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Trip from Nashville, TN to Shelbyville, TN

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

Drive Time

1h 12m

Distance

57.8 mi

93 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 6m ★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 9m

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

capital and largest city of Tennessee, United States

Nashville, TN

Wikimedia Commons

city in Bedford County, Tennessee, United States

Shelbyville, TN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 57.8-mile drive from Nashville, TN to Shelbyville, TN is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 12 minutes. With a fuel cost estimated at $9, it's an economical option for a quick excursion. The route primarily utilizes I-24, Shelbyville Highway, and Florida Short Route, offering a mixed driving experience. Given its short distance and minimal stops recommended, this journey is perfect for a spontaneous day out or a brief segment of a larger Southeast road trip. You'll find yourself on familiar Tennessee roads for the entire duration.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 57.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

The character of this 57.8-mile journey is predominantly highway driving, with 56% of the route on faster roads like I-24. Expect a longest stretch of 31.6 miles on I-24, offering a chance to cover ground efficiently. The profile is described as a 'Mixed drive,' suggesting a transition from interstate speeds to potentially more local road conditions as you approach Shelbyville. This means you'll experience both the quick pace of the interstate and the feel of more direct routes.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 24 is the longest continuous segment at about 31.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.8 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 0.4 miles (Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (I 24): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

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

7
0.4 mi into trip | ~2m in | Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard

At end of road, turn left onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
1.5 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the ramp toward I 24 East

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Toward I 24 East
9
2.5 mi into trip | ~6m in | I 24

Keep slight left at fork onto I 24 toward I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, Chattanooga

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Exit 50A Toward I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, Chattan...
7
4.6 mi into trip | ~9m in | I 24

Take the exit onto I 24 toward I 24 East: Chattanooga

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 213A Toward I 24 East: Chattanooga
7
34.1 mi into trip | ~41m in

Take the exit toward US 231 South: Shelbyville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 81A Toward US 231 South: Shelbyville

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 24 31.6 mi 35m
Shelbyville Highway 11.5 mi 13m
Florida Short Route 6.3 mi 7m
North Main Street 2.5 mi 3m
South Church Street 2.4 mi 3m
Downtown Loop 0.8 mi 1m
James Robertson Parkway 0.7 mi 1m
Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 24 — 31.6 mi, about 35m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Nashville, TN and Shelbyville, TN.

1

Start on this road

0.4 mi · 2 min · this road
2

At end of road, turn left onto Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard

0.3 mi · 43 sec · Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
3

Turn left onto James Robertson Parkway

0.7 mi · 1 min · James Robertson Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Turn right onto Interstate Drive

451 ft · 9 sec · Interstate Drive
Use the right lane.
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward I 24 East Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6

Merge onto I 24

0.8 mi · 1 min · Downtown Loop
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 24

2.1 mi · 2 min · I 24
Exit 50A Toward I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, Chattanooga Use the slight left lane.
8

Take the exit onto I 24

30 mi · 32 min · I 24
Exit 213A Toward I 24 East: Chattanooga Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 81A Toward US 231 South: Shelbyville Use the slight right lane.
10

Merge onto US 231

2.4 mi · 3 min · South Church Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11

Continue on US 231

12 mi · 13 min · Shelbyville Highway
12

Merge onto US 231

6.3 mi · 7 min · Florida Short Route
13

Continue on US 231; SR 82

2.5 mi · 3 min · North Main Street
14

Turn left onto SR 64; SR 82; SR 130

478 ft · 8 sec · East Lane Street
15

Continue on SR 64; SR 82; SR 130

0.2 mi · 17 sec · North Jefferson Street
16

Turn right onto East Depot Street

0.1 mi · 24 sec · East Depot Street
17

At end of road, turn right onto Public Square East

344 ft · 20 sec · Public Square East
18

Continue on Public Square North

103 ft · 4 sec · Public Square North
19

Arrive at destination

Public Square North

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 28.9 mi from Nashville, TN · 36m into the drive

city in Tennessee, United States of America

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Murfreesboro, TN

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.

Popular next leg

Murfreesboro, TN to Shelbyville, TN

25.8 mi · 33m

Pacing Suggestions

Brentwood Estates, TN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Jamestown, TN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.9 miles from Nashville, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Shelbyville, TN

The final approach into Shelbyville, 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

$9.04 one way

$18.07 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $9.92 $19.84
premium $4.89 $11.12 $22.25
diesel $5.61 $12.76 $25.52

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.2 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 17.3 0 $6.07 $2.77
Efficient EV 14.5 0 $5.06 $2.31
EV Truck/SUV 23.1 0 $8.09 $3.70

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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Nashville, TN

Late night in Nashville on Saturday

Local time

1:11 AM

CDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Shelbyville, TN

Late night in Shelbyville on Saturday

Local time

1:11 AM

CDT

Current temp

50°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 cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 12m 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 Nashville, TN to Shelbyville, TN covers 57.8 miles and takes about 1h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 24, Shelbyville Highway, Florida Short Route. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 28.9 miles from Nashville, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.04 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 57.8 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 0.4 miles (Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (I 24): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

The route from Nashville, TN to Shelbyville, 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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