Origin
Headland, AL
Evening in Headland on Thursday
Local time
7:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Headland, AL to Auburn, AL
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
2h 30m
Distance
109 mi
175 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 21m
★
6 AM
2h 31m
8 AM
2h 51m
10 AM
2h 38m
12 PM
2h 36m
3 PM
2h 39m
5 PM
2h 50m
8 PM
2h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Headland, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Auburn, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Headland, AL to Auburn, AL covers 109 miles and takes about 2h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 431, North Eufaula Avenue, AL 169 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 40.5 miles on US 431. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.46 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
54.5 miles from Headland, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 8m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 30m. Total distance: 109 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 30m highway drive covering 109 miles, with most of the trip on US 431 and North Eufaula Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 40.5 miles on US 431.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 431 is the longest continuous segment at about 40.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 431 and North Eufaula Avenue. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 83.9 miles in near US 80; AL 169.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 109 miles you will encounter 14 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 83.9 miles (US 80; AL 169): Navigation decision point; at 104.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 105.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
83.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 50m in
|
US 80; AL 169
At end of road, turn left onto US 80; AL 169
Navigation decision point
5
104.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 21m in
Take the exit toward Auburn, Opelika
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Auburn, Opelika
6
105.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 22m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Auburn, Opelika
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Auburn, Opelika
6
105.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 23m in
|
East Glenn Avenue
Turn left onto East Glenn Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
108.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 30m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 431 | 40.5 mi | 50m |
| North Eufaula Avenue | 32.4 mi | 40m |
| AL 169 | 25.8 mi | 42m |
| I 85 | 3.5 mi | 3m |
| East Glenn Avenue | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| Main Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Marvyn Parkway | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| US 80 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 431
— 40.5 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Headland, AL and Auburn, AL.
1
Start on East Church Street
243 ft
·
9 sec
·
East Church Street
2
Turn right onto AL 134
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
3
Turn left onto US 431
20 mi
·
23 min
·
US 431
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on US 431
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
US 431
5
Continue on US 431
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
US 431
6
Continue on US 431
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
US 431
7
Continue on US 431
12 mi
·
17 min
·
US 431
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on US 82; US 431
32 mi
·
40 min
·
North Eufaula Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Turn left onto AL 169
9.7 mi
·
17 min
·
AL 169
10
At end of road, turn left onto US 80; AL 169
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
US 80; AL 169
11
Turn right onto AL 169
16 mi
·
25 min
·
AL 169
12
Turn right onto AL 51
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Marvyn Parkway
13
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
14
Merge onto I 85; US 29; US 280
3.5 mi
·
3 min
·
I 85; US 29; US 280
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward Auburn, Opelika
16
Keep slight right at fork
285 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Auburn, Opelika
17
Turn straight onto Bent Creek Road
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Bent Creek Road
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn left onto East Glenn Avenue
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
East Glenn Avenue
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto North Gay Street
367 ft
·
18 sec
·
North Gay Street
20
Turn left
285 ft
·
20 sec
21
Arrive at destination
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 54.5 miles from Headland, AL, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 40.5 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 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 54.5 miles or 1h 8m 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 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Auburn, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Headland, 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 Headland, AL
This is one driving day of about 109 miles and 2h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Headland, 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 US 431 for about 40.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 54.5 mi from Headland, AL · 1h 8m 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 54.5 miles from Headland, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Auburn, AL
The final approach into Auburn, 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 Auburn, 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
$16.46 one way
$32.92 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
38 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $18.07 | $36.14 |
| premium | $4.56 | $19.56 | $39.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $24.07 | $48.13 |
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: 38.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 32.7 | 0 | $11.44 | $5.23 |
| Efficient EV | 27.3 | 0 | $9.54 | $4.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 43.6 | 0 | $15.26 | $6.98 |
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
Auburn, AL
Evening in Auburn on Thursday
Local time
7:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°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 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 30m 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 Headland, AL to Auburn, AL covers 109 miles and takes about 2h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 431, North Eufaula Avenue, AL 169. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 54.5 miles from Headland, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.46 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 miles you will encounter 14 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 83.9 miles (US 80; AL 169): Navigation decision point; at 104.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 105.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Headland, AL to Auburn, AL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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