Trip from Covington, GA to Marietta, GA

Drive Time

1h 8m

Distance

54.9 mi

88 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min

4 AM

1h 3m ★

6 AM

1h 8m

8 AM

1h 19m

10 AM

1h 12m

12 PM

1h 11m

3 PM

1h 13m

5 PM

1h 19m

8 PM

1h 5m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Covington, GA

Mr. Location Scout

Trip Overview

If you are planning to travel from Covington to Marietta, you are looking at a 54.9-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 8 minutes. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. You should budget approximately $9 for fuel to cover the distance. The route cuts through the Southeast, transitioning between two Georgia hubs. Because the drive is straightforward and relatively short, it offers great flexibility for your schedule. It is a practical, no-nonsense connection between these two cities that gets you where you need to be efficiently.

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

27.4 miles from Covington, GA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 31m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a mixed driving experience as you navigate this 54.9-mile corridor. Roughly 36% of your time will be spent on highways, specifically utilizing the Purple Heart Highway, Ralph David Abernathy Freeway, and Horace E Tate Freeway. You will spend your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 22.8 miles along the Purple Heart Highway. The road transitions from regional highway segments into more urban freeway stretches, creating a varied pace behind the wheel. Prepare for a blend of open road cruising and the typical flow of metro-area traffic as you approach your destination.

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.

Purple Heart Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 22.8 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 Church Street.

Route Complexity 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 54.9 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Church Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 33.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

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

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Church Street

Keep slight left at fork onto Church Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

33.9 mi into trip | ~39m in

Take the exit toward Hill Street, Turner Field

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 58B Toward Hill Street, Turner Field

34.7 mi into trip | ~41m in

Take the ramp toward I 75 North, I 85 North

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 75 North, I 85 North

38 mi into trip | ~46m in | I 75 / Horace E Tate Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 75 / Horace E Tate Freeway toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the none lane. Toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga

52.2 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in

Take the exit toward GA 120 Alternate: North Marietta Parkway

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 265 Toward GA 120 Alternate: North Marietta Parkway

Towns Along This Route

Between Covington, GA and Marietta, GA, road signs point toward Turner Field and Chattanooga.

Turner Field

33.9 mi in | ~39m

Chattanooga

38 mi in | ~46m | via I 75

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Purple Heart Highway	22.8 mi	24m
Ralph David Abernathy Freeway	9.1 mi	10m
Horace E Tate Freeway	7.2 mi	8m
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway	7 mi	8m
Downtown Connector	3.1 mi	4m
North Marietta Parkway	1.8 mi	3m
Highway 278 Northwest	0.8 mi	1m
US 278	0.7 mi	1m

Longest stretch: Purple Heart Highway — 22.8 mi, about 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Covington, GA and Marietta, GA.

Start on this road

80 ft · 1 sec · this road

Turn straight onto Monticello Street Southwest

101 ft · 2 sec · Monticello Street Southwest

Turn left onto Washington Street Southwest

236 ft · 4 sec · Washington Street Southwest

Keep slight left at fork onto Church Street

305 ft · 6 sec · Church Street

Continue on Pace Street

0.4 mi · 59 sec · Pace Street

Use the straight / right lanes.

Turn left onto US 278; GA 12

0.8 mi · 1 min · Highway 278 Northwest

Use the left lane.

Take the ramp onto US 278; GA 12

0.7 mi · 1 min · US 278; GA 12

Toward I 20 West: Atlanta

Merge onto I 20; US 278; GA 12

23 mi · 24 min · Purple Heart Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 20

9.1 mi · 10 min · Ralph David Abernathy Freeway

Use the none lane.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec

Exit 58B Toward Hill Street, Turner Field Use the slight right lane.

At end of road, turn right onto Hill Street Southeast

0.2 mi · 41 sec · Hill Street Southeast

Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast

0.3 mi · 29 sec · Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Toward I 75 North, I 85 North

Merge onto I 75; I 85

3.1 mi · 4 min · Downtown Connector

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 75

7.2 mi · 8 min · Horace E Tate Freeway

Toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga Use the none lane.

Continue on I 75

7.0 mi · 8 min · Larry McDonald Memorial Highway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 30 sec

Exit 265 Toward GA 120 Alternate: North Marietta Parkway Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn left onto GA 120 ALT

1.8 mi · 3 min · North Marietta Parkway

Use the none lane.

Turn left onto Church Street

0.4 mi · 59 sec · Church Street

Use the left lane.

Arrive at destination

West Park Square

Trip Plan

Since this is a manageable 1-hour and 8-minute drive, you have the advantage of total schedule flexibility. You can easily complete the trip without any formal stops, though keeping an eye on your fuel gauge is wise given the $9 estimated cost. Consider timing your departure to avoid peak congestion on the Ralph David Abernathy Freeway if you prefer a smoother, more consistent pace. A key tip for this specific route is to stay alert when shifting between the Purple Heart Highway and the various freeway segments, as road signage can change quickly. This direct path is all about efficiency, so travel light and enjoy the ease of a short, predictable commute.

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 27.4 miles from Covington, GA, or about 31m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 22.8 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 54.9 miles or 1h 8m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 27.4 miles or 31m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 56m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Covington, GA 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 Covington, GA

This is one driving day of about 54.9 miles and 1h 8m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Covington, GA.

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.

The longest stretch is on Purple Heart Highway for about 22.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 27.4 mi from Covington, GA · 31m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Centre, AL

27 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

Centre, AL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 54.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Centre, AL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27.4 miles from Covington, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Marietta, GA

The final approach into Marietta, GA 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 Marietta, GA.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.79 one way

$17.57 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.43	$9.57	$19.15
premium	$4.78	$10.33	$20.65
diesel	$5.64	$12.20	$24.39

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$34–$59

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	16.5	$5.76	$2.64
Efficient EV	13.7	$4.80	$2.20
EV Truck/SUV	22	$7.69	$3.51

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Covington, GA

Night in Covington on Sunday

Local time

9:22 PM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Marietta, GA

Night in Marietta on Sunday

Local time

9:22 PM

EDT

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

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 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 Covington, GA to Marietta, GA covers 54.9 miles and takes about 1h 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Purple Heart Highway, Ralph David Abernathy Freeway, Horace E Tate Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 27.4 miles from Covington, GA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.79 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.

Between Covington, GA and Marietta, GA, road signs point toward Turner Field and Chattanooga.

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Return Trip

Marietta, GA to Covington, GA

Plan the drive back the other way.

54.6 mi 1h 8m

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Trip from Covington, GA to Marietta, GA

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Towns Along This Route

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Marietta, GA

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Covington, GA

Marietta, GA

Same local time

2 degrees warmer at arrival

1h 8m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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