Origin
Buford, GA
Morning in Buford on Friday
Local time
11:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buford, GA to Sandy Springs, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
32.4 mi
52 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buford, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Buford, GA to Sandy Springs, GA covers 32.4 miles and takes about 41m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 85, Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter, Lanier Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.4 miles on I 85. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.07 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 32.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 41m highway drive covering 32.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 85 and Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter. The longest continuous stretch is about 16.4 miles on I 85.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 85 is the longest continuous segment at about 16.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 85 and Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 15 decision points packed into just 32.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward I 985 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 985 South
8
23.1 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward I 285 West Bypass: Chattanooga, Birmingham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 95B
Toward I 285 West Bypass: Chattanooga, Birmingh...
8
23.7 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 285 West: Chattanooga, Birmingham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 285 West: Chattanooga, Birmingham
8
29.9 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward US 19 South, GA 400 North: Roswell Road, Sandy Springs
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 25; 27B
Toward US 19 South, GA 400 North: Roswell Road,...
8
31.4 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
US 19
Keep slight right at fork onto US 19 toward US 19 South: Roswell Road, Sandy Springs
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 19 South: Roswell Road, Sandy Springs
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 Buford, GA to Sandy Springs, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Birmingham along the way.
Birmingham
23.1 mi in
|
~28m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 85 | 16.4 mi | 17m |
| Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter | 5.7 mi | 6m |
| Lanier Parkway | 3.5 mi | 3m |
| South Lee Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Roswell Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Harris Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Buford Highway Northeast | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Buford Drive | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 85
— 16.4 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buford, GA and Sandy Springs, GA.
1
Start on this road
26 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto South Harris Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Harris Street
3
Turn left onto Garnett Street
408 ft
·
13 sec
·
Garnett Street
4
Turn right onto GA 13
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
Buford Highway Northeast
5
Turn left onto South Lee Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South Lee Street
6
Turn left onto US 23; GA 20
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Buford Drive
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 985 South
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 985
3.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Lanier Parkway
9
Merge onto I 85
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 85
9.8 mi
·
10 min
·
I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 95B
Toward I 285 West Bypass: Chattanooga, Birmingham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 285 West: Chattanooga, Birmingham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 285
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
518 ft
·
12 sec
Exit 25; 27B
Toward US 19 South, GA 400 North: Roswell Road, Sandy Springs
Use the slight right lane.
15
Continue on this road
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
this road
Exit 25
Toward US 19 South: Roswell Road
16
Keep slight right at fork onto US 19
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
US 19
Toward US 19 South: Roswell Road, Sandy Springs
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn right onto GA 9
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Roswell Road
Use the right lane.
18
Turn right onto Mount Vernon Highway
180 ft
·
3 sec
·
Mount Vernon Highway
19
Arrive at destination
Mount Vernon Highway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.07 one way
$10.13 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.54 | $11.08 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.00 | $11.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.15 | $14.31 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 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 | 9.7 | 0 | $3.40 | $1.56 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13 | 0 | $4.54 | $2.07 |
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
Sandy Springs, GA
Morning in Sandy Springs on Friday
Local time
11:38 AM
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
2 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
41m 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 Buford, GA to Sandy Springs, GA covers 32.4 miles and takes about 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 85, Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter, Lanier Parkway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.2 miles from Buford, GA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.07 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 32.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Buford, GA to Sandy Springs, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Birmingham along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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