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Main Street
9

Arrive at destination

North Main Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Conway, AR, AR

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Conway, AR

36 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Morrilton, AR

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Conway, AR

Meal break

The midpoint is around 36 miles from Russellville, AR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 40 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 68.3 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 5

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 71.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

3
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 64 / East Main Street

Turn left onto US 64 / East Main Street

Navigation decision point

6
2.3 mi into trip | ~3m in | AR 331

Turn left onto AR 331

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
2.6 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the ramp toward I-40

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

Exit 84 Toward I-40
3
2.8 mi into trip | ~4m in | I 40

Merge onto I 40

Merge point - match speed before joining

5
71.1 mi into trip | ~1h 13m in

Take the exit

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.87 one way

$21.75 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 25 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.21 $11.94 $23.87
premium $4.56 $12.92 $25.85
diesel $5.61 $15.90 $31.79

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 25.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 21.6 0 $7.56 $3.46
Efficient EV 18 0 $6.30 $2.88
EV Truck/SUV 28.8 0 $10.08 $4.61

Gas CO2

25 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (68% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Russellville, AR

Late night in Russellville on Sunday

Local time

5:27 AM

CDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

North Little Rock, AR

Late night in North Little Rock on Sunday

Local time

5:27 AM

CDT

Current temp

77°F

Unavailable

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

2 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

1h 15m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Your route kicks off on East Main Street and AR 331 before transitioning onto I-40 to complete the final leg of the journey. While you will be using I-40, the path maintains a unique character by relying significantly on local roads to navigate out of the Russellville area. Because the highway share is 0% for the initial portions of the trip, you will need to stay alert for frequent turns and changing road conditions. This mix ensures the drive remains engaging as you progress from the local streets into the faster-paced highway environment.

95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 68.3 mi on I 40.

How Hard Is This Drive?

1/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and East Main Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 64 / East Main Street.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Russellville, AR to North Little Rock, AR is easy. At 1h 15m with 95% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 64 / East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (AR 331): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.

About the Cities

Arriving in North Little Rock, AR

Full guide →

North Little Rock is in the Central region of Arkansas. Previously known as Argenta, it became known as North Little Rock after an unsuccessful annexation attempt by Little Rock. It's prudent not to go flouting your collection of prized jewelry when roaming the streets of North Little Rock, as the community can be a little sketch.

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 1h 15m. Total distance: 72 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (95%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 68.3 miles on I 40. 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: near the start (US 64 / East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (AR 331): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at North Little Rock, AR 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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