Origin
Alabaster, AL
Morning in Alabaster on Saturday
Local time
8:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alabaster, AL to Pell City, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
50 mi
80 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
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alabaster, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Pell City, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Alabaster, AL to Pell City, AL covers 50 miles and takes about 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 20, John M. Harbert III Freeway, I 65 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.1 miles on I 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.55 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 50 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 57m highway drive covering 50 miles, with most of the trip on I 20 and John M. Harbert III Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 21.1 miles on I 20.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 21.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and John M. Harbert III Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 12.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 50 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
12.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward I 459: Atlanta, Gadsden, Tuscaloosa
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 250
Toward I 459: Atlanta, Gadsden, Tuscaloosa
8
12.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 459 North: Atlanta, Gadsden
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 459 North: Atlanta, Gadsden
8
26.4 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward I 20: Birmingham, Atlanta
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 29
Toward I 20: Birmingham, Atlanta
7
26.5 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 20 East: Atlanta
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 20 East: Atlanta
8
48.2 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward US 231, AL 53: Ashville, Pell City
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 158
Toward US 231, AL 53: Ashville, Pell City
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Alabaster, AL and Pell City, AL, road signs point toward Gadsden, Tuscaloosa and Atlanta.
Gadsden
12.5 mi in
|
~14m
Tuscaloosa
12.5 mi in
|
~14m
Atlanta
26.4 mi in
|
~30m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 21.1 mi | 22m |
| John M. Harbert III Freeway | 13 mi | 13m |
| I 65 | 11 mi | 11m |
| 1st Street South | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Martin Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Comer Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Cogswell Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 21.1 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alabaster, AL and Pell City, AL.
1
Start on this road
97 ft
·
14 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
177 ft
·
14 sec
3
Turn right onto US 31; AL 119
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Street South
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I-65 North: Birmingham
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 65
11 mi
·
11 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 250
Toward I 459: Atlanta, Gadsden, Tuscaloosa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 459 North: Atlanta, Gadsden
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 459
13 mi
·
13 min
·
John M. Harbert III Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 29
Toward I 20: Birmingham, Atlanta
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 20 East: Atlanta
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 20
21 mi
·
22 min
·
I 20
Use the straight lane.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 158
Toward US 231, AL 53: Ashville, Pell City
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn right onto US 231
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Martin Street
14
Turn right onto Comer Avenue
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Comer Avenue
15
Turn right onto US 78
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Cogswell Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
US 78
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25 mi from Alabaster, AL · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25 miles from Alabaster, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Pell City, AL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Pell City, AL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.55 one way
$15.10 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $8.29 | $16.58 |
| premium | $4.56 | $8.97 | $17.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.04 | $22.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15 | 0 | $5.25 | $2.40 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20 | 0 | $7.00 | $3.20 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Pell City, AL
Morning in Pell City on Saturday
Local time
8:33 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
57m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Alabaster, AL to Pell City, AL covers 50 miles and takes about 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 20, John M. Harbert III Freeway, I 65. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25 miles from Alabaster, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.55 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 50 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
The main spots that need attention: at 12.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Alabaster, AL and Pell City, AL, road signs point toward Gadsden, Tuscaloosa and Atlanta.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument and Freedom Riders National Monument.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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