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Trip from Lilburn, GA to Atlanta, GA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

31m

Distance

22.8 mi

37 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 29m ★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States

Lilburn, GA

Wikimedia Commons

capital city of Georgia, United States

Atlanta, GA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This quick 22.8-mile journey from Lilburn, GA to Atlanta, GA is easily managed as a single-day trip, taking about 31 minutes. You'll primarily navigate on the Northeast Expressway and the Downtown Connector, with Rockbridge Road also playing a part. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $4, this route is designed for efficiency, not leisure. Given its short distance and highway-focused profile, it's ideal for a direct commute or a brief connection between these Southeast Georgia locations without needing an overnight stay. You'll spend about 61% of your time on highways, making for a straightforward drive.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 22.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

31m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

Expect a highway-centric experience on this route, with 61% of the drive on major roadways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 12.6 miles on the Northeast Expressway, offering a period of consistent speed. While the overall profile is highway-focused, the incorporation of roads like Rockbridge Road might introduce slightly more varied driving conditions as you approach your destination. This isn't a winding country road; it's built for moving traffic efficiently between points.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Northeast Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 12.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Northeast Expressway and Downtown Connector. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Pine Street Northwest.

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 22.8 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.1 miles (Pine Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 4.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 22.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

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

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Pine Street Northwest

Turn right onto Pine Street Northwest

Navigation decision point

5
4.9 mi into trip | ~8m in

Take the ramp toward I 85 South

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes. Toward I 85 South
8
22.3 mi into trip | ~30m in

Take the exit toward Martin Luther King Junior Drive, State Capitol, Turner Field

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 248A Toward Martin Luther King Junior Drive, State C...
6
22.6 mi into trip | ~31m in | Capitol Square Southwest

Turn left onto Capitol Square Southwest

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.
7
22.8 mi into trip | ~31m in | Capitol Avenue Southeast

Turn right onto Capitol Avenue Southeast

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Northeast Expressway 12.6 mi 15m
Downtown Connector 3 mi 4m
Rockbridge Road 2.3 mi 4m
Interstate Highway 85 1.4 mi 1m
Jimmy Carter Boulevard 1.3 mi 2m
Lawrenceville Highway 1.2 mi 1m
Capitol Square Southwest 0.1 mi <1m
Capitol Avenue Southeast <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Northeast Expressway — 12.6 mi, about 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lilburn, GA and Atlanta, GA.

1

Start on Church Street Northwest

292 ft · 14 sec · Church Street Northwest
2

Turn right onto Pine Street Northwest

108 ft · 9 sec · Pine Street Northwest
3

Turn left onto US 29; GA 8

1.2 mi · 1 min · Lawrenceville Highway
4

Turn straight

284 ft · 10 sec
5

Turn slight right onto Rockbridge Road

2.3 mi · 4 min · Rockbridge Road
Use the right lane.
6

Turn straight onto Jimmy Carter Boulevard

1.1 mi · 1 min · Jimmy Carter Boulevard
7

Continue on Jimmy Carter Boulevard

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Jimmy Carter Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
8

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 54 sec
Toward I 85 South Use the left / straight lanes.
9

Merge onto I 85

1.4 mi · 1 min · Interstate Highway 85
10

Continue on I 85

13 mi · 15 min · Northeast Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 75; I 85

3.0 mi · 4 min · Downtown Connector
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Exit 248A Toward Martin Luther King Junior Drive, State Capitol, Turner Field Use the slight right lane.
13

Turn slight right onto Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast

288 ft · 13 sec · Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
Use the right lane.
14

Turn left onto Capitol Square Southwest

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Capitol Square Southwest
Use the straight / left lanes.
15

Turn right onto Capitol Avenue Southeast

318 ft · 6 sec · Capitol Avenue Southeast
Use the right lane.
16

Arrive at destination

Capitol Avenue Southeast

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.57 one way

$7.13 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $3.90 $7.80
premium $4.70 $4.22 $8.44
diesel $5.61 $5.03 $10.07

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.8 0 $2.39 $1.09
Efficient EV 5.7 0 $1.99 $0.91
EV Truck/SUV 9.1 0 $3.19 $1.46

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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

Lilburn, GA

Late night in Lilburn on Saturday

Local time

1:52 AM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Atlanta, GA

Late night in Atlanta on Saturday

Local time

1:52 AM

EDT

Current temp

56°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

4 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

31m 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 Lilburn, GA to Atlanta, GA covers 22.8 miles and takes about 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Northeast Expressway, Downtown Connector, Rockbridge Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 11.4 miles from Lilburn, GA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.57 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 22.8 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.1 miles (Pine Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 4.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 22.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

The route from Lilburn, GA to Atlanta, GA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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