Origin
Sandy Springs, GA
Late night in Sandy Springs on Sunday
Local time
3:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sandy Springs, GA to Auburn, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
35.8 mi
58 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Auburn, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Sandy Springs to Auburn is 35.8 miles and takes about 49 minutes via University Parkway and I-85, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Georgia, making it a convenient option for a quick journey. You'll experience a mixed drive, transitioning from local roads to highway speeds. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a same-day trip without needing an overnight stay. Plan for a straightforward drive with minimal complexities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| University Parkway | 10.2 mi | 14m |
| Interstate Highway 85 | 8.8 mi | 9m |
| Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| Winder Highway | 4.1 mi | 6m |
| Atlanta Highway Northwest | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Hammond Drive Northeast | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Northeast Expressway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Johnson Ferry Road Northeast | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
University Parkway
— 10.2 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sandy Springs, GA and Auburn, GA.
1
Start on Mount Vernon Highway
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Mount Vernon Highway
2
Continue on Johnson Ferry Road Northeast
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Johnson Ferry Road Northeast
3
Turn right onto Glenridge Drive Northeast
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Glenridge Drive Northeast
4
Turn slight left onto Hammond Drive Northeast
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Hammond Drive Northeast
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Peachtree Dunwoody Road
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Peachtree Dunwoody Road
6
Keep slight left at fork onto Peachtree Dunwoody Road
392 ft
·
16 sec
·
Peachtree Dunwoody Road
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
8
Merge onto I 285
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 33B
Toward I 85 North: Greenville
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
525 ft
·
12 sec
Toward I 85 North: Greenville, Pleasantdale Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 85 North: Greenville
12
Merge onto I 85
0.7 mi
·
47 sec
·
Northeast Expressway
13
Continue on I 85
8.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Interstate Highway 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 106
Toward GA 316 East: Lawrenceville, Athens
15
Continue on GA 316
10 mi
·
14 min
·
University Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn left onto US 29 Business; GA 8
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Winder Highway
17
Continue on GA 8
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Atlanta Highway Northwest
18
Turn left onto Mount Moriah Road
302 ft
·
12 sec
·
Mount Moriah Road
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto 4th Avenue
83 ft
·
2 sec
·
4th Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
4th Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 35.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.9 miles from Sandy Springs, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 135 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 18.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 285 / Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
Merge onto I 285 / Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
7.7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 85 North: Greenville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 33B
Toward I 85 North: Greenville
8
8.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 85 North: Greenville, Pleasantdale Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 85 North: Greenville, Pleasantdale Roa...
6
8.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 85 North: Greenville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 85 North: Greenville
6
18.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward GA 316 East: Lawrenceville, Athens
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 106
Toward GA 316 East: Lawrenceville, Athens
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.60 one way
$11.20 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.12 | $12.24 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.63 | $13.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.90 | $15.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.13 | $1.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.01 | $2.29 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Auburn, GA
Late night in Auburn on Sunday
Local time
3:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
79°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
27 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
49m 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?
This drive features a 55% highway share, meaning you'll spend a good portion of your time on faster roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10.2 miles on University Parkway, offering a consistent pace. The profile is described as a 'mixed drive,' suggesting a blend of urban/suburban arteries and interstate travel. Expect to transition from more localized roads near Sandy Springs to the higher speeds of the Atlanta Bypass and Interstate 85, before potentially shifting back to more local thoroughfares as you approach Auburn.
55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.2 mi on University Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in near I 285 / Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 35.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.3 miles (I 285 / Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
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 Sandy Springs, GA to Auburn, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Athens along the way.
Athens
18.5 mi in
|
~24m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 35.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.2 miles on University Parkway. 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 Auburn, 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 2.3 miles (I 285 / Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Auburn, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Auburn, GA
More trips to Auburn, GA
Explore more options from Sandy Springs, GA or browse trips ending in Auburn, GA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse GA road trips.