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Trip from Bolivar, TN to Chattanooga, TN

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

5h 2m

Distance

249.9 mi

402 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$39

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
4h 49m ★
6 AM
5h 2m
8 AM
5h 29m
10 AM
5h 12m
12 PM
5h 9m
3 PM
5h 13m
5 PM
5h 28m
8 PM
4h 54m

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

seat of Hardeman County in Tennessee

Bolivar, TN

Wikimedia Commons

city in and county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States

Chattanooga, TN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Bolivar, TN to Chattanooga, TN covers 249.9 miles and takes about 5h 2m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 64, United States Route 64, I 24 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 87.2 miles on US 64. At current regular gas prices, budget about $39.07 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

125 miles from Bolivar, TN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 32m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 2m. Total distance: 249.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 5h 2m highway drive covering 249.9 miles, with most of the trip on US 64 and United States Route 64. The longest continuous stretch is about 87.2 miles on US 64.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 64 is the longest continuous segment at about 87.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 64 and United States Route 64. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 64 / East Market Street.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 249.9 miles you will encounter 11 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?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 64 / East Market Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 189.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 248.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 64 / East Market Street

Depart onto US 64 / East Market Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
5
189.5 mi into trip | ~3h 47m in

Keep slight right at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
248.4 mi into trip | ~4h 59m in

Take the exit toward US 27 North: Downtown Chattanooga

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 184B Toward US 27 North: Downtown Chattanooga
5
249.6 mi into trip | ~5h 1m in

Take the exit toward Downtown

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 1B Toward Downtown
6
249.8 mi into trip | ~5h 1m in | West Martin Luther King Boulevard

Turn right onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight / right lanes.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 64 87.2 mi 1h 47m
United States Route 64 44.4 mi 50m
I 24 43.7 mi 49m
Wayne Road 31.1 mi 35m
East Market Street 23 mi 26m
Sewanee Highway 6.8 mi 10m
Cumberland Street West 2.6 mi 3m
Sollace M Freeman Highway 2 mi 2m
Longest stretch: US 64 — 87.2 mi, about 1h 47m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bolivar, TN and Chattanooga, TN.

1

Start on US 64

23 mi · 26 min · East Market Street
Use the straight lane.
2

Continue on US 64 Business

1.5 mi · 2 min · West Court Avenue
3

Turn left onto US 64

20 mi · 30 min · US 64
Use the left lane.
4

Turn right onto Water Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Water Street
5

Turn left onto TN 128

344 ft · 12 sec · Pickwick Street South
6

Turn right onto US 64; SR 69; SR 128

0.1 mi · 20 sec · Main Street
7

Continue on US 64; SR 128

31 mi · 35 min · Wayne Road
8

Continue on US 64

0.8 mi · 52 sec · Dexter L Woods Memorial Boulevard
9

Continue on US 64

44 mi · 50 min · United States Route 64
10

Continue on US 64

0.7 mi · 48 sec · West College Street
11

Continue on US 64

67 mi · 1 hr 17 min · US 64
12

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 35 sec
13

Keep slight right at fork

184 ft · 5 sec
14

Turn straight onto US 41A

1.7 mi · 2 min · Cowan Highway
15

Continue on US 41A

2.6 mi · 3 min · Cumberland Street West
16

Continue on US 41A

5.0 mi · 7 min · Sewanee Highway
17

Continue on US 41A

2.0 mi · 2 min · Sollace M Freeman Highway
18

Continue on US 41A

1.8 mi · 2 min · Sewanee Highway
19

Continue on US 41A

0.4 mi · 36 sec · David Crockett Highway
20

Continue on US 41A

1.3 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
21

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 38 sec
22

Merge onto I 24; US 64

44 mi · 49 min · I 24;US 64
23

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Exit 184B Toward US 27 North: Downtown Chattanooga
24

Continue on US 27

0.7 mi · 59 sec · US 27
25

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Exit 1B Toward Downtown
26

Turn right onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard

0.2 mi · 29 sec · West Martin Luther King Boulevard
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
27

Arrive at destination

TN 8

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 125 miles from Bolivar, TN, or about 2h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 87.2 miles.

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 55 miles or 1h 12m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 125 miles or 2h 32m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 10m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chattanooga, TN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Bolivar, TN 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 Bolivar, TN

This is one driving day of about 249.9 miles and 5h 2m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Bolivar, TN.
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.
The longest stretch is on US 64 for about 87.2 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 125 mi from Bolivar, TN · 2h 32m into the drive

city in Tennessee, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Pulaski, TN

125 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.

Popular next leg

Pulaski, TN to Chattanooga, TN

125 mi · 2h 30m

Pacing Suggestions

Adamsville, TN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 55 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Pulaski, TN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 125 miles from Bolivar, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before US 64 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 87.2 miles.

Arriving in Chattanooga, TN

The final approach into Chattanooga, TN 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 Chattanooga, TN.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$39.07 one way

$78.14 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 87 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $42.90 $85.79
premium $4.89 $48.09 $96.18
diesel $5.61 $55.17 $110.35

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$39

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$64–$89

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 87.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 75 0 $26.24 $12.00
Efficient EV 62.5 0 $21.87 $10.00
EV Truck/SUV 100 1 $34.99 $15.99

Gas CO2

87 kg

EV CO2

29 kg (67% less)

Plan for 0 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Bolivar, TN

Afternoon in Bolivar on Thursday

Local time

1:25 PM

CDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Chattanooga, TN

Afternoon in Chattanooga on Thursday

Local time

2:25 PM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

75°F

Pulaski, TN

125 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

1 hour later

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

23 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

5h 2m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Bolivar, TN to Chattanooga, TN covers 249.9 miles and takes about 5h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 64, United States Route 64, I 24. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 125 miles from Bolivar, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $39.07 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break 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 249.9 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 64 / East Market Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 189.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 248.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Bolivar, TN to Chattanooga, TN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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