How far is Elizabethton, TN from Columbia, TN?

The driving distance from Elizabethton, TN to Columbia, TN is about 334.9 miles (539 km), with a travel time of about 06h 13m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 274.5 miles (441.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 27m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
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
334.93 mi
06h 13m
Flight
274.43 mi
441.66 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Elizabethton.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
274.43 mi
Kilometers
441.66 km
Flight Time
00h 33m

Driving Distance

Road route
334.93 mi
Kilometers
539.02 km
Drive Time
06h 13m

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 13m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Columbia
Fri, Apr 17, 1:35 PM CDT
Return by in Elizabethton
Fri, Apr 17, 8:48 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Elizabethton
2026-04-17T08:21
Arrive Columbia
Fri, Apr 17, 2:35 PM EDT
Route Timing
06h 13m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
11:14 AM to 12:44 PM CDT

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

Leave by
11:32 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Elizabethton
8:00 PM EDT
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
Crab Orchard
TN

Human settlement in Cumberland County, Tennessee, United States of America

From Elizabethton
167.3 mi
03h 06m
To Columbia
167.6 mi
03h 06m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
81°F
Friday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph W
Destination
89°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Elizabethton and Columbia.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Elizabethton and Columbia.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    10 m · 2 sec

  2. 2

    Exit the roundabout onto East Elk Avenue

    635 ft · 13 sec · East Elk Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto North Riverside Drive

    87 m · 13 sec · North Riverside Drive

  4. 4

    Continue on East E Street

    136 m · 24 sec · East E Street

  5. 5

    Turn right onto North Sycamore Street

    995 ft · 29 sec · North Sycamore Street

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Broad Street

    3006 ft · 1 min · Broad Street

  7. 7

    Continue on West Elk Avenue

    7.4 mi · 12 min · West Elk Avenue

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right

    1605 ft · 39 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto James H. Quillen Parkway

    15.1 mi · 18 min · James H. Quillen Parkway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward I 81 South: Knoxville

    1100 ft · 38 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left

    56.4 mi · 1 hr

  12. 12

    Continue on I 40 West: Knoxville

    1.1 km · 45 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left

    52.8 mi · 59 min

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on Nashville

    132.7 mi · 2 hr 23 min

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward I 840 West: Memphis, Murfreesboro

    1.1 mi · 1 min

  16. 16

    Continue on Tennessee National Guard Parkway

    44.6 mi · 48 min · Tennessee National Guard Parkway

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward I 65: Nashville, Huntsville

    1805 ft · 22 sec

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on I 65 South: Huntsville

    1.6 mi · 3 min

  19. 19

    Merge slight left

    11.5 mi · 12 min

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward 412, 99: Columbia, Chapel Hill

    1053 ft · 23 sec

  21. 21

    Keep slight right to continue on 412: Columbia

    49 m · 5 sec

  22. 22

    Turn right onto Bear Creek Pike

    7.1 mi · 8 min · Bear Creek Pike

  23. 23

    Turn left onto Nashville Highway

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Nashville Highway

  24. 24

    Continue on North Garden Street

    2506 ft · 58 sec · North Garden Street

  25. 25

    Turn left onto West 7th Street

    24 m · 2 sec · West 7th Street

  26. 26

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West 7th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Elizabethton and Columbia.

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
26 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
10
4 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Nashville
133 mi · 40%
I 81 South
56.6 mi · 17%
I 40 West
53.5 mi · 16%
Tennessee National Guard Parkway
44.6 mi · 13%
James H. Quillen Parkway
15.1 mi · 5%
I 65 South
13.1 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Nashville

Keep slight right to continue on Nashville

133 mi · 02h 23m

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 13m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 28m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+60.4 mi
274.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Crab Orchard
03h 06m from Elizabethton
Leave By
11:32 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers leaving Elizabethton and Sunny near Columbia.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Elizabethton to Columbia?

The road trip is about 334.9 miles (539 km) and usually takes 06h 13m 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?

Crab Orchard is a useful midpoint, sitting about 167.3 miles from Elizabethton and 167.6 miles from Columbia.

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

The direct path is about 274.5 miles (441.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 60.4 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 EDT. 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 $44.57 one way or $89.15 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 105 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers around Elizabethton and Sunny near Columbia.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Elizabethton and Columbia. Straight-line distance: 274.43 mi (441.66 km).

Elizabethton

#1 Elizabethton

City in Tennessee

Population13,479
Coordinates36.3487200, -82.2106900
Altitude465
CountryUnited States
Columbia

#2 Columbia

The county seat of Maury County, Tennessee.

Population41,826
Coordinates35.6150700, -87.0352800
Altitude196
CountryUnited States
Start: Elizabethton (-82.21069, 36.34872)
End: Columbia (-87.03528, 35.61507)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 539 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 09m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 22m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 41m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 34m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 47m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 10m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.82 gal
44.74 L · about $44.57
Round trip
$89.15
23.64 gal · 89.48 L
Estimated CO2
105 kg one way
Round trip: 210.1 kg / 463 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $44.57 $89.15
Mid-grade $4.25 $50.27 $100.54
Premium $4.65 $55.01 $110.02
Diesel $5.30 $62.69 $125.39

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 17, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Elizabethton, TN and Columbia, TN. The current time in Elizabethton is 08:21:27, although it is 07:21:27 in Columbia.

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.