Origin
Talladega, AL
Afternoon in Talladega on Sunday
Local time
12:46 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Talladega, AL to Birmingham, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
53.4 mi
86 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Talladega, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Birmingham, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 53.4-mile drive from Talladega, AL to Birmingham, AL takes about 1 hour and 5 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. Primarily utilizing I-20, with brief transitions onto AL-77 and 1st Avenue North, this route is heavily highway-focused, with 88% of it on faster roads. The estimated fuel cost is around $8, reflecting the relatively short distance. Given its brevity and direct nature, this trip doesn't require an overnight stay and can be completed comfortably within a single day. You'll be traveling within the Southeast region for the entirety of this journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 37.1 mi | 40m |
| AL 77 | 9.9 mi | 14m |
| 1st Avenue North | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| North East Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| 24th Street North | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Coosa Street West | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 64th Street South | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Spring Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 37.1 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Talladega, AL and Birmingham, AL.
1
Start on North Spring Street
456 ft
·
21 sec
·
North Spring Street
2
Turn right onto Coosa Street West
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
Coosa Street West
3
Turn left onto North East Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North East Street
4
Turn left
0.8 mi
·
58 sec
5
Continue on AL 77
9.9 mi
·
14 min
·
AL 77
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I-20 West: Birmingham
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto I 20
37 mi
·
40 min
·
I 20
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 130B
Toward 1st Avenue South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on 64th Street South
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
64th Street South
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left onto US 11
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
1st Avenue North
11
Turn right onto 24th Street North
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
24th Street North
12
Arrive at destination
24th Street North
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.7 miles from Talladega, AL, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 48.9 — 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
|
Coosa Street West
Turn right onto Coosa Street West
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
North East Street
Turn left onto North East Street
Navigation decision point
7
11.6 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the ramp toward I-20 West: Birmingham
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I-20 West: Birmingham
5
11.8 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
I 20
Merge onto I 20
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
48.9 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Take the exit toward 1st Avenue South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 130B
Toward 1st Avenue South
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.06 one way
$16.13 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $8.85 | $17.71 |
| premium | $4.56 | $9.58 | $19.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.79 | $23.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16 | 0 | $5.61 | $2.56 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.67 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.48 | $3.42 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Birmingham, AL
Afternoon in Birmingham on Sunday
Local time
12:46 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°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
29 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 5m 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 highway-focused experience for most of this 53.4-mile journey, with 88% of the drive on high-speed roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 37.1 miles on I-20, offering a consistent pace. While primarily interstate, you will transition onto AL-77 and then 1st Avenue North as you approach Birmingham, introducing slight changes in the driving environment. This route is designed for efficient travel rather than leisurely sightseeing.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.1 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and AL 77. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Coosa Street West.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 5m drive. You will face about 9 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 (Coosa Street West): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North East Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
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 Talladega, AL to Birmingham, AL, road signs begin pointing toward 1St Avenue South along the way.
1St Avenue South
48.9 mi in
|
~58m
About the Cities
Arriving in Birmingham, AL
Full guide →Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama, and its cultural and economic nucleus. While it's best remembered as the site of protest, bombings, and other racial tumult during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, visitors to the Birmingham of today will find a pleasant green city of ridges, valleys, attractive views, and friendly, hospitable people.
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 5m. Total distance: 53.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37.1 miles on I 20. 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: at 0.1 miles (Coosa Street West): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North East Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument and Freedom Riders National Monument. 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 Birmingham, AL 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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