Origin
Girdwood, AK
Afternoon in Girdwood on Sunday
Local time
1:57 PM
AKDT
Current temp
29°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Girdwood, AK to Fairbanks, AK
Drive Time
6h 36m
Distance
395.1 mi
636 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$86
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 25m
★
6 AM
6h 37m
8 AM
7h 1m
10 AM
6h 45m
12 PM
6h 43m
3 PM
6h 46m
5 PM
7h 0m
8 PM
6h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Girdwood, AK
Ali Kazal
Fairbanks, AK
John De Leon
Trip Overview
The drive from Girdwood, AK to Fairbanks, AK covers 395.1 miles and takes about 6h 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Gold Street, Main Street, Seward Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $85.99 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
197.6 miles from Girdwood, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 18m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 36m drive with frequent turns across 395.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Gold Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 36m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Girdwood, AK to Fairbanks, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Seward Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Ingra Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East 6th Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East 5th Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Glenn Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Parks Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Gold Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Girdwood, AK and Fairbanks, AK.
1
Start on Dawson Street
433 ft
·
21 sec
·
Dawson Street
2
Turn right onto Gold Street
325 ft
·
20 sec
·
Gold Street
3
Turn left onto Main Street
505 ft
·
25 sec
·
Main Street
4
Turn right onto Seward Highway
36 mi
·
45 min
·
Seward Highway
5
Continue on Ingra Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Ingra Street
6
Turn right onto East 6th Avenue
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
East 6th Avenue
7
Continue on East 5th Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East 5th Avenue
8
Continue on Glenn Highway
33 mi
·
38 min
·
Glenn Highway
9
Keep slight left to continue on East Parks Highway
15 mi
·
20 min
·
East Parks Highway
10
Continue on West Parks Highway
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
West Parks Highway
11
Continue on George Parks Highway
301 mi
·
6 hr
·
George Parks Highway
12
Take the exit straight toward East Airport Way
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
East Airport Way
13
Continue on Airport Way
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Airport Way
14
Turn left onto Cushman Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Cushman Street
15
Turn right onto 12th Avenue
364 ft
·
16 sec
·
12th Avenue
16
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 197.6 miles from Girdwood, AK, or about 3h 18m into the drive.
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 87 miles or 1h 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 197.6 miles or 3h 18m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fairbanks, AK than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Girdwood, AK 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 Girdwood, AK
This is one driving day of about 395.1 miles and 6h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 87 miles from Girdwood, AK.
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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 197.6 mi from Girdwood, AK · 3h 18m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
198 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 87 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 197.6 miles from Girdwood, AK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Fairbanks, AK
The final approach into Fairbanks, AK 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 Fairbanks, AK.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$85.99 one way
$171.98 round trip
$5.53/gal
25.4 MPG avg
138 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.82 | $90.45 | $180.91 |
| premium | $6.02 | $93.67 | $187.35 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $87.78 | $175.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$86
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$111–$136
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 138.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $41 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 118.5 | 1 | $41.49 | $18.96 |
| Efficient EV | 98.8 | 1 | $34.57 | $15.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 158 | 1 | $55.31 | $25.29 |
Gas CO2
138 kg
EV CO2
46 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Fairbanks, AK
Afternoon in Fairbanks on Sunday
Local time
1:57 PM
AKDT
Current temp
24°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
5 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
6h 36m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Girdwood, AK to Fairbanks, AK covers 395.1 miles and takes about 6h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Gold Street, Main Street, Seward Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 197.6 miles from Girdwood, AK. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $85.99 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 36m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Girdwood, AK to Fairbanks, AK is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Girdwood, AK to Fairbanks, AK does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Fairbanks, AK
More from Girdwood, AK
More trips to Fairbanks, AK
Explore more options from Girdwood, AK or browse trips ending in Fairbanks, AK.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AK road trips.
Explore maps for Girdwood, AK or Fairbanks, AK on MapSof.net.