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Trip from Chattanooga, TN to Bedford, TN

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

2h 8m

Distance

103.2 mi

166 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$16

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
1h 59m ★
6 AM
2h 8m
8 AM
2h 26m
10 AM
2h 14m
12 PM
2h 13m
3 PM
2h 15m
5 PM
2h 25m
8 PM
2h 3m

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

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

Chattanooga, TN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Chattanooga, TN to Bedford, TN covers 103.2 miles and takes about 2h 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on 24, Arnold Airforce Base, Wattendorf Memorial Hwy for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.13 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

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

51.6 miles from Chattanooga, TN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 4m into the drive .

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Drive Character

Expect a 2h 8m drive with frequent turns across 103.2 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
24 is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Chattanooga, TN to Bedford, TN is easy. At 2h 8m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Chattanooga, TN to Bedford, TN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
24 Unavailable Refreshing
Arnold Airforce Base Unavailable Refreshing
Wattendorf Memorial Hwy Unavailable Refreshing
Wattendorf Memorial Highway Unavailable Refreshing
Wattendorf Highway Unavailable Refreshing
Forrest Boulevard Unavailable Refreshing
South Anderson Street Unavailable Refreshing
East Carroll Street Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: 24 — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on West Martin Luther King Boulevard

0.3 mi · 56 sec · West Martin Luther King Boulevard
2

Turn left

0.2 mi · 31 sec
3

Merge slight left

0.7 mi · 59 sec
4

Keep slight right to continue on 24: Nashville, Birmingham

0.4 mi · 42 sec · 24: Nashville, Birmingham
5

Merge slight left

62 mi · 1 hr 10 min
6

Take the exit slight right toward Arnold Airforce Base, Tullahoma

0.3 mi · 30 sec · Arnold Airforce Base, Tullahoma
7

Keep slight left to continue on Arnold Airforce Base, Tullahoma

46 ft · 8 sec · Arnold Airforce Base, Tullahoma
8

Turn left onto Wattendorf Memorial Hwy

0.1 mi · 12 sec · Wattendorf Memorial Hwy
9

Continue on Wattendorf Memorial Highway

11 mi · 14 min · Wattendorf Memorial Highway
10

Continue on Wattendorf Highway

1.7 mi · 2 min · Wattendorf Highway
11

Continue on Forrest Boulevard

0.6 mi · 1 min · Forrest Boulevard
12

Continue on South Anderson Street

0.3 mi · 57 sec · South Anderson Street
13

Turn left onto East Carroll Street

0.4 mi · 34 sec · East Carroll Street
14

Turn right onto South Jackson Street

14 mi · 17 min · South Jackson Street
15

Turn left

3.4 mi · 5 min
16

Turn right onto North Jefferson Street

0.2 mi · 14 sec · North Jefferson Street
17

Continue on East Lane Street

479 ft · 10 sec · East Lane Street
18

Continue on Lane Parkway

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Lane Parkway
19

Turn left onto North Cannon Boulevard

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Cannon Boulevard
20

Turn right onto Lewis Avenue

6.6 mi · 9 min · Lewis Avenue
21

Arrive at your 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 51.6 miles from Chattanooga, TN, or about 1h 4m into the drive.

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 80 miles or 1h 39m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 51.6 miles or 1h 4m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 45m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Chattanooga, 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 Chattanooga, TN

This is one driving day of about 103.2 miles and 2h 8m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Chattanooga, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 51.6 mi from Chattanooga, TN · 1h 4m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

East Chattanooga, TN

52 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Franklin, TN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

East Chattanooga, TN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 51.6 miles from Chattanooga, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Bedford, TN

The final approach into Bedford, 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 Bedford, 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

$16.13 one way

$32.27 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 36 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $17.71 $35.43
premium $4.89 $19.86 $39.72
diesel $5.61 $22.79 $45.57

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$16

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$41–$66

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 36.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 31 0 $10.84 $4.95
Efficient EV 25.8 0 $9.03 $4.13
EV Truck/SUV 41.3 0 $14.45 $6.60

Gas CO2

36 kg

EV CO2

12 kg (67% 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 data refreshed 52 minutes ago

Origin

Chattanooga, TN

Morning in Chattanooga on Wednesday

Local time

6:05 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bedford, TN

Late night in Bedford on Wednesday

Local time

5:05 AM

CDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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 earlier

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

Temperature spread

12 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

2h 8m 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 Chattanooga, TN to Bedford, TN covers 103.2 miles and takes about 2h 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 24, Arnold Airforce Base, Wattendorf Memorial Hwy. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 51.6 miles from Chattanooga, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.13 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.
The drive from Chattanooga, TN to Bedford, TN is easy. At 2h 8m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Chattanooga, TN to Bedford, TN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Chattanooga, TN to Bedford, TN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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