Origin
Thomson, GA
Night in Thomson on Friday
Local time
10:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Thomson, GA to Smyrna, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
57.4 mi
92 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Thomson, GA
Huynh Van
Smyrna, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 57.4-mile drive from Thomson, GA to Smyrna, GA takes about 1 hour and 12 minutes. Designed as a single-day trip, it's a quick hop within Georgia's Southeast region. You'll navigate primarily on local roads, with a significant portion on Carl Sanders Highway, Cedar Rock Road, and Buckhead Road. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $9, making it an economical option for a short road trip. Expect a local, turn-heavy driving experience rather than a highway cruise.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 57.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This route offers a turn-heavy local drive experience, with a 0% highway share. You'll spend most of your time on roads like Carl Sanders Highway, Cedar Rock Road, and Buckhead Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch measures 47.2 miles on Carl Sanders Highway, providing a good period of consistent travel before encountering more turns. This isn't a fast-paced interstate journey; instead, anticipate navigating through local communities and varying road conditions.
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.
Carl Sanders Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 47.2 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 4.2 miles in near Three Points Road.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 12m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.2 miles (Three Points Road): Navigation decision point; at 4.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 52.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
4.2 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Three Points Road
Turn right onto Three Points Road
Navigation decision point
4
4.9 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
52.4 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward Buckhead, Lake Oconee, Buckhead Historic District
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Buckhead, Lake Oconee, Buckhead Historic...
5
52.7 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Continue toward Buckhead, Lake Oconee, Buckhead Historic District
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 121
Toward Buckhead, Lake Oconee, Buckhead Historic...
4
53.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
Parks Mill Road
At end of road, turn left onto Parks Mill Road
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Thomson, GA and Smyrna, GA, road signs point toward Buckhead, Lake Oconee and Buckhead Historic District.
Buckhead
52.4 mi in
|
~59m
Lake Oconee
52.4 mi in
|
~59m
Buckhead Historic District
52.4 mi in
|
~59m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Carl Sanders Highway | 47.2 mi | 50m |
| Cedar Rock Road | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| Buckhead Road | 3.4 mi | 8m |
| Seven Islands Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Three Points Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Tom Watson Way | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Hickory Hill Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Parks Mill Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Carl Sanders Highway
— 47.2 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Thomson, GA and Smyrna, GA.
1
Start on GA 150
75 ft
·
3 sec
·
Gordon Street
2
Continue on Tom Watson Way
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Tom Watson Way
3
Continue on Hickory Hill Drive
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
Hickory Hill Drive
4
Continue on Cedar Rock Road
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Cedar Rock Road
5
Turn right onto Three Points Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Three Points Road
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
7
Merge onto I 20
47 mi
·
50 min
·
Carl Sanders Highway
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward Buckhead, Lake Oconee, Buckhead Historic District
9
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
this road
Exit 121
Toward Buckhead, Lake Oconee, Buckhead Historic District
Use the right lane.
10
Turn right onto Seven Islands Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Seven Islands Road
11
At end of road, turn left onto Parks Mill Road
244 ft
·
9 sec
·
Parks Mill Road
12
Turn right onto Buckhead Road
3.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Buckhead Road
13
Arrive at destination
Buckhead Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28.7 mi from Thomson, GA · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.7 miles from Thomson, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Smyrna, GA
The final approach into Smyrna, 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
$8.98 one way
$17.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.81 | $19.63 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.62 | $21.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.67 | $25.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.03 | $2.76 |
| Efficient EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.02 | $2.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23 | 0 | $8.04 | $3.67 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Smyrna, GA
Night in Smyrna on Friday
Local time
10:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
83°F
Union Point, GA
29 mi in
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
2 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 12m 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 Thomson, GA to Smyrna, GA covers 57.4 miles and takes about 1h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Carl Sanders Highway, Cedar Rock Road, Buckhead Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28.7 miles from Thomson, GA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.98 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 12m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.2 miles (Three Points Road): Navigation decision point; at 4.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 52.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Thomson, GA and Smyrna, GA, road signs point toward Buckhead, Lake Oconee and Buckhead Historic District.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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