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Trip from Springfield, TN to Nashville, TN

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

36m

Distance

28.9 mi

47 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 34m ★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m

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

city in Tennessee, United States

Springfield, TN

Wikimedia Commons

capital and largest city of Tennessee, United States

Nashville, TN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning a trip from Springfield to Nashville, you are looking at a quick 28.9-mile journey that typically takes about 36 minutes. This route is a straightforward transition from the quiet surroundings of Robertson County into the heart of the Southeast’s most vibrant city. Because the travel time is under an hour, you can easily complete this drive in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Expect to spend roughly $4 on fuel for the trip, making it an incredibly budget-friendly commute or getaway. Whether you are heading into the city for work or a quick visit, the brevity of this drive allows for maximum flexibility in your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 24 12.9 mi 15m
Tom Austin Highway 7.5 mi 8m
Whites Creek Pike 5.1 mi 5m
Memorial Boulevard 1.2 mi 1m
James Robertson Parkway 0.7 mi 1m
Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard 0.3 mi <1m
7th Avenue North 0.2 mi 1m
East 5th Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 24 — 12.9 mi, about 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Springfield, TN and Nashville, TN.

1

Start on South Main Street

45 ft · 4 sec · South Main Street
2

Turn right onto TN 49

0.2 mi · 18 sec · East 5th Avenue
3

Turn right onto US 41; US 431

1.2 mi · 1 min · Memorial Boulevard
4

Turn right onto US 431

7.5 mi · 8 min · Tom Austin Highway
5

Continue on US 431

5.1 mi · 5 min · Whites Creek Pike
6

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
7

Merge onto I 24

9.2 mi · 9 min · I 24
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 24

2.3 mi · 3 min · I 24
Exit 44A Toward I 24 East, I 65 South: Nashville Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9

Continue on I 24

1.4 mi · 1 min · I 24
Exit 86 Toward I 24 East: Chattanooga, Knoxville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Exit 48 Toward James Robertson Parkway, State Capitol Use the slight right lane.
11

Continue on Interstate Drive

374 ft · 6 sec · Interstate Drive
12

Turn right onto US 31; US 41; US 431

0.7 mi · 1 min · James Robertson Parkway
Use the straight lane.
13

Turn left onto 3rd Avenue North

129 ft · 6 sec · 3rd Avenue North
Use the left lane.
14

Turn right onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard

0.3 mi · 43 sec · Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
15

Turn right onto 7th Avenue North

0.2 mi · 1 min · 7th Avenue North
16

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 14.5 and 28.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
14.5 mi into trip | ~17m in | I 24

Merge onto I 24

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
23.7 mi into trip | ~27m in | I 24

Keep slight right at fork onto I 24 toward I 24 East, I 65 South: Nashville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Exit 44A Toward I 24 East, I 65 South: Nashville
8
27.4 mi into trip | ~32m in

Take the exit toward James Robertson Parkway, State Capitol

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 48 Toward James Robertson Parkway, State Capitol
6
28.3 mi into trip | ~34m in | 3rd Avenue North

Turn left onto 3rd Avenue North

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
28.3 mi into trip | ~34m in | Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard

Turn right onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.52 one way

$9.04 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $4.96 $9.92
premium $4.89 $5.56 $11.12
diesel $5.61 $6.38 $12.76

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8.7 0 $3.03 $1.39
Efficient EV 7.2 0 $2.53 $1.16
EV Truck/SUV 11.6 0 $4.05 $1.85

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% 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

Springfield, TN

Late night in Springfield on Tuesday

Local time

5:34 AM

CDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Nashville, TN

Late night in Nashville on Tuesday

Local time

5:34 AM

CDT

Current temp

78°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

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

36m 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 mixed driving experience that blends local routes with a faster interstate leg. You will spend about 47% of your time on highways, navigating a combination of Tom Austin Highway and Whites Creek Pike before merging onto I-24. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 12.9-mile segment on I-24, which provides the most consistent speed during the trip. As you transition from the local roads onto the interstate, the pace of the drive shifts noticeably. This path offers a functional balance between the stop-and-go nature of local thoroughfares and the steady flow of the highway, keeping the drive engaging throughout its short duration.

47% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.9 mi on I 24.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

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 14.5 miles in near I 24.

Driving Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 28.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 14.5 miles (I 24): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles (I 24): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.

Between Springfield, TN and Nashville, TN, road signs point toward Knoxville and State Capitol.

Knoxville

26 mi in | ~30m | via I 24

State Capitol

27.4 mi in | ~32m

About the Cities

Arriving in Nashville, TN

Full guide →

Nashville is the capital of the American state of Tennessee. With 716,000 residents in 2022, it is the state's largest city. Nashville is sometimes called the "Country Music Capital of the World" or more often "Music City, USA"; however, Nashville has done much to escape its country music image and become a regional center of culture and commerce. In fact, Dell, Nissan, and Amazon have all moved some operations to or near the city. The music is various; major rap artists and rock bands (Jelly Roll, Young Buck, Haystak, Kings of Leon, Paramore, and Ben Folds) claim Nashville as their hometown, and the city is also the epicenter of the contemporary Christian music industry. Nashville has been the home of the world-famous Grand Ole Opry since 1925. Nashville also has a great bar scene. If you like to drink, you can go "Honky-tonking," also known as bar-hopping.

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 36m. Total distance: 28.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

36m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 12.9 miles on I 24. 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 Nashville, TN 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 14.5 miles (I 24): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles (I 24): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Stones River National Battlefield. 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 Nashville, TN 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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