Southaven, MS to Union, MS is 197.1 miles and takes about 4h 8m via I 55 and MS 35, with a fuel budget near $28 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Mississippi, taking you from the northern part of the state down towards the central region. You'll spend most of your time on highways, making for a straightforward trip. With a single day recommended, it's a manageable drive for most travelers looking to cover ground efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
98.6 miles from Southaven, MS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55
115.8 mi
2h 4m
MS 14
33.7 mi
50m
MS 35
24.3 mi
36m
MS 15
17.8 mi
26m
South Huntington Street
1.4 mi
2m
Veterans Memorial Drive
1.1 mi
1m
East Jackson Road
0.9 mi
1m
Stateline Road West
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 115.8 mi, about 2h 4m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,078 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,395
Quietest
2 AM
~98 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 103 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Southaven, MS and Union, MS.
1
Start on Five Oaks Drive West
0.1 mi·30 sec·Five Oaks Drive West
2
Turn right onto Haleville Drive
0.2 mi·53 sec·Haleville Drive
3
At end of road, turn left onto Millbranch Road
0.2 mi·38 sec·Millbranch Road
4
Turn right onto Stateline Road West
0.3 mi·29 sec·Stateline Road West
5
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·59 sec
6
Merge onto I 55; I 69
116 mi·2 hr 4 min·I 55; I 69
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
8
Turn left onto MS 35; MS 430
24 mi·36 min·MS 35; MS 430
9
Turn left onto East Jefferson Street
0.1 mi·15 sec·East Jefferson Street
10
Turn right onto South Huntington Street
1.4 mi·2 min·South Huntington Street
11
Turn right onto MS 19; MS 35
1.1 mi·1 min·Veterans Memorial Drive
12
Turn left onto MS 14; MS 19
34 mi·50 min·MS 14; MS 19
13
Turn right onto MS 19
0.2 mi·40 sec·MS 19
14
Continue on MS 15; MS 19
3.7 mi·5 min·MS 15; MS 19
15
Continue on MS 15; MS 21
14 mi·21 min·MS 15; MS 21
16
Turn right onto MS 492
0.9 mi·1 min·East Jackson Road
17
Turn straight onto MS 489
0.2 mi·19 sec·Main Street
18
Arrive at destination
MS 489
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour drive time, leaving in the morning is ideal to allow for flexibility. The route involves one recommended stop, but with only 197.1 miles, you can easily adjust your break times as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially during the 115.8-mile stretch on I 55, as services can be spaced out. The estimated fuel cost of $28 suggests planning for a single fill-up if starting with a full tank. Transitioning from interstate to state highways will require a slight adjustment in driving pace.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 98.6 miles from Southaven, MS, or about 1h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 115.8 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 43 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 98.6 miles or 1h 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Union, MS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Southaven, MS 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 Southaven, MS
This is one driving day of about 197.1 miles and 4h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from Southaven, MS.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 55 for about 115.8 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 141.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Haleville Drive
Turn right onto Haleville Drive
Navigation decision point
6
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|Millbranch Road
At end of road, turn left onto Millbranch Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
4
0.6 mi into trip|~2m in|Stateline Road West
Turn right onto Stateline Road West
Navigation decision point
4
117.4 mi into trip|~2h 8m in|MS 35; MS 430
Turn left onto MS 35; MS 430
Navigation decision point
4
141.8 mi into trip|~2h 45m in|South Huntington Street
Turn right onto South Huntington Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.87 one way
$57.75 round trip
$3.72/gal25.4 MPG avg69 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.13
$32.06
$64.11
premium
$4.49
$34.81
$69.62
diesel
$5.60
$43.45
$86.89
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 69 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
59.1
0
$20.70
$9.46
Efficient EV
49.3
0
$17.25
$7.88
EV Truck/SUV
78.8
0
$27.59
$12.61
Gas CO2
69 kg
EV CO2
23 kg (67% 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 Aug 15, 2026
Origin
Southaven, MS
Late night
in Southaven on Wednesday
Local time
2:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
100°F
Sunny
WSW 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 15 at 3:41AM CDT until August 17 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Jackson MS
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued August 15 at 2:01AM CDT until August 16 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
Destination
Union, MS
Late night
in Union on Wednesday
Local time
2:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
101°F
Sunny
WNW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 15 at 3:41AM CDT until August 17 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Jackson MS
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued August 15 at 2:01AM CDT until August 16 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
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
1 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
4h 8m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument
National Monument
In 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till traveled to Money, Mississippi, to visit relatives. He was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered after reportedly whistling at a white woman. His mother, Mamie Till-Mobley...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is overwhelmingly highway driving, with 97% of the route on major roads. You'll experience a long stretch of 115.8 miles on I 55 before transitioning to MS 14 and MS 35. Expect frequent exits and merging traffic for the majority of your travel time. The final portion of the drive will involve navigating on state highways.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 115.8 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and MS 14. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Haleville Drive.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 8m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Haleville Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Millbranch Road): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.6 miles (Stateline Road West): Navigation decision point.
The longest stretch is about 115.8 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 0.1 miles (Haleville Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Millbranch Road): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.6 miles (Stateline Road West): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Union, MS, but most travelers stay overnight.
