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Trip from Horton, AL to Phenix City, AL

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

4h 5m

Distance

187.2 mi

301 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$28

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
3h 52m ★
6 AM
4h 5m
8 AM
4h 31m
10 AM
4h 14m
12 PM
4h 12m
3 PM
4h 16m
5 PM
4h 30m
8 PM
3h 57m

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 Horton, AL, AL

Horton, AL

Earth Photart

city and county seat of Russell County, Alabama, United States

Phenix City, AL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Horton, AL to Phenix City, AL covers 187.2 miles and takes about 4h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 280, AL 77, Western Bypass for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 69.3 miles on US 280. At current regular gas prices, budget about $28.27 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

93.6 miles from Horton, AL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 9m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 5m. Total distance: 187.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 4h 5m highway drive covering 187.2 miles, with most of the trip on US 280 and AL 77. The longest continuous stretch is about 69.3 miles on US 280.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 280 is the longest continuous segment at about 69.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 280 and AL 77. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 7.7 miles in near US 431 / Florida Short Route.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 187.2 miles you will encounter 13 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 7.7 miles (US 431 / Florida Short Route): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.5 miles (AL 77): Lane positioning matters here; at 94.6 miles (US 280): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

5
7.7 mi into trip | ~12m in | US 431 / Florida Short Route

Merge onto US 431 / Florida Short Route

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

Use the straight / right lanes.
5
24.5 mi into trip | ~34m in | AL 77

Turn right onto AL 77

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
5
94.6 mi into trip | ~2h 10m in | US 280

Merge onto US 280

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

Use the straight / sharp right lanes.
9
158.9 mi into trip | ~3h 28m in | US 280

Take the exit onto US 280 toward I-85 North, US 29 North, US 280 East: Atlanta

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

Use the left lane. Toward I-85 North, US 29 North, US 280 East: At...
5
162.1 mi into trip | ~3h 32m in | US 280

Take the exit onto US 280 toward US 280, US 431: Opelika, Phenix City

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

Toward US 280, US 431: Opelika, Phenix City

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 280 69.3 mi 1h 24m
AL 77 46.1 mi 1h 8m
Western Bypass 22.7 mi 26m
Columbus Parkway 21.1 mi 24m
Florida Short Route 16.8 mi 22m
AL 75 6.4 mi 9m
Rockford Highway 1 mi 1m
Opelika Road 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: US 280 — 69.3 mi, about 1h 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Horton, AL and Phenix City, AL.

1

Start on this road

139 ft · 12 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto AL 75

6.4 mi · 9 min · AL 75
3

Turn right onto Jackson Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · Jackson Street
4

Turn right onto East Main Street

0.5 mi · 54 sec · East Main Street
5

Take the ramp

176 ft · 4 sec
6

Merge onto US 431

17 mi · 22 min · Florida Short Route
Use the straight / right lanes.
7

Turn right onto AL 77

46 mi · 1 hr 8 min · AL 77
Use the straight / right lanes.
8

Turn right onto AL 21

23 mi · 26 min · Western Bypass
9

Continue on AL 21

1.0 mi · 1 min · Rockford Highway
10

Turn left

0.2 mi · 34 sec
11

Merge onto US 280

64 mi · 1 hr 17 min · US 280
Use the straight / sharp right lanes.
12

Take the exit onto US 280

3.2 mi · 3 min · US 280
Toward I-85 North, US 29 North, US 280 East: Atlanta Use the left lane.
13

Take the exit onto US 280

0.2 mi · 28 sec · US 280
Toward US 280, US 431: Opelika, Phenix City
14

Keep slight right at fork onto US 280

263 ft · 6 sec · US 280
15

Merge onto US 280; US 431

21 mi · 24 min · Columbus Parkway
Use the straight lane.
16

Continue on US 280; US 431

1.5 mi · 2 min · US 280; US 431
Use the straight lane.
17

Turn left onto Opelika Road

0.8 mi · 1 min · Opelika Road
18

At end of road, turn left onto Crawford Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · Crawford Road
19

Continue on 14th Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · 14th Street
20

Turn straight onto 12th Avenue

269 ft · 7 sec · 12th Avenue
21

Continue on 13th Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · 13th Street
22

Turn left onto Broad Street

8 ft · 0 sec · Broad Street
23

Arrive at destination

Broad Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 93.6 miles from Horton, AL, or about 2h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 69.3 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 41 miles or 59m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 93.6 miles or 2h 9m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 22m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Horton, 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 Horton, AL

This is one driving day of about 187.2 miles and 4h 5m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 41 miles from Horton, 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 280 for about 69.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 93.6 mi from Horton, AL · 2h 9m into the drive

city in Alabama, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Columbiana, AL

94 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

Gadsden, AL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Columbiana, AL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 93.6 miles from Horton, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before US 280 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 69.3 miles.

Arriving in Phenix City, AL

The final approach into Phenix City, 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 Phenix City, 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.

Freedom Riders National Monument

Freedom Riders National Monument

National Monument

In 1961, a small interracial band of “Freedom Riders” challenged discriminatory laws requiring separation of the races in interstate travel. They were attacked by white segregationists, who firebombed...

10 mi from route ~25 min detour Free near mile 51.6
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$28.27 one way

$56.54 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 66 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.21 $31.04 $62.07
premium $4.56 $33.60 $67.20
diesel $5.61 $41.33 $82.66

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$28

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$53–$78

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 65.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 56.2 0 $19.66 $8.99
Efficient EV 46.8 0 $16.38 $7.49
EV Truck/SUV 74.9 0 $26.21 $11.98

Gas CO2

65 kg

EV CO2

22 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Horton, AL

Night in Horton on Thursday

Local time

10:21 PM

CDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Phenix City, AL

Night in Phenix City on Thursday

Local time

11:21 PM

EDT

Current temp

78°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

79°F

Columbiana, AL

94 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

1 hour later

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

3 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

4h 5m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Horton, AL to Phenix City, AL covers 187.2 miles and takes about 4h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 280, AL 77, Western Bypass. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 93.6 miles from Horton, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $28.27 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 187.2 miles you will encounter 13 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 7.7 miles (US 431 / Florida Short Route): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.5 miles (AL 77): Lane positioning matters here; at 94.6 miles (US 280): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Horton, AL to Phenix City, AL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Freedom Riders National Monument.

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