Origin
South Tucson, AZ
Morning in South Tucson on Thursday
Local time
9:16 AM
MST
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from South Tucson, AZ to Chandler, AZ
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 50m
Distance
97.8 mi
157 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 42m
★
6 AM
1h 50m
8 AM
2h 6m
10 AM
1h 56m
12 PM
1h 54m
3 PM
1h 57m
5 PM
2h 6m
8 PM
1h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Tucson, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Chandler, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from South Tucson, AZ to Chandler, AZ covers 97.8 miles and takes about 1h 50m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, South Arizona Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54.5 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.48 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.
Midpoint
48.9 miles from South Tucson, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 52m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 50m. Total distance: 97.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (11%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 50m drive with frequent turns across 97.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 54.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in near I 10 / South Freeway.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 50m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles (I 10 / South Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 84.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 10 / South Freeway
Merge onto I 10 / South Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
9.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
84.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 28m in
Take the exit toward AZ 587 North: Chandler, Gilbert
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 175
Toward AZ 587 North: Chandler, Gilbert
6
84.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 28m in
|
AZ 587
Turn left onto AZ 587
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
5
97.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 50m in
|
East Chandler Boulevard
Turn right onto East Chandler Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
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 South Tucson, AZ to Chandler, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Gilbert along the way.
Gilbert
84.7 mi in
|
~1h 28m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 54.5 mi | 55m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 24.1 mi | 24m |
| South Arizona Avenue | 7 mi | 12m |
| AZ 587 | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| South Freeway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| West 22nd Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| South 6th Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Freeway Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 54.5 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Tucson, AZ and Chandler, AZ.
1
Start on US 80 Hist
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South 6th Avenue
2
Turn left onto West 22nd Street
0.6 mi
·
54 sec
·
West 22nd Street
3
Turn right onto South Freeway Road
363 ft
·
11 sec
·
South Freeway Road
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 10 West
5
Merge onto I 10
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 10
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
51 mi
·
51 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 10
24 mi
·
24 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 175
Toward AZ 587 North: Chandler, Gilbert
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto AZ 587
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
AZ 587
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
11
Continue on AZ 87
7.0 mi
·
12 min
·
South Arizona Avenue
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto East Chandler Boulevard
47 ft
·
0 sec
·
East Chandler Boulevard
Use the right lane.
13
Arrive at destination
East Chandler Boulevard
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 48.9 miles from South Tucson, AZ, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.5 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 80 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 48.9 miles or 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chandler, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving South Tucson, AZ 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 South Tucson, AZ
This is one driving day of about 97.8 miles and 1h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from South Tucson, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for about 54.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 48.9 mi from South Tucson, AZ · 52m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
49 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 48.9 miles from South Tucson, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Chandler, AZ
The final approach into Chandler, 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 Chandler, 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
$19.48 one way
$38.97 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
34 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $20.62 | $41.24 |
| premium | $5.59 | $21.53 | $43.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $21.59 | $43.19 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 29.3 | 0 | $10.27 | $4.69 |
| Efficient EV | 24.5 | 0 | $8.56 | $3.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 39.1 | 0 | $13.69 | $6.26 |
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (68% 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
Chandler, AZ
Morning in Chandler on Thursday
Local time
9:16 AM
MST
Current temp
89°F
Partly Sunny
S 0 to 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 3:13AM PDT until April 17 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 3:13AM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
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
34 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
1h 50m 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 South Tucson, AZ to Chandler, AZ covers 97.8 miles and takes about 1h 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, South Arizona Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 48.9 miles from South Tucson, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.48 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 is a straightforward 1h 50m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles (I 10 / South Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 84.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from South Tucson, AZ to Chandler, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Gilbert along the way.
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