How far is Cardiff, AL from Vestavia Hills, AL?

The driving distance from Cardiff, AL to Vestavia Hills, AL is about 21.8 miles (35.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 27m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 16 miles (25.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 55m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
21.84 mi
00h 27m
Flight
15.99 mi
25.73 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Cardiff.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
15.99 mi
Kilometers
25.73 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
21.84 mi
Kilometers
35.15 km
Drive Time
00h 27m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 27m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Vestavia Hills
Wed, Apr 15, 11:37 PM CDT
Return by in Cardiff
Thu, Apr 16, 12:04 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Cardiff
2026-04-15T23:09
Arrive Vestavia Hills
Wed, Apr 15, 11:37 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 27m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:28 AM to 7:28 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:34 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Cardiff
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Tarrant
AL

City in Alabama, United States

From Cardiff
10.9 mi
00h 13m
To Vestavia Hills
10.9 mi
00h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
84°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph SW
Destination
84°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Cardiff and Vestavia Hills.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cardiff and Vestavia Hills.

  1. 1

    Start on Main Street

    3 m · 5 sec · Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Walnut Street

    112 m · 17 sec · Walnut Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Cardiff Lynns Crossing Road

    901 ft · 44 sec · Cardiff Lynns Crossing Road

  4. 4

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Trimble Hill Road

    1399 ft · 1 min · Trimble Hill Road

  5. 5

    Continue on Brookside - Cardiff Road

    1.2 mi · 4 min · Brookside - Cardiff Road

  6. 6

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Cherry Avenue

    2971 ft · 1 min · Cherry Avenue

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Hillcrest Road

    1.4 km · 2 min · Hillcrest Road

  8. 8

    Take the ramp left

    1379 ft · 34 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    6.6 mi · 7 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on I 65 South: Birmingham

    2657 ft · 38 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left

    3.5 mi · 4 min

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight left toward I 20 East, I 59 North: Atlanta, Gadsden

    1037 ft · 25 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight right

    1 mi · 2 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward US 31, US 280: Carraway Boulevard, Downtown

    1261 ft · 31 sec

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on US 31 South, US 280 East

    2557 ft · 1 min

  16. 16

    Merge slight left onto Red Mountain Expressway

    3 mi · 4 min · Red Mountain Expressway

  17. 17

    Continue on Independence Drive

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Independence Drive

  18. 18

    Continue on Montgomery Highway

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Montgomery Highway

  19. 19

    Turn left onto Tyson Drive

    116 m · 22 sec · Tyson Drive

  20. 20

    Turn right onto Tremont Drive

    57 m · 12 sec · Tremont Drive

  21. 21

    Turn left

    43 m · 11 sec

  22. 22

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Cardiff and Vestavia Hills.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
22 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
4 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
100.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Hillcrest Road
7.75 mi · 35%
I 65 South
3.96 mi · 18%
Red Mountain Expressway
3 mi · 14%
Montgomery Highway
1.57 mi · 7%
Brookside - Cardiff Road
1.22 mi · 6%
I 20 East
1.21 mi · 6%
Longest Stretch

Hillcrest Road

Merge slight left

6.61 mi · 00h 07m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 27m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 56m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.8 mi
16 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Tarrant
00h 13m from Cardiff
Leave By
7:34 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Cardiff and Sunny near Vestavia Hills.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Cardiff to Vestavia Hills?

The road trip is about 21.8 miles (35.1 km) and usually takes 00h 27m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Tarrant is a useful midpoint, sitting about 10.9 miles from Cardiff and 10.9 miles from Vestavia Hills.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 16 miles (25.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 5.8 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:34 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.92 one way or $5.83 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 6.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Cardiff and Sunny near Vestavia Hills.

Stop Ideas Near Tarrant

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Tarrant, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Tarrant.

RAIL

Birmingham

9 mi away
1819 Morris Ave.
BUS

Brent, AL

79 mi away
10393 Alabama Highway 5
RAIL

Tuscaloosa

85 mi away
2105 Greensboro Ave
RAIL

Anniston

87 mi away
126 West 4th St

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Cardiff and Vestavia Hills. Straight-line distance: 15.99 mi (25.73 km).

Cardiff

#1 Cardiff

Town in Alabama

Population55
Coordinates33.6456600, -86.9336100
Altitude109
CountryUnited States
Vestavia Hills

#2 Vestavia Hills

City in Jefferson and Shelby counties, Alabama, United States

Population34,317
Coordinates33.4487200, -86.7877700
Altitude290
CountryUnited States
Start: Walnut Street (-86.93363, 33.645629)
End: (-86.787989, 33.448476)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 35 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 43m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 32m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 26m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 21m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 18m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 16m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.77 gal
2.92 L · about $2.92
Round trip
$5.83
1.54 gal · 5.84 L
Estimated CO2
6.8 kg one way
Round trip: 13.7 kg / 30 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.79 $2.92 $5.83
Mid-grade $4.26 $3.28 $6.56
Premium $4.63 $3.56 $7.12
Diesel $5.42 $4.17 $8.34

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Alabama · Apr 16, 2026

There is no time difference between Cardiff and Vestavia Hills. The current time is 23:09:13.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.