Origin
Decatur, AL
Night in Decatur on Wednesday
Local time
9:23 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Decatur, AL to Oxford, AL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
2h 40m
Distance
109.6 mi
176 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$17
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 29m
★
6 AM
2h 40m
8 AM
3h 1m
10 AM
2h 47m
12 PM
2h 45m
3 PM
2h 48m
5 PM
3h 0m
8 PM
2h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Decatur, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Oxford, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Decatur, AL to Oxford, AL covers 109.6 miles and takes about 2h 40m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Point Mallard Drive, US 278, Chastain Boulevard East for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 34.8 miles on Point Mallard Drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.55 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
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
54.8 miles from Decatur, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 19m into the drive .
Drive Character
The drive from Decatur, AL to Oxford, AL covers 109.6 miles and takes about 2h 40m, 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 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Point Mallard Drive is the longest continuous segment at about 34.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Ferry Street Northeast.
Route Complexity
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 109.6 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Ferry Street Northeast): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Lee Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Ferry Street Northeast
At end of road, turn left onto Ferry Street Northeast
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Lee Street Northeast
Turn left onto Lee Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
8
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast
At end of road, turn right onto US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
43.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
US 278
Turn left onto US 278
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
71.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 43m in
|
5th Avenue Northwest
Turn right onto 5th Avenue Northwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Point Mallard Drive | 34.8 mi | 48m |
| US 278 | 28.1 mi | 39m |
| Chastain Boulevard East | 18.8 mi | 22m |
| West Meighan Boulevard | 9 mi | 15m |
| Noble Street | 4.4 mi | 8m |
| Point Mallard Parkway | 4.1 mi | 6m |
| 6th Avenue Southeast | 3 mi | 5m |
| Saks Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Point Mallard Drive
— 34.8 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Decatur, AL and Oxford, AL.
1
Start on this road
426 ft
·
36 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Ferry Street Northeast
164 ft
·
8 sec
·
Ferry Street Northeast
3
Turn left onto Lee Street Northeast
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
·
Lee Street Northeast
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
At end of road, turn right onto US 31
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
6th Avenue Northeast
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on US 31
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
6th Avenue Southeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn left onto AL 67
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Point Mallard Parkway
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on AL 67
35 mi
·
48 min
·
Point Mallard Drive
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn right onto US 231
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
US 231
9
Turn left onto US 278
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
US 278
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on US 278
19 mi
·
27 min
·
US 278
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on US 278
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
US 278
12
Continue on US 278
516 ft
·
8 sec
·
Thompson Bridge Road
13
Continue on US 278
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
US 278
14
Turn right onto US 278; US 431
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
US 278; US 431
15
Turn slight left onto 4th Street Northwest
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
4th Street Northwest
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto 5th Avenue Northwest
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
5th Avenue Northwest
Use the straight lane.
17
Continue on US 278; US 431
9.0 mi
·
15 min
·
West Meighan Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Continue on US 431
19 mi
·
22 min
·
Chastain Boulevard East
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Continue on US 431
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
US 431
20
Continue on US 431
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
US 431
21
Continue on US 431
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
US 431
Use the straight / right lanes.
22
Turn right onto Saks Road
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Saks Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Turn left onto Old Gadsden Highway
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Old Gadsden Highway
24
Continue on Noble Street
4.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Noble Street
25
Continue on Chestnut Street
439 ft
·
12 sec
·
Chestnut Street
26
Turn left onto Front Street
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
Front Street
27
Continue on Main Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
28
Turn left onto Snow Street
90 ft
·
2 sec
·
Snow Street
29
Arrive at destination
Snow 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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 54.8 miles from Decatur, AL, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 34.8 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 24 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 54.8 miles or 1h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 11m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Oxford, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Decatur, AL 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 Decatur, AL
This is one driving day of about 109.6 miles and 2h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Decatur, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Point Mallard Drive for about 34.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 54.8 mi from Decatur, AL · 1h 19m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
55 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 24 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 54.8 miles from Decatur, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Oxford, AL
The final approach into Oxford, AL 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 Oxford, AL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.55 one way
$33.10 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
38 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $18.17 | $36.34 |
| premium | $4.56 | $19.67 | $39.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $24.20 | $48.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 38.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 32.9 | 0 | $11.51 | $5.26 |
| Efficient EV | 27.4 | 0 | $9.59 | $4.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 43.8 | 0 | $15.34 | $7.01 |
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (66% 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
Oxford, AL
Night in Oxford on Wednesday
Local time
9:23 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
76°F
Oneonta, AL
55 mi in
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
1 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 40m 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 Decatur, AL to Oxford, AL covers 109.6 miles and takes about 2h 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Point Mallard Drive, US 278, Chastain Boulevard East. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 54.8 miles from Decatur, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.55 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 109.6 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Ferry Street Northeast): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Lee Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Decatur, AL to Oxford, AL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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