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Trip from Cookeville, TN to Gallatin, TN

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 25m

Distance

71.1 mi

114 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 19m ★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 21m

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

city in Tennessee, United States

Cookeville, TN

Wikimedia Commons

city in and the county seat of Sumner County, Tennessee, United States

Gallatin, TN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Cookeville, TN to Gallatin, TN is 71.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 25 minutes via I 40 and SR 109, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Southeast region, specifically within Tennessee, making it a straightforward local trip. It's a heavily highway-focused journey, meaning you'll cover ground efficiently. Given its short duration and primarily highway profile, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your departure and arrival times.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 25m. Total distance: 71.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (93%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive, with 93% of the journey utilizing major roads like I 40 and SR 109. You'll experience a substantial uninterrupted stretch of 53.4 miles on I 40, which provides a consistent pace. While the majority of the route is on high-speed highways, the inclusion of South Willow Avenue suggests a brief transition into more local-feeling road conditions as you approach your destination. This mix means you'll be moving quickly for most of the trip.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 40 is the longest continuous segment at about 53.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and SR 109. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 70N / East Spring Street.

Driving Effort 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Cookeville, TN to Gallatin, TN is easy. At 1h 25m with 93% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 70N / East Spring Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (SR 135 / South Willow Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 7 key points

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

3
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 70N / East Spring Street

Turn right onto US 70N / East Spring Street

Navigation decision point

4
0.7 mi into trip | ~1m in | SR 135 / South Willow Avenue

Turn left onto SR 135 / South Willow Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
2.9 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 40

Merge onto I 40

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
56.3 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in

Take the exit toward TN 109: Gallatin

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 232 Toward TN 109: Gallatin
4
71 mi into trip | ~1h 25m in | TN 25 / West Main Street

Turn left onto TN 25 / West Main Street

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 40 53.4 mi 57m
SR 109 12.7 mi 18m
South Willow Avenue 2 mi 3m
South Water Avenue 1.7 mi 3m
East Spring Street 0.6 mi 1m
South Dixie Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
West Main Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 40 — 53.4 mi, about 57m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cookeville, TN and Gallatin, TN.

1

Start on South Dixie Avenue

270 ft · 15 sec · South Dixie Avenue
2

Turn right onto US 70N

0.6 mi · 1 min · East Spring Street
3

Turn left onto SR 135

2.0 mi · 3 min · South Willow Avenue
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 32 sec
5

Merge onto I 40

53 mi · 57 min · I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 48 sec
Exit 232 Toward TN 109: Gallatin Use the slight right lane.
7

Turn right onto SR 109

13 mi · 18 min · SR 109
8

Continue on South Water Avenue

1.7 mi · 3 min · South Water Avenue
Use the left lane.
9

Turn left onto TN 25

67 ft · 1 sec · West Main Street
10

Arrive at destination

TN 25

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 35.5 mi from Cookeville, TN · 40m into the drive

town in DeKalb County, Tennessee

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Alexandria, TN

36 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

Lafayette, TN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Gordonsville, TN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 35.5 miles from Cookeville, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Gallatin, TN

The final approach into Gallatin, TN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.12 one way

$22.23 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 25 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $12.20 $24.41
premium $4.89 $13.68 $27.37
diesel $5.61 $15.70 $31.40

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 24.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 21.3 0 $7.47 $3.41
Efficient EV 17.8 0 $6.22 $2.84
EV Truck/SUV 28.4 0 $9.95 $4.55

Gas CO2

25 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (68% 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

Cookeville, TN

Evening in Cookeville on Friday

Local time

6:52 PM

CDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Gallatin, TN

Evening in Gallatin on Friday

Local time

6:52 PM

CDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

76°F

Alexandria, TN

36 mi in

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

1h 25m 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 Cookeville, TN to Gallatin, TN covers 71.1 miles and takes about 1h 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 40, SR 109, South Willow Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 35.5 miles from Cookeville, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.12 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 Cookeville, TN to Gallatin, TN is easy. At 1h 25m with 93% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 70N / East Spring Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (SR 135 / South Willow Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Cookeville, TN to Gallatin, TN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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