Origin
Atlanta, GA
Morning in Atlanta on Monday
Local time
9:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Atlanta, GA to Dallas, TX
Drive Time
11h 58m
Distance
784.4 mi
1,262 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$126
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
11h 48m
★
6 AM
11h 59m
8 AM
12h 21m
10 AM
12h 6m
12 PM
12h 4m
3 PM
12h 8m
5 PM
12h 19m
8 PM
11h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Atlanta, GA
Kelly
Dallas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Atlanta, GA to Dallas, TX covers 784.4 miles and takes about 11h 58m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southwest, Washington Street Southwest, Memorial Drive Southwest for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $125.53 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
3 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
392.2 miles from Atlanta, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 59m into the drive .
Drive Character
At 784.4 miles and 11h 58m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southwest and Washington Street Southwest.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southwest is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 11h 58m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. A moderate number of decision points keep you engaged without being stressful.
Route Complexity
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 784.4 miles you will encounter 0 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?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Atlanta, GA to Dallas, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southwest | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Washington Street Southwest | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Memorial Drive Southwest | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Pryor Street Southwest | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 20 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Ralph David Abernathy Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 459 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 459 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southwest
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Atlanta, GA and Dallas, TX.
1
Start on Capitol Avenue Southeast
194 ft
·
9 sec
·
Capitol Avenue Southeast
2
Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southwest
433 ft
·
16 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southwest
3
Turn left onto Washington Street Southwest
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Washington Street Southwest
4
Turn right onto Memorial Drive Southwest
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Memorial Drive Southwest
5
Turn left onto Pryor Street Southwest
210 ft
·
5 sec
·
Pryor Street Southwest
6
Take the ramp right toward I 20 West
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
I 20 West
7
Merge slight left onto Ralph David Abernathy Freeway
134 mi
·
2 hr 25 min
·
Ralph David Abernathy Freeway
8
Take the exit slight right toward I 459: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Gadsden
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
I 459: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Gadsden
9
Keep slight left to continue on I 459 South: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 459 South: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa
10
Merge slight left onto John M. Harbert III Freeway
28 mi
·
30 min
·
John M. Harbert III Freeway
11
Keep slight left to continue on I 20 West, I 59 South: Tuscaloosa
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
I 20 West, I 59 South: Tuscaloosa
12
Merge slight left
127 mi
·
2 hr 16 min
13
Continue straight
1.8 mi
·
2 min
14
Keep slight right to continue on I 20 West: Jackson
85 mi
·
1 hr 31 min
·
I 20 West: Jackson
15
Merge slight right
1.6 mi
·
2 min
16
Keep slight right to continue on I 20 West, US 49 North: Vicksburg, Yazoo City
39 mi
·
43 min
·
I 20 West, US 49 North: Vicksburg, Yazoo City
17
Merge slight right
3.8 mi
·
4 min
18
Keep slight right
328 mi
·
5 hr 49 min
19
Keep slight right to continue on Dallas
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Dallas
20
Continue straight
19 mi
·
20 min
21
Merge slight left onto East R L Thornton Freeway
6.0 mi
·
7 min
·
East R L Thornton Freeway
22
Take the exit slight right toward I 45 South, US 75 North: Houston, McKinney
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
I 45 South, US 75 North: Houston, McKinney
23
Keep slight right to continue on US 75 North: McKinney
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
US 75 North: McKinney
24
Keep slight left to continue on Main Street West, Elm Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Main Street West, Elm Street
25
Keep slight right to continue on Elm Street
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Elm Street
26
Turn straight onto Elm Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Elm Street
27
Turn right onto North Lamar Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
North Lamar Street
28
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 392.2 miles from Atlanta, GA, or about 5h 59m into the drive.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 173 miles or 2h 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 392.2 miles or 5h 59m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 392.2 miles or 5h 59m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 11h 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dallas, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Atlanta, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Atlanta, GA
Aim for roughly 392 miles and 6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Dallas, TX
Aim for roughly 392 miles and 6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 173 miles from Atlanta, GA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 392.2 mi from Atlanta, GA · 5h 59m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
259 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
518 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Waskom, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
392 mi · about 6h in
A practical overnight split lands near Butler, AL after about 392 miles or 6 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 173 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 392.2 miles from Atlanta, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 392 miles or 6 hours on the road.
Final-third reset
Rest stopPlan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.
Arriving in Dallas, TX
The final approach into Dallas, TX usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Dallas, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Dallas, TX with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$125.53 one way
$251.07 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
274 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $136.78 | $273.55 |
| premium | $4.78 | $147.55 | $295.11 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $174.27 | $348.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$126
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$256–$366
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 274.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $82 in charging · 2 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 235.3 | 2 | $82.36 | $37.65 |
| Efficient EV | 196.1 | 2 | $68.63 | $31.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 313.8 | 3 | $109.82 | $50.20 |
Gas CO2
274 kg
EV CO2
92 kg (66% less)
Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Dallas, TX
Morning in Dallas on Monday
Local time
8:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
86°F
Cordova, AL
259 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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
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
11h 58m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Atlanta, GA to Dallas, TX covers 784.4 miles and takes about 11h 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southwest, Washington Street Southwest, Memorial Drive Southwest. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 392 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 392.2 miles from Atlanta, GA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $125.53 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 784.4 miles you will encounter 0 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Atlanta, GA to Dallas, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Atlanta, GA to Dallas, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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