Origin
Albany, GA
Afternoon in Albany on Saturday
Local time
3:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Albany, GA to Buford, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 7m
Distance
215.4 mi
347 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$34
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 55m
★
6 AM
4h 8m
8 AM
4h 34m
10 AM
4h 17m
12 PM
4h 14m
3 PM
4h 18m
5 PM
4h 33m
8 PM
4h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Albany, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Buford, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Albany, GA to Buford, GA covers 215.4 miles and takes about 4h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Front Street, West Broad Avenue, Blaylock Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $33.68 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
107.7 miles from Albany, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 3m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Front Street | — | — |
| West Broad Avenue | — | — |
| Blaylock Street | — | — |
| Clark Avenue | — | — |
| Cordele Road | — | — |
| I-75 North | — | — |
| Larry Justice Highway | — | — |
| Terrell Starr Parkway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
North Front Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Albany, GA and Buford, GA.
1
Start on Pine Avenue
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
Pine Avenue
2
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward North Front Street
75 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Front Street
3
Exit the roundabout onto North Front Street
512 ft
·
14 sec
·
North Front Street
4
Turn left onto West Broad Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
West Broad Avenue
5
Turn left onto Blaylock Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Blaylock Street
6
Turn right onto Clark Avenue
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Clark Avenue
7
Turn left onto Cordele Road
35 mi
·
43 min
·
Cordele Road
8
Turn left onto I-75 North: Macon
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
I-75 North: Macon
9
Merge slight left
57 mi
·
1 hr 1 min
10
Keep slight left to continue on Larry Justice Highway
16 mi
·
17 min
·
Larry Justice Highway
11
Merge slight right
49 mi
·
53 min
12
Keep slight right to continue on Terrell Starr Parkway
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Terrell Starr Parkway
13
Keep slight right to continue on I 285 East: Augusta, Greenville
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 285 East: Augusta, Greenville
14
Merge slight left onto Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
15
Take the exit slight right toward I 85: Greenville, Atlanta
0.7 mi
·
52 sec
·
I 85: Greenville, Atlanta
16
Keep slight right to continue on I 85 North: Greenville
518 ft
·
7 sec
·
I 85 North: Greenville
17
Keep slight left to continue on I 85 North: Greenville
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 85 North: Greenville
18
Merge slight left onto Northeast Expressway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Expressway
19
Continue on Interstate Highway 85
15 mi
·
16 min
·
Interstate Highway 85
20
Keep slight right
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
21
Keep slight left to continue on Lanier Parkway
3.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Lanier Parkway
22
Take the exit slight right toward US 23 South, GA 20: Buford, Cumming
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
US 23 South, GA 20: Buford, Cumming
23
Turn left onto Buford Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Buford Drive
24
Turn right onto South Lee Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South Lee Street
25
Turn right onto Buford Highway Northeast
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
Buford Highway Northeast
26
Turn left onto Garnett Street
459 ft
·
15 sec
·
Garnett Street
27
Turn right
292 ft
·
10 sec
28
Continue on South Harris Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Harris Street
29
Turn right
26 ft
·
2 sec
30
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
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 107.7 miles from Albany, GA, or about 2h 3m into the drive.
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 47 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 107.7 miles or 2h 3m 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 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buford, GA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Albany, GA 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 Albany, GA
This is one driving day of about 215.4 miles and 4h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Albany, GA.
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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
108 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 47 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 107.7 miles from Albany, GA, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.68 one way
$67.37 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
75 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $36.83 | $73.66 |
| premium | $4.70 | $39.87 | $79.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $47.56 | $95.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 75.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 64.6 | 0 | $22.62 | $10.34 |
| Efficient EV | 53.9 | 0 | $18.85 | $8.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 86.2 | 1 | $30.16 | $13.79 |
Gas CO2
75 kg
EV CO2
25 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.
Destination
Buford, GA
Afternoon in Buford on Saturday
Local time
3:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Jackson, GA
108 mi in
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
4 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
4h 7m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
215.4 mi in 4h 7m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: North Front Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 7m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Albany, GA to Buford, GA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Starting in Albany, GA
Full guide →Albany is a city of 72,000 people (2019) in Dougherty County in Georgia's Plantation Midlands region. It is part of the Black Belt, the extensive area in the Deep South of cotton plantations. During 1961–1962, African Americans in Albany played a prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement, founding the Albany Movement, a desegregation and voters' rights coalition formed in 1961. Ray Charles, the singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer, was born here, and is remembered in a park with a statue.
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 4h 7m. Total distance: 215.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Albany, GA to Buford, GA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
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 Buford, GA, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Buford, GA
More trips to Buford, GA
Explore more options from Albany, GA or browse trips ending in Buford, GA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse GA road trips.