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Trip from Columbus, OH to New Albany, OH

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

24m

Distance

16.5 mi

27 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 6 min
4 AM
0h 22m ★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m

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

capital city of Ohio, United States of America

Columbus, OH

Wikimedia Commons

city in Ohio, United States

New Albany, OH

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Columbus, OH to New Albany, OH covers 16.5 miles and takes about 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Northeast Freeway, Morse Road, Johnstown Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.4 miles on Northeast Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.56 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

8.2 miles from Columbus, OH

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 12m into the drive .

Drive Character

The drive from Columbus, OH to New Albany, OH covers 16.5 miles and takes about 24m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Northeast Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 6.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 South High Street.

Route Complexity 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 16.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South High Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (East Chestnut Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (Northeast Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

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

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | South High Street

Turn right onto South High Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
0.6 mi into trip | ~2m in | East Chestnut Street

Turn right onto East Chestnut Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
1.1 mi into trip | ~3m in | Northeast Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto Northeast Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.6 mi into trip | ~11m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 270 North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 10A Toward I 270 North
7
10.3 mi into trip | ~15m in

Take the exit toward Morse Road

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 32 Toward Morse Road

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Northeast Freeway 6.4 mi 7m
Morse Road 3.2 mi 5m
Johnstown Road 2.4 mi 2m
Jack Nicklaus Freeway 2.2 mi 2m
South High Street 0.5 mi 1m
West Main Street 0.3 mi <1m
East Chestnut Street 0.2 mi <1m
North 4th Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Northeast Freeway — 6.4 mi, about 7m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Columbus, OH and New Albany, OH.

1

Start on this road

77 ft · 5 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto East State Street

0.1 mi · 23 sec · East State Street
3

Turn right onto South High Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · South High Street
Use the right lane.
4

Turn right onto East Chestnut Street

0.2 mi · 51 sec · East Chestnut Street
Use the right lane.
5

At end of road, turn left onto US 23

0.2 mi · 32 sec · North 4th Street
6

Keep slight right at fork onto Northeast Freeway

6.4 mi · 7 min · Northeast Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork

353 ft · 8 sec
Toward I 270 North, SR 161: Easton Way
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 10A Toward I 270 North Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto I 270

2.2 mi · 2 min · Jack Nicklaus Freeway
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Exit 32 Toward Morse Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Turn right onto Morse Road

3.2 mi · 5 min · Morse Road
Use the right lane.
12

Enter roundabout onto US 62

245 ft · 3 sec · Johnstown Road
13

Continue on US 62

1.1 mi · 1 min · Johnstown Road
Use the straight lane.
14

Enter roundabout onto US 62

111 ft · 1 sec · Johnstown Road
15

Continue on US 62

1.2 mi · 1 min · Johnstown Road
16

Enter roundabout onto US 62

99 ft · 1 sec · West Main Street
17

Continue on US 62

0.2 mi · 19 sec · West Main Street
18

Turn right onto East Dublin Granville Road

447 ft · 17 sec · East Dublin Granville Road
19

Turn right onto South High Street

104 ft · 1 sec · South High Street
20

Arrive at destination

South High Street

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 8.2 miles from Columbus, OH, or about 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 6.4 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 16.5 miles or 24m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 8.2 miles or 12m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 21m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near New Albany, OH than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Have your navigation ready before leaving Columbus, OH.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Columbus, OH

This is one driving day of about 16.5 miles and 24m.

At 16.5 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Northeast Freeway for about 6.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 8.2 mi from Columbus, OH · 12m into the drive

Pacing Suggestions

Gahanna, OH

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 16.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Whitehall, OH

Meal break

The midpoint is around 8.2 miles from Columbus, OH, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in New Albany, OH

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into New Albany, OH 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

$2.56 one way

$5.12 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.38 $2.84 $5.68
premium $4.91 $3.19 $6.38
diesel $5.61 $3.64 $7.29

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$3

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$28–$53

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5 0 $1.73 $0.79
Efficient EV 4.1 0 $1.44 $0.66
EV Truck/SUV 6.6 0 $2.31 $1.06

Gas CO2

6 kg

EV CO2

2 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Columbus, OH

Late night in Columbus on Thursday

Local time

12:04 AM

EDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

New Albany, OH

Late night in New Albany on Thursday

Local time

12:04 AM

EDT

Current temp

51°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

15 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

24m 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 Columbus, OH to New Albany, OH covers 16.5 miles and takes about 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Northeast Freeway, Morse Road, Johnstown Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.2 miles from Columbus, OH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.56 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 16 decision points packed into just 16.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South High Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (East Chestnut Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (Northeast Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Columbus, OH to New Albany, OH does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

New Albany, OH to Columbus, OH

Plan the drive back the other way.

14.7 mi 23m

Explore more options from Columbus, OH or browse trips ending in New Albany, OH.

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