The drive from Riverdale, GA to Albany, GA covers 172 miles and takes about 3h 17m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Fall Line Freeway, I 75, Georgia-Florida Parkway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 56.9 miles on Fall Line Freeway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.90 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
86 miles from Riverdale, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 35m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 17m. Total distance: 172 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 3h 17m highway drive covering 172 miles, with most of the trip on Fall Line Freeway and I 75. The longest continuous stretch is about 56.9 miles on Fall Line Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Fall Line Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 56.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Fall Line Freeway and I 75. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near GA 139 / Main Street.
Driving Effort6/10
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 172 miles you will encounter 13 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: near the start (GA 139 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 59.1 miles (I 475 / Larry Justice Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 132.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|GA 139 / Main Street
Turn right onto GA 139 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
8
59.1 mi into trip|~1h 6m in|I 475 / Larry Justice Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 475 / Larry Justice Highway toward I 475 South: Valdosta
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 177
Toward I 475 South: Valdosta
8
132.1 mi into trip|~2h 25m in
Take the exit toward GA 300 South: Georgia-Florida Parkway, Albany
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 99
Toward GA 300 South: Georgia-Florida Parkway, A...
6
167.8 mi into trip|~3h 9m in|Old Cordele Road
Turn right onto Old Cordele Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
171.6 mi into trip|~3h 16m in|Pine Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Pine Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Fall Line Freeway
56.9 mi
1h
I 75
56.5 mi
1h 1m
Georgia-Florida Parkway
35.1 mi
43m
Larry Justice Highway
16.1 mi
17m
East Oglethorpe Boulevard
2.9 mi
4m
Upper Riverdale Road
2.1 mi
3m
Pine Avenue
0.4 mi
<1m
East Broad Avenue
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Fall Line Freeway
— 56.9 mi, about 1h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Riverdale, GA and Albany, GA.
1
Start on this road
39 ft·4 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto GA 139
186 ft·5 sec·Main Street
3
Continue on Valley Hill Road Southeast
0.2 mi·28 sec·Valley Hill Road Southeast
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on Upper Riverdale Road
2.1 mi·3 min·Upper Riverdale Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward I 75 South
6
Merge onto I 75
56 mi·1 hr 1 min·I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 475
16 mi·17 min·Larry Justice Highway
Exit 177Toward I 475 South: ValdostaUse the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 75; GA 540
57 mi·1 hr·Fall Line Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
Exit 99Toward GA 300 South: Georgia-Florida Parkway, AlbanyUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto GA 300
35 mi·43 min·Georgia-Florida Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on Cordele Road
0.3 mi·41 sec·Cordele Road
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn right onto Old Cordele Road
0.2 mi·21 sec·Old Cordele Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn straight onto US 82 Business; GA 520 Business
449 ft·10 sec·Sylvester Highway
14
Continue on US 82 Business; GA 520 Business
2.9 mi·4 min·East Oglethorpe Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn right onto South Broadway Street
365 ft·16 sec·South Broadway Street
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto East Broad Avenue
0.4 mi·46 sec·East Broad Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto North Front Street
510 ft·12 sec·North Front Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Enter roundabout onto Pine Avenue
110 ft·2 sec·Pine Avenue
19
Continue on Pine Avenue
0.4 mi·44 sec·Pine Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
Pine Avenue
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 86 miles from Riverdale, GA, or about 1h 35m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 56.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 38 miles or 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 86 miles or 1h 35m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Albany, GA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Riverdale, GA 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Riverdale, GA
This is one driving day of about 172 miles and 3h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Riverdale, GA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Fall Line Freeway for about 56.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 86 mi from Riverdale, GA
· 1h 35m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Welcome to Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. This park is a prehistoric American Indian site, where many different American Indian cultures occupied this land for thousands of years. American...
7 mi from route
~19 min detour
Free
near mile 71.2
Caution: River Trail periodically closed under I-16
Park Closure: BOARDWALK CLOSED along the River Trail
Welcome to Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park & Preservation District where a young boy grows up in a time of segregation. He was moved by destiny to lead the modern civil rights movemen...
Today the river valley attracts us for so many reasons. Take a solitary walk to enjoy nature’s display, raft leisurely through the rocky shoals with friends, fish the misty waters as the sun comes up,...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.90 one way
$53.79 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg60 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$29.41
$58.82
premium
$4.70
$31.83
$63.67
diesel
$5.61
$37.98
$75.95
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 60.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
51.6
0
$18.06
$8.26
Efficient EV
43
0
$15.05
$6.88
EV Truck/SUV
68.8
0
$24.08
$11.01
Gas CO2
60 kg
EV CO2
20 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.
Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Riverdale, GA
Evening
in Riverdale on Friday
Local time
6:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Albany, GA
Evening
in Albany on Friday
Local time
6:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Mostly Clear
WSW 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
76°F
Ohio, GA
86 mi in
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
5 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
3h 17m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Riverdale, GA to Albany, GA covers 172 miles and takes about 3h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Fall Line Freeway, I 75, Georgia-Florida Parkway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 86 miles from Riverdale, GA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $26.90 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 172 miles you will encounter 13 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: near the start (GA 139 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 59.1 miles (I 475 / Larry Justice Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 132.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Riverdale, GA to Albany, GA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, 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.
