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Trip from Fairfield, AL to Huntsville, AL

Data updated 4 hours ago

Drive Time

1h 57m

Distance

105.2 mi

169 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$16

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
1h 49m ★
6 AM
1h 58m
8 AM
2h 15m
10 AM
2h 4m
12 PM
2h 2m
3 PM
2h 5m
5 PM
2h 14m
8 PM
1h 53m

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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Downtown Fairfield, AL, AL

Fairfield, AL

Taryn Elliott

county seat of Madison County, Alabama, United States

Huntsville, AL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Fairfield, AL to Huntsville, AL covers 105.2 miles and takes about 1h 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 65, I 565, I 20 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 78.6 miles on I 65. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.89 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

52.6 miles from Fairfield, AL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 59m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

This is a 1h 57m highway drive covering 105.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 65 and I 565. The longest continuous stretch is about 78.6 miles on I 65.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 65 is the longest continuous segment at about 78.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and I 565. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near I 20; I 59.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 105.2 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 1.4 miles (I 20; I 59): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 84.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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.

5
1.4 mi into trip | ~3m in | I 20; I 59

Merge onto I 20; I 59

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
5.8 mi into trip | ~8m in

Take the exit toward I 65 North: Huntsville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 124C Toward I 65 North: Huntsville
8
84.7 mi into trip | ~1h 34m in

Take the exit toward I 565 East, AL 20 West, US 72 Alternate: Decatur, Huntsville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 340 Toward I 565 East, AL 20 West, US 72 Alternate:...
7
85 mi into trip | ~1h 34m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 565 East, US 72 Alternate East: Huntsville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 340A Toward I 565 East, US 72 Alternate East: Huntsv...
9
104.6 mi into trip | ~1h 56m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Jefferson Street, Downtown

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward Jefferson Street, Downtown

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 65 78.6 mi 1h 25m
I 565 18.9 mi 20m
I 20 4.5 mi 4m
Jefferson Street North 0.5 mi 1m
Valley Road 0.5 mi <1m
Avenue I 0.3 mi <1m
Farrell Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Avenue E <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 65 — 78.6 mi, about 1h 25m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield, AL and Huntsville, AL.

1

Start on 52nd Street

165 ft · 12 sec · 52nd Street
2

Turn left onto Avenue E

366 ft · 16 sec · Avenue E
3

Continue on Farrell Avenue

0.2 mi · 48 sec · Farrell Avenue
4

Turn right onto Valley Road

0.5 mi · 49 sec · Valley Road
5

Turn slight left onto Avenue I

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Avenue I
6

Turn right

236 ft · 10 sec
7

Continue on this road

0.3 mi · 34 sec · this road
8

Merge onto I 20; I 59

4.5 mi · 4 min · I 20; I 59
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

149 ft · 3 sec
Exit 124C Toward I 65 North: Huntsville
10

Continue on this road

0.2 mi · 25 sec · this road
Exit 124B Toward I 65 North: Huntsville
11

Merge onto I 65

79 mi · 1 hr 25 min · I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Exit 340 Toward I 565 East, AL 20 West, US 72 Alternate: Decatur, Huntsville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 340A Toward I 565 East, US 72 Alternate East: Huntsville
14

Merge onto I 565; US 72 Alternate

19 mi · 20 min · I 565; US 72 Alternate
15

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Toward Wasthington Street, Jefferson Street, Downtown
16

Continue on this road

395 ft · 9 sec · this road
Exit 19C Toward Wasthington Street, Jefferson Street, Downtown
17

Keep slight right at fork

343 ft · 8 sec
Toward Jefferson Street, Downtown Use the slight right lane.
18

Turn straight onto Jefferson Street North

0.5 mi · 1 min · Jefferson Street North
19

Turn right onto Spring Street Southwest

4 ft · 0 sec · Spring Street Southwest
20

Arrive at destination

Spring Street Southwest

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 52.6 miles from Fairfield, AL, or about 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 78.6 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 80 miles or 1h 28m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 52.6 miles or 59m 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 36m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Fairfield, 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 Fairfield, AL

This is one driving day of about 105.2 miles and 1h 57m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Fairfield, AL.
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 I 65 for about 78.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 52.6 mi from Fairfield, AL · 59m into the drive

Downtown Hayden, AL, AL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hayden, AL

53 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

Blountsville, AL

Fuel and coffee

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

Hayden, AL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 52.6 miles from Fairfield, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 65 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 78.6 miles.

Arriving in Huntsville, AL

The final approach into Huntsville, 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 Huntsville, AL.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument

Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument

National Monument

In 1963, images of snarling police dogs unleashed against non-violent protesters and of children being sprayed with high-pressure hoses appeared in print and television news around the world. These dr...

2 mi from route ~5 min detour Free near mile 7.3
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.89 one way

$31.78 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 37 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.21 $17.44 $34.88
premium $4.56 $18.88 $37.76
diesel $5.61 $23.23 $46.45

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: 36.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 31.6 0 $11.05 $5.05
Efficient EV 26.3 0 $9.21 $4.21
EV Truck/SUV 42.1 0 $14.73 $6.73

Gas CO2

37 kg

EV CO2

12 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 2 hours ago

Origin

Fairfield, AL

Night in Fairfield on Tuesday

Local time

10:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

78°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Huntsville, AL

Night in Huntsville on Tuesday

Local time

10:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

77°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

78°F

Hayden, AL

53 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

1h 57m 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 Fairfield, AL to Huntsville, AL covers 105.2 miles and takes about 1h 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 65, I 565, I 20. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 52.6 miles from Fairfield, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.89 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 demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 105.2 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (I 20; I 59): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 84.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Fairfield, AL to Huntsville, AL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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