Origin
Starkville, MS
Morning in Starkville on Tuesday
Local time
7:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Starkville, MS to Tupelo, MS
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
66.4 mi
107 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
5 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 19m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Starkville, MS
Wikimedia Commons
Tupelo, MS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion through Southeast Mississippi, the 66.4-mile journey from Starkville to Tupelo is a straightforward choice. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 25 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via US Highway 45 Alternate, US 82, and Martin Luther King Drive. Budget roughly $10 for fuel to cover the distance, keeping your expenses minimal for this regional transit. Because the drive is relatively short, you have plenty of flexibility to explore your destination without feeling rushed by a grueling travel schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US Highway 45 Alternate | 34.6 mi | 42m |
| Martin Luther King Drive | 18.1 mi | 20m |
| US 82 | 6.3 mi | 6m |
| MS 12 | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Martin Luther King, Junior Drive | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Highway 182 East | 1 mi | 1m |
| Martin Luther King, Junior Drive East | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
US Highway 45 Alternate
— 34.6 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Starkville, MS and Tupelo, MS.
1
Start on this road
290 ft
·
26 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
214 ft
·
16 sec
3
Continue on Victory Lane
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Victory Lane
4
Continue on Eckford Drive
0.1 mi
·
36 sec
·
Eckford Drive
5
Turn right onto MS 12
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
MS 12
6
Turn slight right
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward MS 182 East
7
Turn straight onto MS 182
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Martin Luther King, Junior Drive East
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Continue on MS 182
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Highway 182 East
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward US 82 East, MS 12 East, MS 25 North: Columbus, West Point
Use the right lane.
10
Merge onto US 82; MS 12; MS 25
6.3 mi
·
6 min
·
US 82; MS 12; MS 25
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward US 45 Alternate North, MS 25 North: West Point, Tupelo
12
Merge onto US 45 ALT; MS 25
35 mi
·
42 min
·
US Highway 45 Alternate
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on US 45 ALT
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Martin Luther King Drive
14
Continue on US 45; MS 6
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Martin Luther King, Junior Drive
15
Take the exit onto MS 6
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
MS 6
Toward MS 6 East: Downtown Tupelo
16
Keep slight left at fork
170 ft
·
7 sec
17
Turn left onto MS 6
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn right onto North Spring Street
230 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Spring Street
19
Arrive at destination
North Spring Street
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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.2 miles from Starkville, MS, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 65.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
6
4.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the ramp toward US 82 East, MS 12 East, MS 25 North: Columbus, West Point
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward US 82 East, MS 12 East, MS 25 North: Col...
5
10.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward US 45 Alternate North, MS 25 North: West Point, Tupelo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 45 Alternate North, MS 25 North: West...
5
11.1 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
US 45 ALT; MS 25 / US Highway 45 Alternate
Merge onto US 45 ALT; MS 25 / US Highway 45 Alternate
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
65.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
MS 6
Take the exit onto MS 6 toward MS 6 East: Downtown Tupelo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward MS 6 East: Downtown Tupelo
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.03 one way
$20.06 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $11.01 | $22.02 |
| premium | $4.56 | $11.92 | $23.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.66 | $29.32 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.2 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 | 19.9 | 0 | $6.97 | $3.19 |
| Efficient EV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.81 | $2.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.6 | 0 | $9.30 | $4.25 |
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
Tupelo, MS
Morning in Tupelo on Tuesday
Local time
7:41 AM
CDT
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
5 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 25m 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 trip is a highway-focused drive, with 66% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will experience a mix of fast-paced highway stretches and local road navigation as you transition between the two cities. The longest uninterrupted portion of the journey covers 34.6 miles along US Highway 45 Alternate, allowing for a steady, consistent pace. While the drive does not feature technical, winding mountain roads, the transition from US 82 to the alternate highway provides a clear shift in the driving environment. It is a practical, efficient route designed for getting you from point A to point B with minimal complexity.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.6 mi on US Highway 45 Alternate.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 45 Alternate and Martin Luther King Drive. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 66.4 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 4.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Starkville, MS to Tupelo, MS, road signs begin pointing toward Point along the way.
Point
4.3 mi in
|
~8m
About the Cities
Starting in Starkville, MS
Full guide →Starkville is a city in East Mississippi. Mississippi State University is located just to the east of the city limits, and is included in this article.
Arriving in Tupelo, MS
Full guide →Tupelo is a city in Northeast Mississippi that is known best for being the birthplace of Elvis Presley.
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 25m. Total distance: 66.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.6 miles on US Highway 45 Alternate. 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 Tupelo, MS 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 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 4.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Tupelo National Battlefield and Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. 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 Tupelo, MS 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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