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Trip from Huntsville, AL to Madison, AL

Drive Time

16m

Distance

11.6 mi

19 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 15m ★
6 AM
0h 17m
8 AM
0h 20m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 18m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 20m
8 PM
0h 16m

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 Huntsville, AL, AL

Huntsville, AL

Kelly

Downtown Madison, AL, AL

Madison, AL

Muhammad Nabeel

Trip Overview

Traveling between Huntsville and Madison is a quick, straightforward journey covering just 11.6 miles. You can expect to complete this trip in about 16 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. The route primarily utilizes I-565, Madison Boulevard, and Hughes Road to navigate through the Southeast region. With a fuel budget of only $2, this is a highly economical and efficient drive. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a short excursion, the proximity of these two Alabama cities ensures a stress-free experience.

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

5.8 miles from Huntsville, AL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 7m into the drive .

Drive Character

This mixed-drive route offers a balance of high-speed transit and local navigation. You will spend about 48% of your journey on highways, with your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 5.6 miles on I-565. The character of the drive shifts as you transition from the interstate onto Madison Boulevard and Hughes Road, moving from a faster pace into more localized traffic patterns. Expect a functional, no-nonsense drive that gets you from point A to point B without unnecessary complexity.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 565 is the longest continuous segment at about 5.6 miles.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

705 ft 617 ft

Total Climb

252 ft

Total Descent

191 ft

Highest Point

705 ft

~11.6 mi in

Elevation Range

89 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Side Square.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 16m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Side Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South Side Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Side Square): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 7 key points

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

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | West Side Square

Turn right onto West Side Square

Navigation decision point

3
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | South Side Square

Continue onto South Side Square

Navigation decision point

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | East Side Square

Turn left onto East Side Square

Navigation decision point

5
6.7 mi into trip | ~8m in

Take the exit toward Madison Boulevard

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 13 Toward Madison Boulevard
4
11.6 mi into trip | ~16m in | Church Street

Turn left onto Church Street

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 565 5.6 mi 6m
Madison Boulevard 2.5 mi 3m
Hughes Road 1.3 mi 2m
Washington Street Northeast 0.5 mi <1m
Mill Road 0.3 mi <1m
West Side Square <0.1 mi <1m
East Side Square <0.1 mi <1m
South Side Square <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 565 — 5.6 mi, about 6m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Spring Street Southwest

4 ft · 3 sec · Spring Street Southwest
2

Turn right onto West Side Square

376 ft · 16 sec · West Side Square
3

Continue on South Side Square

369 ft · 16 sec · South Side Square
4

Turn left onto East Side Square

371 ft · 9 sec · East Side Square
5

Continue on Washington Street Southeast

364 ft · 9 sec · Washington Street Southeast
6

Continue on Washington Street Northeast

0.5 mi · 53 sec · Washington Street Northeast
7

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 40 sec
8

Merge onto I 565; US 72 Alternate

5.6 mi · 6 min · I 565; US 72 Alternate
9

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Exit 13 Toward Madison Boulevard
10

Continue on Madison Boulevard

2.5 mi · 3 min · Madison Boulevard
11

Turn right onto Hughes Road

1.3 mi · 2 min · Hughes Road
12

Turn left onto Mill Road

0.3 mi · 50 sec · Mill Road
13

Turn left onto Church Street

70 ft · 1 sec · Church Street
14

Arrive at destination

Church Street

Trip Plan

Since this is a short 16-minute trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. You won't need to plan for any stops along the way, as the distance is easily manageable in a single stint. Keep in mind that the highway portion accounts for nearly half of your mileage, so stay alert when merging onto I-565. Given the low $2 fuel cost, you can easily handle this drive on short notice without worrying about significant overhead. Use the direct nature of this route to your advantage by planning your arrival time precisely to suit your schedule.

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 5.8 miles from Huntsville, AL, or about 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 5.6 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 11.6 miles or 16m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 5.8 miles or 7m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 13m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Huntsville, 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 Huntsville, AL

This is one driving day of about 11.6 miles and 16m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Huntsville, 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 565 for about 5.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 5.8 mi from Huntsville, AL · 7m into the drive

Downtown Blountsville, AL, AL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Blountsville, AL

6 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 11.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Blountsville, AL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 5.8 miles from Huntsville, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Madison, AL

The final approach into Madison, 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 Madison, 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

$1.77 one way

$3.55 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 4 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.26 $1.95 $3.89
premium $4.61 $2.11 $4.21
diesel $5.64 $2.58 $5.15

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$2

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$27–$52

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 4.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 3.5 0 $1.22 $0.56
Efficient EV 2.9 0 $1.02 $0.46
EV Truck/SUV 4.6 0 $1.62 $0.74

Gas CO2

4 kg

EV CO2

1 kg (75% 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 1 day ago

Origin

Huntsville, AL

Evening in Huntsville on Sunday

Local time

7:27 PM

CDT

Current temp

84°F

Sunny

0 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Fire Weather Watch

Fire Weather Watch issued April 11 at 10:57AM CDT until April 12 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Birmingham AL

Fire Weather Watch

Fire Weather Watch issued April 11 at 10:52AM CDT until April 12 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Huntsville AL

Destination

Madison, AL

Evening in Madison on Sunday

Local time

7:27 PM

CDT

Current temp

83°F

Sunny

0 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Fire Weather Watch

Fire Weather Watch issued April 11 at 10:57AM CDT until April 12 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Birmingham AL

Fire Weather Watch

Fire Weather Watch issued April 11 at 10:52AM CDT until April 12 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Huntsville AL

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

16m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Huntsville, AL to Madison, AL covers 11.6 miles and takes about 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 565, Madison Boulevard, Hughes Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 5.8 miles from Huntsville, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.77 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 straightforward 16m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Side Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South Side Square): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Side Square): Navigation decision point.
The route from Huntsville, AL to Madison, AL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 617 ft to 705 ft elevation with about 252 ft of total climbing.

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