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Trip from Atlanta, GA to Norcross, GA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

27m

Distance

20.4 mi

33 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 25m ★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

capital city of Georgia, United States

Atlanta, GA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States

Norcross, GA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Atlanta, GA to Norcross, GA covers 20.4 miles and takes about 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Northeast Expressway, Downtown Connector, Jimmy Carter Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.4 miles on Northeast Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.19 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 20.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

27m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 27m highway drive covering 20.4 miles, with most of the trip on Northeast Expressway and Downtown Connector. The longest continuous stretch is about 12.4 miles on Northeast Expressway.

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.
Northeast Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 12.4 miles.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,056 ft 832 ft

Total Climb

292 ft

Total Descent

277 ft

Highest Point

1,056 ft

~20.4 mi in

Elevation Range

224 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Northeast Expressway and Downtown Connector. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

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 10 decision points packed into just 20.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.5 miles (I 85 / Northeast Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 6.2 miles (I 85 / Northeast Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in

Take the ramp toward I 75 North, I 85 North

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 75 North, I 85 North
6
3.5 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 85 / Northeast Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 85 / Northeast Expressway toward I 85 North: Greenville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 251B Toward I 85 North: Greenville
6
6.2 mi into trip | ~8m in | I 85 / Northeast Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 85 / Northeast Expressway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
17.4 mi into trip | ~22m in

Take the exit toward GA 140 West: Jimmy Carter Boulevard

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 99 Toward GA 140 West: Jimmy Carter Boulevard
8
17.8 mi into trip | ~23m in

Keep slight left at fork toward GA 140 West: Norcross, Jimmy Carter Boulevard

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left lane. Toward GA 140 West: Norcross, Jimmy Carter Boul...

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Northeast Expressway 12.4 mi 15m
Downtown Connector 3.1 mi 4m
Jimmy Carter Boulevard 1.7 mi 2m
Interstate Highway 85 1.5 mi 1m
Buford Highway 0.4 mi <1m
South Peachtree Street 0.3 mi <1m
North Norcross Tucker Road 0.2 mi <1m
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Northeast Expressway — 12.4 mi, about 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Atlanta, GA and Norcross, GA.

1

Start on Capitol Avenue Southeast

69 ft · 1 sec · Capitol Avenue Southeast
2

Turn slight right

156 ft · 6 sec
3

Turn slight right onto Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southeast

257 ft · 7 sec · Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southeast
Use the right lane.
4

Continue on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast

0.1 mi · 13 sec · Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Toward I 75 North, I 85 North
6

Merge onto I 75; I 85

3.1 mi · 4 min · Downtown Connector
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 85

2.7 mi · 3 min · Northeast Expressway
Exit 251B Toward I 85 North: Greenville
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 85

9.7 mi · 11 min · Northeast Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on I 85

1.5 mi · 1 min · Interstate Highway 85
10

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Exit 99 Toward GA 140 West: Jimmy Carter Boulevard Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork

197 ft · 4 sec
Toward GA 140 West: Norcross, Jimmy Carter Boulevard Use the left lane.
12

Turn straight onto GA 140

1.7 mi · 2 min · Jimmy Carter Boulevard
Use the straight / left lanes.
13

Turn right onto US 23; GA 13

0.4 mi · 38 sec · Buford Highway
Use the right lane.
14

Turn left onto North Norcross Tucker Road

0.2 mi · 21 sec · North Norcross Tucker Road
15

Continue on South Peachtree Street

0.3 mi · 50 sec · South Peachtree Street
16

Arrive at destination

South Peachtree Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.19 one way

$6.38 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $3.49 $6.98
premium $4.70 $3.78 $7.55
diesel $5.61 $4.50 $9.01

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 7.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.1 0 $2.14 $0.98
Efficient EV 5.1 0 $1.78 $0.82
EV Truck/SUV 8.2 0 $2.86 $1.31

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (71% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 13, 2026

Origin

Atlanta, GA

Night in Atlanta on Friday

Local time

11:43 PM

EDT

Current temp

83°F

Partly Sunny

S 5 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 13 at 4:41AM EDT until April 13 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Peachtree City GA

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 13 at 3:28AM EDT until April 13 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC

Destination

Norcross, GA

Night in Norcross on Friday

Local time

11:43 PM

EDT

Current temp

52°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

31 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

27m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

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 Norcross, GA covers 20.4 miles and takes about 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Northeast Expressway, Downtown Connector, Jimmy Carter Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 10.2 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 $3.19 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 10 decision points packed into just 20.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.5 miles (I 85 / Northeast Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 6.2 miles (I 85 / Northeast Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Atlanta, GA to Norcross, GA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 832 ft to 1,056 ft elevation with about 292 ft of total climbing.

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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Norcross, GA to Atlanta, GA

Plan the drive back the other way.

20.4 mi 27m

Explore more options from Atlanta, GA or browse trips ending in Norcross, GA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse GA road trips.