Origin
Surprise, AZ
Afternoon in Surprise on Sunday
Local time
2:17 PM
MST
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Surprise, AZ to Tucson, AZ
Drive Time
2h 16m
Distance
144.1 mi
232 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$29
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 7m
★
6 AM
2h 17m
8 AM
2h 36m
10 AM
2h 23m
12 PM
2h 21m
3 PM
2h 24m
5 PM
2h 35m
8 PM
2h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Surprise, AZ
Kostiantyn Zavhorodnii
Tucson, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
The drive from Surprise, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 144.1 miles and takes about 2h 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West Santa Fe Drive, West Greenway Road, Grand Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $28.68 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
72.1 miles from Surprise, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 8m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 16m drive with frequent turns across 144.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Santa Fe Drive is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Surprise, AZ to Tucson, AZ is easy. At 2h 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Surprise, AZ to Tucson, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Santa Fe Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Greenway Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Grand Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| AZ 101 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Agua Fria Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 10 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Papago Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
West Santa Fe Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Surprise, AZ and Tucson, AZ.
1
Start on North Nash Street
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
North Nash Street
2
At the end of the road, turn left onto West Santa Fe Drive
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
West Santa Fe Drive
3
Turn right onto West Greenway Road
217 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Greenway Road
4
Turn left onto Grand Avenue
4.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Grand Avenue
5
Take the exit right toward AZ 101 Loop South
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
AZ 101 Loop South
6
Merge slight left onto Agua Fria Freeway
8.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Agua Fria Freeway
7
Keep slight left to continue on I 10 East: Phoenix
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 10 East: Phoenix
8
Merge slight left onto Papago Freeway
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Papago Freeway
9
Continue on Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
10
Continue on Papago Freeway
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Papago Freeway
11
Keep slight left to continue on Papago Freeway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Papago Freeway
12
Merge slight right onto Maricopa Freeway
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
13
Continue on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
38 mi
·
38 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
14
Continue on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
55 mi
·
55 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
15
Continue on North Freeway
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
North Freeway
16
Take the exit slight right toward Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard
17
Turn straight onto North Freeway Road
161 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Freeway Road
18
Turn left onto West Congress Street
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
West Congress Street
19
Continue on West Broadway Boulevard
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
West Broadway Boulevard
20
Turn left onto North Country Club Road
131 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Country Club Road
21
Arrive at your destination
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 72.1 miles from Surprise, AZ, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
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 15m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 72.1 miles or 1h 8m 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 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tucson, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Surprise, 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 Surprise, AZ
This is one driving day of about 144.1 miles and 2h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Surprise, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 72.1 mi from Surprise, AZ · 1h 8m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
72 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 72.1 miles from Surprise, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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
$28.68 one way
$57.36 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
50 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.34 | $30.28 | $60.57 |
| premium | $5.59 | $31.70 | $63.39 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $32.01 | $64.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 43.2 | 0 | $15.13 | $6.92 |
| Efficient EV | 36 | 0 | $12.61 | $5.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 57.6 | 0 | $20.17 | $9.22 |
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (66% 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 Sunday
Local time
2:17 PM
MST
Current temp
53°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
3 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
2h 16m 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 Surprise, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 144.1 miles and takes about 2h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Santa Fe Drive, West Greenway Road, Grand Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 72.1 miles from Surprise, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $28.68 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.
The drive from Surprise, AZ to Tucson, AZ is easy. At 2h 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Surprise, AZ to Tucson, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Surprise, AZ to Tucson, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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