Origin
Knoxville, TN
Night in Knoxville on Friday
Local time
11:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Knoxville, TN to Athens, TN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
58 mi
93 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Knoxville, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Athens, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Knoxville, TN to Athens, TN covers 58 miles and takes about 1h 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 75, I 40, Ingleside Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 32.5 miles on I 75. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.07 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 8m. Total distance: 58 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 8m highway drive covering 58 miles, with most of the trip on I 75 and I 40. The longest continuous stretch is about 32.5 miles on I 75.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 75 is the longest continuous segment at about 32.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and I 40. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in.
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 58 miles you will encounter 8 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 1.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.8 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.1 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 40 West, I 75 South
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40 West, I 75 South
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 40
Merge onto I 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
20.1 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 75
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75 toward I 75 South: Chattanooga
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 75 South: Chattanooga
4
52.6 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward TN 305: Athens
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward TN 305: Athens
5
52.9 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 32.5 mi | 34m |
| I 40 | 18.3 mi | 21m |
| Ingleside Avenue | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| Highway 305 | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Western Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Ailor Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Henley Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Washington Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 32.5 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Knoxville, TN and Athens, TN.
1
Start on US 441
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Henley Street
2
Continue on US 441
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Henley Street
3
Turn slight left onto SR 62
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Western Avenue
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn left onto Ailor Avenue
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
Ailor Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 40 West, I 75 South
6
Merge onto I 40
18 mi
·
21 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
33 mi
·
34 min
·
I 75
Toward I 75 South: Chattanooga
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward TN 305: Athens
9
Keep slight left at fork
149 ft
·
5 sec
10
Turn straight onto SR 305
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 305
11
Continue on SR 305
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Ingleside Avenue
12
Turn right onto SR 39
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Washington Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
SR 39
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 29 mi from Knoxville, TN · 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29 miles from Knoxville, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Athens, TN
The final approach into Athens, TN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.07 one way
$18.14 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.96 | $19.91 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.16 | $22.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.81 | $25.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.09 | $2.78 |
| Efficient EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.07 | $2.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.2 | 0 | $8.12 | $3.71 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Athens, TN
Night in Athens on Friday
Local time
11:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
10 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
1h 8m 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 Knoxville, TN to Athens, TN covers 58 miles and takes about 1h 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 75, I 40, Ingleside Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 29 miles from Knoxville, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.07 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 58 miles you will encounter 8 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 1.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.8 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.1 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Knoxville, TN to Athens, TN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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