Skip to main content

Trip from New Berlin, WI to Franklin, TN

Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026

Drive Time

11h 5m

Distance

581.6 mi

936 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$91

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
10h 55m ★
6 AM
11h 5m
8 AM
11h 25m
10 AM
11h 12m
12 PM
11h 10m
3 PM
11h 13m
5 PM
11h 24m
8 PM
10h 59m

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

city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States

New Berlin, WI

Wikimedia Commons

city and county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States

Franklin, TN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from New Berlin, WI to Franklin, TN covers 581.6 miles and takes about 11h 5m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on South Moorland Road, Rock Freeway, I 41 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $90.93 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

3 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

290.8 miles from New Berlin, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 32m into the drive .

Drive Character

At 581.6 miles and 11h 5m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are South Moorland Road and Rock Freeway.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 44 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Moorland Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

At 11h 5m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. Navigation is simple, but the total wheel time makes endurance and break timing the real challenge.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Navigation is easy, but the length (11h 5m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from New Berlin, WI to Franklin, TN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Moorland Road
Rock Freeway
I 41 South
North-South Freeway
North Skokie Highway
Skokie Valley Road
Skokie Highway
Edens Expressway

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: South Moorland Road — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between New Berlin, WI and Franklin, TN.

1

Start on West National Avenue

69 ft · 2 sec · West National Avenue
2

Turn left onto South Moorland Road

1.5 mi · 2 min · South Moorland Road
3

Continue on South Moorland Road

331 ft · 8 sec · South Moorland Road
4

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward South Moorland Road

220 ft · 5 sec · South Moorland Road
5

Exit the roundabout onto South Moorland Road

0.2 mi · 18 sec · South Moorland Road
6

Continue on South Moorland Road

0.1 mi · 12 sec · South Moorland Road
7

Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward South Moorland Road

364 ft · 7 sec · South Moorland Road
8

Exit the roundabout onto South Moorland Road

0.1 mi · 11 sec · South Moorland Road
9

Take the ramp slight right

0.4 mi · 45 sec
10

Merge slight left onto Rock Freeway

8.2 mi · 10 min · Rock Freeway
11

Keep slight left to continue on I 41 South, I 94 South: Chicago

1.3 mi · 1 min · I 41 South, I 94 South: Chicago
12

Merge slight left onto North-South Freeway

33 mi · 35 min · North-South Freeway
13

Keep slight left to continue on North Skokie Highway

19 mi · 22 min · North Skokie Highway
14

Continue on Skokie Valley Road

3.4 mi · 3 min · Skokie Valley Road
15

Continue on Skokie Highway

3.8 mi · 4 min · Skokie Highway
16

Continue on Edens Expressway

14 mi · 17 min · Edens Expressway
17

Continue on Kennedy Expressway

8.1 mi · 11 min · Kennedy Expressway
18

Continue on Dan Ryan Expressway

2.4 mi · 2 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
19

Keep slight left to continue on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

3.8 mi · 5 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
20

Take the exit slight right toward I 90 East

0.4 mi · 53 sec · I 90 East
21

Merge slight right onto Dan Ryan Expressway (Local)

0.5 mi · 50 sec · Dan Ryan Expressway (Local)
22

Keep slight left to continue on Chicago Skyway

4.5 mi · 6 min · Chicago Skyway
23

Turn straight onto Chicago Skyway

0.1 mi · 14 sec · Chicago Skyway
24

Merge slight left onto Chicago Skyway

3.1 mi · 5 min · Chicago Skyway
25

Continue on Indiana Toll Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · Indiana Toll Road
26

Turn straight onto Indiana Toll Road

0.2 mi · 1 min · Indiana Toll Road
27

Merge slight right onto Indiana Toll Road

1.8 mi · 2 min · Indiana Toll Road
28

Keep slight left to continue on Indiana Toll Road

11 mi · 12 min · Indiana Toll Road
29

Take the exit slight right toward SR 53: Broadway

0.3 mi · 49 sec · SR 53: Broadway
30

Turn right onto Broadway

0.2 mi · 38 sec · Broadway
31

Turn left onto East 5th Avenue

1.6 mi · 2 min · East 5th Avenue
32

Turn right onto Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

133 mi · 2 hr 25 min · Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
33

Keep slight left

17 mi · 22 min
34

Continue on I 70 East: Dayton

1.9 mi · 2 min · I 70 East: Dayton
35

Keep slight left

283 mi · 5 hr 9 min
36

Continue on I 24 East: Chattanooga, Knoxville

2.8 mi · 3 min · I 24 East: Chattanooga, Knoxville
37

Keep slight right to continue on Downtown Loop

1.0 mi · 1 min · Downtown Loop
38

Take the exit slight left toward I 65 South: Huntsville

0.4 mi · 46 sec · I 65 South: Huntsville
39

Continue straight

17 mi · 18 min
40

Take the exit slight right toward TN 96: Franklin, Murfreesboro

0.3 mi · 40 sec · TN 96: Franklin, Murfreesboro
41

Turn right onto Murfreesboro Road

2.3 mi · 3 min · Murfreesboro Road
42

Continue on 3rd Avenue South

0.3 mi · 35 sec · 3rd Avenue South
43

Enter the roundabout toward Public Square

397 ft · 7 sec · Public Square
44

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 290.8 miles from New Berlin, WI, or about 5h 32m into the drive.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 128 miles or 2h 26m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 290.8 miles or 5h 32m in

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

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 290.8 miles or 5h 32m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 9h 56m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving New Berlin, WI 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.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

+

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from New Berlin, WI

Aim for roughly 291 miles and 5.5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Franklin, TN

Aim for roughly 291 miles and 5.5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 128 miles from New Berlin, WI.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 290.8 mi from New Berlin, WI · 5h 32m into the drive

Downtown Orland Park, IL, IL

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Orland Park, IL

192 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Downtown Louisville, KY, KY

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Louisville, KY

384 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Louisville, KY

Overnight Options

Night 1

Cincinnati, OH

291 mi · about 5.5h in

A practical overnight split lands near Cincinnati, OH after about 291 miles or 5.5 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Chicago, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 128 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Cincinnati, OH

Meal break

The midpoint is around 290.8 miles from New Berlin, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 291 miles or 5.5 hours on the road.

Final-third reset

Rest stop

Plan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.

Arriving in Franklin, TN

The final approach into Franklin, TN 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 Franklin, TN.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Franklin, TN with some flexibility left in the schedule.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$90.93 one way

$181.85 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 204 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $99.83 $199.67
premium $4.89 $111.92 $223.85
diesel $5.61 $128.41 $256.82

Estimated Tolls: $6.15

Chicago Skyway $6.15
Indiana Toll Road $0.00

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$91

Tolls

$6

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$227–$337

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 203.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $61 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 174.5 2 $61.07 $27.92
Efficient EV 145.4 1 $50.89 $23.26
EV Truck/SUV 232.6 2 $81.42 $37.22

Gas CO2

203 kg

EV CO2

68 kg (67% less)

Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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

New Berlin, WI

Evening in New Berlin on Wednesday

Local time

6:15 PM

CDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Franklin, TN

Evening in Franklin on Wednesday

Local time

6:15 PM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

13 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

11h 5m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from New Berlin, WI to Franklin, TN covers 581.6 miles and takes about 11h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Moorland Road, Rock Freeway, I 41 South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 291 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 290.8 miles from New Berlin, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $90.93 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Navigation is easy, but the length (11h 5m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from New Berlin, WI to Franklin, TN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from New Berlin, WI to Franklin, TN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from New Berlin, WI or browse trips ending in Franklin, TN.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WI road trips.

Explore maps for New Berlin, WI or Franklin, TN on MapSof.net.