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

The driving distance from Covington, TN to Johnson City, TN is about 461.3 miles (742.4 km), with a travel time of about 06h 55m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 411.2 miles (661.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 51m 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
461.32 mi
06h 55m
Flight
411.15 mi
661.68 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Covington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
411.15 mi
Kilometers
661.68 km
Flight Time
00h 49m

Driving Distance

Road route
461.32 mi
Kilometers
742.42 km
Drive Time
06h 55m

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 06h 55m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Johnson City
Wed, May 13, 2:59 AM EDT
Return by in Covington
Wed, May 13, 8:54 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Covington
2026-05-12T19:03
Arrive Johnson City
Wed, May 13, 1:59 AM CDT
Route Timing
06h 55m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:56 PM to 3:26 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
10:08 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Covington
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
Gordonsville
TN

Town in Smith County, Tennessee, United States

From Covington
229.2 mi
03h 27m
To Johnson City
232.1 mi
03h 27m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SE
Destination
70°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph N

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on West Court Square

    56 m · 10 sec · West Court Square

  2. 2

    Turn left onto West Pleasant Avenue

    558 ft · 15 sec · West Pleasant Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn left onto South Maple Street

    92 m · 7 sec · South Maple Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto East Liberty Avenue

    1985 ft · 34 sec · East Liberty Avenue

  5. 5

    Continue on State Route 54

    21.7 mi · 32 min · State Route 54

  6. 6

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward East Main Street

    120 m · 7 sec · East Main Street

  7. 7

    Exit the roundabout onto East Main Street

    9.7 mi · 14 min · East Main Street

  8. 8

    Turn left onto US 70: Fort Pillow State Historic Park

    784 ft · 17 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    141.5 mi · 2 hr 32 min

  10. 10

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

    1305 ft · 25 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Downtown Loop

    2.4 mi · 3 min · Downtown Loop

  12. 12

    Continue on Downtown Loop

    2764 ft · 43 sec · Downtown Loop

  13. 13

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

    173.8 mi · 3 hr 10 min

  14. 14

    Keep slight left

    36.7 mi · 41 min

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on I 81 North: Bristol

    56.6 mi · 1 hr 1 min

  16. 16

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

    2112 ft · 40 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight left onto James H. Quillen Parkway

    14 mi · 17 min · James H. Quillen Parkway

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward TN 91

    614 ft · 15 sec

  19. 19

    Turn right onto East Market Street

    1705 ft · 38 sec · East Market Street

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Buffalo Street

    977 ft · 32 sec · Buffalo Street

  21. 21

    Turn right

    132 m · 32 sec

  22. 22

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Covington 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
22 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
4.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 40 East
211 mi · 46%
US 70
142 mi · 31%
I 81 North
56.6 mi · 12%
State Route 54
21.7 mi · 5%
James H. Quillen Parkway
14 mi · 3%
East Main Street
9.74 mi · 2%
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
06h 55m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+50.1 mi
411.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Gordonsville
03h 27m from Covington
Leave By
10:08 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Covington 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 Covington to Johnson City?

The road trip is about 461.3 miles (742.4 km) and usually takes 06h 55m 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?

Gordonsville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 229.2 miles from Covington and 232.1 miles from Johnson City.

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

The direct path is about 411.2 miles (661.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 50.1 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 $61.39 one way or $122.78 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 144.7 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Covington 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 Covington and Sunny near Johnson City.

Stop Ideas Near Gordonsville

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

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

BUS

Nashville, TN

76 mi away
705 5th Avenue South

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Covington and Johnson City. Straight-line distance: 411.15 mi (661.68 km).

Covington

#1 Covington

City in Tipton County, Tennessee, United States

Population8,810
Coordinates35.5642500, -89.6464700
Altitude102
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: West Court Square (-89.646681, 35.564272)
End: Cherry Street (-82.353659, 36.313645)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 742 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)15h 22m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)11h 32m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)09h 13m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)07h 41m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 35m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 45m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
16.28 gal
61.62 L · about $61.39
Round trip
$122.78
32.56 gal · 123.24 L
Estimated CO2
144.7 kg one way
Round trip: 289.4 kg / 638 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $61.39 $122.78
Mid-grade $4.25 $69.24 $138.48
Premium $4.65 $75.77 $151.53
Diesel $5.30 $86.35 $172.70

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 · May 13, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Covington, TN and Johnson City, TN. The current time in Covington is 19:03:37, although it is 20:03:37 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.