How far is Clifton, TN from Johnson City, TN?

The driving distance from Clifton, TN to Johnson City, TN is about 405.8 miles (653 km), with a travel time of about 07h 28m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 322.3 miles (518.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 14h 56m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
405.73 mi
07h 28m
Flight
322.33 mi
518.74 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Clifton.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
322.33 mi
Kilometers
518.74 km
Flight Time
00h 38m

Driving Distance

Road route
405.73 mi
Kilometers
652.96 km
Drive Time
07h 28m

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 07h 28m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Johnson City
Thu, Apr 23, 6:52 AM EDT
Return by in Clifton
Thu, Apr 23, 1:20 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Clifton
2026-04-22T22:23
Arrive Johnson City
Thu, Apr 23, 5:52 AM CDT
Route Timing
07h 28m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:28 PM to 3:58 PM EDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
9:04 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Clifton
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

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
Cookeville
TN

City in Tennessee, United States

From Clifton
202.6 mi
03h 44m
To Johnson City
203.1 mi
03h 44m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SW
Destination
71°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Clifton and Johnson City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Clifton and Johnson City.

  1. 1

    Start on West Water Street

    1558 ft · 32 sec · West Water Street

  2. 2

    Turn slight left onto Walnut Street

    141 m · 10 sec · Walnut Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto West Pillow Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · West Pillow Street

  4. 4

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Billy Nance Boulevard

    15.2 mi · 17 min · Billy Nance Boulevard

  5. 5

    Continue straight

    22 mi · 25 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right

    1391 ft · 34 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    81.4 mi · 1 hr 28 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on I 40 East, I 65 South: Knoxville, Huntsville

    1305 ft · 25 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Downtown Loop

    2.4 mi · 3 min · Downtown Loop

  10. 10

    Continue on Downtown Loop

    2764 ft · 43 sec · Downtown Loop

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, Chattanooga

    173.8 mi · 3 hr 10 min

  12. 12

    Keep slight left

    36.7 mi · 41 min

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on I 81 North: Bristol

    56.6 mi · 1 hr 1 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward I 26 East, US 23 South: Johnson City, Asheville

    2112 ft · 40 sec

  15. 15

    Merge slight left onto James H. Quillen Parkway

    14 mi · 17 min · James H. Quillen Parkway

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward TN 91

    614 ft · 15 sec

  17. 17

    Turn right onto East Market Street

    1705 ft · 38 sec · East Market Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto Buffalo Street

    977 ft · 32 sec · Buffalo Street

  19. 19

    Turn right

    132 m · 32 sec

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Clifton and Johnson City.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
20 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
4.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 40 East
211 mi · 52%
Billy Nance Boulevard
119 mi · 29%
I 81 North
56.6 mi · 14%
James H. Quillen Parkway
14 mi · 3%
Downtown Loop
2.93 mi · 1%
West Pillow Street
1.14 mi
Longest Stretch

I 40 East

Keep slight right to continue on I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, Chattanooga

174 mi · 03h 10m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
07h 28m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
14h 56m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+83.5 mi
322.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Cookeville
03h 44m from Clifton
Leave By
9:04 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Clifton and Sunny near Johnson City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Clifton to Johnson City?

The road trip is about 405.8 miles (653 km) and usually takes 07h 28m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Cookeville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 202.6 miles from Clifton and 203.1 miles from Johnson City.

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

The direct path is about 322.3 miles (518.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 83.5 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $54.00 one way or $108.00 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 127.3 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Clifton and Johnson City, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Clifton and Sunny near Johnson City.

Stop Ideas Near Cookeville

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Cookeville, 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 Cookeville.

BUS

Nashville, TN

114 mi away
705 5th Avenue South

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Clifton and Johnson City. Straight-line distance: 322.33 mi (518.74 km).

Clifton

#1 Clifton

City in Wayne County, Tennessee, United States of America

Population2,655
Coordinates35.3870200, -87.9953100
Altitude123
CountryUnited States
Johnson City

#2 Johnson City

The most populous city in Washington County, Tennessee.

Population66,906
Coordinates36.3134400, -82.3534700
Altitude498
CountryUnited States
Start: Clifton (-87.99531, 35.38702)
End: Johnson City (-82.35347, 36.31344)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 653 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)13h 31m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)10h 08m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)08h 06m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 45m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 47m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 03m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
14.32 gal
54.2 L · about $54.00
Round trip
$108.00
28.64 gal · 108.4 L
Estimated CO2
127.3 kg one way
Round trip: 254.5 kg / 561 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $54.00 $108.00
Mid-grade $4.25 $60.90 $121.81
Premium $4.65 $66.65 $133.29
Diesel $5.30 $75.95 $151.91

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 Tennessee · Apr 23, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Clifton, TN and Johnson City, TN. The current time in Clifton is 22:23:51, although it is 23:23:51 in Johnson City.

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.