How far is Covington, GA from Atlanta, GA?

The driving distance from Covington, GA to Atlanta, GA is about 35 miles (56.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 35m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 32.1 miles (51.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 11m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
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
35.06 mi
00h 35m
Flight
32.12 mi
51.69 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Covington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
32.12 mi
Kilometers
51.69 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
35.06 mi
Kilometers
56.42 km
Drive Time
00h 35m

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 35m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Atlanta
Thu, Apr 23, 2:32 AM EDT
Return by in Covington
Thu, Apr 23, 3:08 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Covington
2026-04-23T01:56
Arrive Atlanta
Thu, Apr 23, 2:32 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 35m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:36 AM to 7:36 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:18 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Covington
10:00 PM EDT
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
Lithonia
GA

City in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States of America

From Covington
17.5 mi
00h 17m
To Atlanta
17.6 mi
00h 17m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
86°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph W
Destination
83°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Covington and Atlanta.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Covington and Atlanta.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    24 m · 2 sec

  2. 2

    Turn straight onto Monticello Street Southwest

    31 m · 2 sec · Monticello Street Southwest

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Washington Street Southwest

    72 m · 5 sec · Washington Street Southwest

  4. 4

    Keep slight left to continue on Church Street

    93 m · 6 sec · Church Street

  5. 5

    Continue on Pace Street

    2193 ft · 60 sec · Pace Street

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Highway 278 Northwest

    1.2 km · 1 min · Highway 278 Northwest

  7. 7

    Take the ramp straight toward I 20 West: Atlanta

    1.2 km · 2 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Highway

    22.8 mi · 25 min · Purple Heart Highway

  9. 9

    Continue on Ralph David Abernathy Freeway

    9.3 mi · 11 min · Ralph David Abernathy Freeway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward Capital Avenue, Downtown

    3227 ft · 1 min

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Capitol Avenue Southeast

    1401 ft · 32 sec · Capitol Avenue Southeast

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Capitol Avenue Southeast

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Covington and Atlanta.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
12 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
34.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Purple Heart Highway
22.8 mi · 65%
Ralph David Abernathy Freeway
9.28 mi · 26%
Highway 278 Northwest
0.77 mi · 2%
I 20 West
0.72 mi · 2%
Capital Avenue
0.61 mi · 2%
Pace Street
0.42 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Purple Heart Highway

Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Highway

22.8 mi · 00h 25m

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 35m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.9 mi
32.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lithonia
00h 17m from Covington
Leave By
7:18 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Covington and Sunny near Atlanta.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Covington to Atlanta?

The road trip is about 35 miles (56.4 km) and usually takes 00h 35m 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?

Lithonia is a useful midpoint, sitting about 17.5 miles from Covington and 17.6 miles from Atlanta.

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

The direct path is about 32.1 miles (51.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.9 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 EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:18 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.91 one way or $9.82 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 11 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Covington and Sunny near Atlanta.

Stop Ideas Near Lithonia

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

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

RAIL

Peachtree Station

28 mi away
1688 Peachtree Street, NW
RAIL

Gainesville

69 mi away
116 Industrial Boulevard

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Covington and Atlanta. Straight-line distance: 32.12 mi (51.69 km).

Covington

#1 Covington

City and the county seat of Newton County, Georgia, United States

Population14,386
Coordinates33.5967800, -83.8601800
Altitude226
CountryUnited States
Atlanta

#2 Atlanta

The most populous city in Georgia and the center of the Atlanta metropolitan area.

Population512,550
Coordinates33.7490000, -84.3879800
Altitude320
CountryUnited States
Start: (-83.860174, 33.596774)
End: Capitol Avenue Southeast (-84.387507, 33.748861)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 56 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 10m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 52m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 42m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 35m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 30m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 26m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.24 gal
4.68 L · about $4.91
Round trip
$9.82
2.48 gal · 9.36 L
Estimated CO2
11 kg one way
Round trip: 22 kg / 49 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $4.91 $9.82
Mid-grade $4.43 $5.49 $10.98
Premium $4.78 $5.92 $11.85
Diesel $5.62 $6.97 $13.95

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 Georgia · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Covington and Atlanta. The current time is 01:56:57.

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.