Origin
Brookhaven, GA
Evening in Brookhaven on Wednesday
Local time
7:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Brookhaven, GA to Buford, GA
Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026
Drive Time
40m
Distance
30.4 mi
49 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brookhaven, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Buford, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Brookhaven, GA to Buford, GA covers 30.4 miles and takes about 40m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Interstate Highway 85, Lanier Parkway, Northeast Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.4 miles on Interstate Highway 85. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.75 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.
Midpoint
15.2 miles from Brookhaven, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 21m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 40m highway drive covering 30.4 miles, with most of the trip on Interstate Highway 85 and Lanier Parkway. The longest continuous stretch is about 15.4 miles on Interstate Highway 85.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Interstate Highway 85 is the longest continuous segment at about 15.4 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,177 ft
909 ft
Total Climb
544 ft
Total Descent
342 ft
Highest Point
1,177 ft
~30.4 mi in
Elevation Range
268 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Interstate Highway 85 and Lanier Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near GA 141 / Peachtree Road Northeast.
Route Complexity
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 30.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (GA 141 / Peachtree Road Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles (I 985 / Lanier Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
GA 141 / Peachtree Road Northeast
Turn right onto GA 141 / Peachtree Road Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
5.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the ramp toward I 85 North: Greenville
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 85 North: Greenville
8
23.7 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
I 985 / Lanier Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 985 / Lanier Parkway toward I 985 North: Gainesville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 113
Toward I 985 North: Gainesville
8
27.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward US 23 South, GA 20: Buford, Cumming
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 4
Toward US 23 South, GA 20: Buford, Cumming
6
29.6 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
Garnett Street
Turn left onto Garnett Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Brookhaven, GA to Buford, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Cumming along the way.
Cumming
27.2 mi in
|
~34m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Interstate Highway 85 | 15.4 mi | 16m |
| Lanier Parkway | 3.5 mi | 3m |
| Northeast Expressway | 2.5 mi | 2m |
| Chamblee Tucker Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Peachtree Road Northeast | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| South Lee Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South Harris Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Peachtree Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Interstate Highway 85
— 15.4 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brookhaven, GA and Buford, GA.
1
Start on this road
397 ft
·
34 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
63 ft
·
9 sec
3
Turn left
139 ft
·
12 sec
4
Turn right onto GA 141
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Peachtree Road Northeast
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on Peachtree Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Peachtree Road
6
Turn right onto Chamblee Tucker Road
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Chamblee Tucker Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 85 North: Greenville
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto I 85
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 85
15 mi
·
16 min
·
Interstate Highway 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 85
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 85
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 985
3.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Lanier Parkway
Exit 113
Toward I 985 North: Gainesville
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 4
Toward US 23 South, GA 20: Buford, Cumming
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn left onto GA 20
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Buford Drive
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto South Lee Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South Lee Street
15
Turn right onto GA 13
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Buford Highway Northeast
16
Turn left onto Garnett Street
460 ft
·
14 sec
·
Garnett Street
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right
292 ft
·
10 sec
18
Continue on South Harris Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Harris Street
19
Turn right
26 ft
·
1 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 15.2 miles from Brookhaven, GA, or about 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 15.4 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 30 miles or 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 15.2 miles or 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buford, GA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Have your navigation ready before leaving Brookhaven, GA.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Brookhaven, GA
This is one driving day of about 30.4 miles and 40m.
At 30.4 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Interstate Highway 85 for about 15.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 15.2 mi from Brookhaven, GA · 21m into the drive
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.2 miles from Brookhaven, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Buford, GA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Buford, GA 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
$4.75 one way
$9.51 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.20 | $10.40 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.63 | $11.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.71 | $13.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$30–$55
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
| Efficient EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.66 | $1.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.26 | $1.95 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Evening in Buford on Wednesday
Local time
7:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
2 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
40m 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 Brookhaven, GA to Buford, GA covers 30.4 miles and takes about 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Interstate Highway 85, Lanier Parkway, Northeast Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.2 miles from Brookhaven, GA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.75 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 15 decision points packed into just 30.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (GA 141 / Peachtree Road Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles (I 985 / Lanier Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Brookhaven, GA to Buford, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Cumming along the way.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 909 ft to 1,177 ft elevation with about 544 ft of total climbing.
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