Origin
Riverdale, GA
Afternoon in Riverdale on Thursday
Local time
4:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Riverdale, GA to Gainesville, GA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
68.5 mi
110 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Riverdale, GA
Enam Sape
Gainesville, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Riverdale, GA to Gainesville, GA covers 68.5 miles and takes about 1h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter, Lanier Parkway, Interstate Highway 85 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.8 miles on Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.71 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 68.5 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 (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 21m highway drive covering 68.5 miles, with most of the trip on Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter and Lanier Parkway. The longest continuous stretch is about 21.8 miles on Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter is the longest continuous segment at about 21.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter and Lanier Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 27.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 68.5 miles you will encounter 16 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 27.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
27.6 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward I 85: Greenville, Atlanta
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 33
Toward I 85: Greenville, Atlanta
7
28.3 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 85 North: Greenville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 85 North: Greenville
7
28.4 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 85 North: Greenville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 85 North: Greenville
8
45.9 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
I 985 / Lanier Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 985 / Lanier Parkway toward I 985 North: Gainesville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 113
Toward I 985 North: Gainesville
8
65.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Take the exit toward GA 60, GA 53: Candler Road, Gainesville
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 20
Toward GA 60, GA 53: Candler Road, Gainesville
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Riverdale, GA to Gainesville, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Atlanta along the way.
Atlanta
27.6 mi in
|
~35m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter | 21.8 mi | 25m |
| Lanier Parkway | 19.7 mi | 21m |
| Interstate Highway 85 | 15.4 mi | 16m |
| State Route 85 | 3 mi | 5m |
| Queen City Parkway | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Northeast Expressway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Forest Parkway | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Old Dixie Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
— 21.8 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Riverdale, GA and Gainesville, GA.
1
Start on this road
39 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto GA 139
186 ft
·
11 sec
·
Main Street
3
Turn left onto GA 85
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
State Route 85
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto GA 331
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Forest Parkway
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn left onto US 19; US 41; GA 3
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Dixie Road
6
Take the ramp
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 285 East
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto I 285
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 33
Toward I 85: Greenville, Atlanta
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
520 ft
·
6 sec
Toward I 85 North: Greenville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 85 North: Greenville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 85
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Expressway
12
Continue on I 85
15 mi
·
16 min
·
Interstate Highway 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 85
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 85
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 985
20 mi
·
21 min
·
Lanier Parkway
Exit 113
Toward I 985 North: Gainesville
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 20
Toward GA 60, GA 53: Candler Road, Gainesville
Use the slight right lane.
16
At end of road, turn left onto GA 60
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Queen City Parkway
17
Turn right onto GA 60; GA 369
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Jesse Jewell Parkway Southwest
18
Turn right onto Green Street
36 ft
·
1 sec
·
Green Street
19
Arrive at destination
Green Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 34.2 mi from Riverdale, GA · 43m 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.2 miles from Riverdale, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Gainesville, GA
The final approach into Gainesville, GA 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
$10.71 one way
$21.42 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $11.71 | $23.42 |
| premium | $4.70 | $12.68 | $25.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.12 | $30.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24 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 | 20.6 | 0 | $7.19 | $3.29 |
| Efficient EV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.99 | $2.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.4 | 0 | $9.59 | $4.38 |
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
Gainesville, GA
Afternoon in Gainesville on Thursday
Local time
4:49 PM
EDT
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
5 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 Riverdale, GA to Gainesville, GA covers 68.5 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 Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter, Lanier Parkway, Interstate Highway 85. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 34.2 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 $10.71 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 68.5 miles you will encounter 16 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 27.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Riverdale, GA to Gainesville, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Atlanta along the way.
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