Origin
Nogales, AZ
Afternoon in Nogales on Thursday
Local time
12:29 PM
MST
Current temp
94°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Nogales, AZ to Tucson, AZ
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
67.9 mi
109 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Nogales, AZ
András Nyemczovszky
Tucson, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Nogales to Tucson covers 67.9 miles of the Arizona Desert Southwest, making for a straightforward journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 21 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $13 for fuel, keeping the costs quite low for this regional transit. The drive utilizes a combination of North Grand Avenue, the Nogales–Tucson Highway, and West 22nd Street to navigate the transition between these two desert hubs. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a day of exploration, this path offers a reliable, no-fuss connection across the southern Arizona landscape.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 67.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (2%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local driving experience as you transition away from the border region. While the route features a 60-mile stretch on the Nogales–Tucson Highway, the overall highway share remains quite low at only 2 percent. This means you will spend most of your time navigating local roads rather than high-speed interstate lanes. The personality of the drive shifts from the initial turn-heavy segments to more consistent stretches as you settle into the main highway portion. Prepare for a hands-on driving experience where your attention will be required more for local navigation than for long-distance highway cruising.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Nogales–Tucson Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 60 miles.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
3,833 ft
2,416 ft
Total Climb
65 ft
Total Descent
1,417 ft
Highest Point
3,833 ft
Elevation Range
1,417 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 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 67.9 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 0.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (I 19 / Nogales–Tucson Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 19 North: Tucson
Navigation decision point
Toward I 19 North: Tucson
5
3.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 19 / Nogales–Tucson Highway
Merge onto I 19 / Nogales–Tucson Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
63.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 29th Street/22nd Street, Silverlake Road, Starr Pass Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 102
Toward 29th Street/22nd Street, Silverlake Road...
5
66.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
East Broadway Boulevard
Turn right onto East Broadway Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Nogales–Tucson Highway | 60 mi | 1h 5m |
| North Grand Avenue | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| West 22nd Street | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| East Broadway Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
| West Mariposa Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Freeway Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Kino Parkway | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Campbell Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Nogales–Tucson Highway
— 60 mi, about 1h 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Nogales, AZ and Tucson, AZ.
1
Start on North Wayside Drive
91 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Wayside Drive
2
Turn right onto North Morley Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
North Morley Avenue
3
Turn left
129 ft
·
9 sec
4
Turn right onto I 19 BUS
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North Grand Avenue
5
Turn left onto AZ 189
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Mariposa Road
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 19 North: Tucson
7
Merge onto I 19
60 mi
·
1 hr 5 min
·
Nogales–Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 102
Toward 29th Street/22nd Street, Silverlake Road, Starr Pass Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
9
Continue on South Freeway Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Freeway Road
10
Turn right onto West 22nd Street
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
West 22nd Street
11
Turn slight left
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
12
Turn straight onto South Kino Parkway
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Kino Parkway
13
Continue on South Campbell Avenue
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
South Campbell Avenue
14
Turn right onto East Broadway Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Broadway Boulevard
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left onto North Country Club Road
131 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Country Club Road
16
Arrive at destination
North Country Club Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 33.9 mi from Nogales, AZ · 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 67.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.9 miles from Nogales, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Nogales–Tucson Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 60 miles.
Arriving in Tucson, AZ
The final approach into Tucson, AZ 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 Tucson, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.53 one way
$27.05 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $14.32 | $28.63 |
| premium | $5.59 | $14.95 | $29.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.99 | $29.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.13 | $3.26 |
| Efficient EV | 17 | 0 | $5.94 | $2.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.2 | 0 | $9.51 | $4.35 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (67% 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
Tucson, AZ
Afternoon in Tucson on Thursday
Local time
12:29 PM
MST
Current temp
54°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.
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
40 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 21m 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 Nogales, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 67.9 miles and takes about 1h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Nogales–Tucson Highway, North Grand Avenue, West 22nd Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 33.9 miles from Nogales, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.53 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 67.9 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 0.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (I 19 / Nogales–Tucson Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Nogales, AZ to Tucson, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Tucson, AZ
More from Nogales, AZ
More trips to Tucson, AZ
Explore more options from Nogales, AZ or browse trips ending in Tucson, AZ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AZ road trips.
Explore maps for Nogales, AZ or Tucson, AZ on MapSof.net.