Origin
Smyrna, GA
Afternoon in Smyrna on Sunday
Local time
4:22 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Smyrna, 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
1h 15m
Distance
65.3 mi
105 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
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.
Smyrna, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Atlanta, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Smyrna to Atlanta, expect a straightforward 65.3-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete. This drive serves as an ideal day trip, allowing you to reach your destination quickly without the need for an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $10 for fuel to cover the distance. Navigating through the Southeast, you will primarily utilize the Purple Heart Highway, the Ralph David Abernathy Freeway, and the Madison Bypass. Because the route is relatively short, it offers great flexibility for your schedule, making it a manageable transit between these two Georgia locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Highway | 46.9 mi | 50m |
| Ralph David Abernathy Freeway | 9.3 mi | 11m |
| Madison Bypass | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Greensboro Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| Eatonton Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Capitol Avenue Southeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Buckhead Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Highway
— 46.9 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Smyrna, GA and Atlanta, GA.
1
Start on Buckhead Road
103 ft
·
6 sec
·
Buckhead Road
2
Turn left onto US 278; GA 12
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Greensboro Road
3
Turn left onto US 129 Bypass; US 441 Bypass; GA 24 Bypass
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Madison Bypass
4
Continue on US 129; US 441; GA 24
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Eatonton Road
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 20 West: Atlanta
6
Continue on I 20
47 mi
·
50 min
·
Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 20
9.3 mi
·
11 min
·
Ralph David Abernathy Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 58A
Toward Capital Avenue, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue Southeast
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Capitol Avenue Southeast
Use the right lane.
10
Arrive at destination
Capitol Avenue Southeast
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.7 miles from Smyrna, 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 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 65.1 — 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 278; GA 12 / Greensboro Road
Turn left onto US 278; GA 12 / Greensboro Road
Navigation decision point
3
3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 129 Bypass; US 441 Bypass; GA 24 Bypass / Madison Bypass
Turn left onto US 129 Bypass; US 441 Bypass; GA 24 Bypass / Madison Bypass
Navigation decision point
6
7.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward I 20 West: Atlanta
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 20 West: Atlanta
8
64.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward Capital Avenue, Downtown
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 58A
Toward Capital Avenue, Downtown
5
65.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
Capitol Avenue Southeast
Turn right onto Capitol Avenue Southeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.21 one way
$20.42 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $11.17 | $22.33 |
| premium | $4.70 | $12.09 | $24.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.42 | $28.83 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.86 | $3.13 |
| Efficient EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.71 | $2.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.1 | 0 | $9.14 | $4.18 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
4:22 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Oxford, GA
33 mi in
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 cooler 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 driving experience as you make your way toward Atlanta. Only 14% of this 65.3-mile trip is spent on highways, meaning you will spend the majority of your time navigating local roads. You will encounter your longest uninterrupted segment while spending 46.9 miles on the Purple Heart Highway. The character of the road shifts from open highway stretches to more technical, maneuvering-intensive segments as you progress. Be prepared for a drive that demands more focus on local navigation than a standard, monotonous interstate cruise.
Only 14% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 46.9 mi on Purple Heart Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 278; GA 12 / Greensboro Road.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Smyrna, GA to Atlanta, GA is easy. At 1h 15m with 14% 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 278; GA 12 / Greensboro Road): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles (US 129 Bypass; US 441 Bypass; GA 24 Bypass / Madison Bypass): Navigation decision point; at 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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 1h 15m. Total distance: 65.3 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 (14%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 46.9 miles on Purple Heart Highway. 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 278; GA 12 / Greensboro Road): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles (US 129 Bypass; US 441 Bypass; GA 24 Bypass / Madison Bypass): Navigation decision point; at 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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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