How far is Hoover, AL from Chelsea, AL?

The driving distance from Hoover, AL to Chelsea, AL is about 18.1 miles (29.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 28m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 11.4 miles (18.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 56m 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
18.15 mi
00h 28m
Flight
11.38 mi
18.32 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Hoover.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
11.38 mi
Kilometers
18.32 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.15 mi
Kilometers
29.21 km
Drive Time
00h 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 00h 28m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Chelsea
Tue, Apr 14, 7:01 PM CDT
Return by in Hoover
Tue, Apr 14, 7:29 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Hoover
2026-04-14T18:32
Arrive Chelsea
Tue, Apr 14, 7:01 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 28m
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 Hoover
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Lake Purdy
AL

City in Shelby County, Alabama, United States of America

From Hoover
9.1 mi
00h 14m
To Chelsea
9.1 mi
00h 14m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
85°F
Tuesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Tue, Apr 14 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph S
Destination
85°F
This Afternoon

Sunny

Starts
Tue, Apr 14 5:00 PM CDT
Wind
5 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Hoover and Chelsea.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hoover and Chelsea.

  1. 1

    Start on Whispering Pines Circle

    46 m · 9 sec · Whispering Pines Circle

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Deo Dara Drive

    1128 ft · 54 sec · Deo Dara Drive

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Old Columbiana Road

    15 m · 5 sec · Old Columbiana Road

  4. 4

    Turn right

    79 m · 24 sec

  5. 5

    Turn left

    79 m · 19 sec

  6. 6

    At the end of the road, turn right

    47 m · 12 sec

  7. 7

    Turn slight left

    20 m · 6 sec

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Montgomery Highway

    1319 ft · 24 sec · Montgomery Highway

  9. 9

    Take the ramp left toward I 65 South: Montgomery

    1150 ft · 28 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left

    1.4 mi · 2 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward I 459: Atlanta, Gadsden, Tuscaloosa

    1428 ft · 35 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on I 459 North: Atlanta, Gadsden

    1.3 km · 2 min

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto John M. Harbert III Freeway

    3.5 mi · 4 min · John M. Harbert III Freeway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward US 280: Mountain Brook, Childersburg

    769 ft · 19 sec

  15. 15

    Keep slight right to continue on US 280 East: Childersburg

    2963 ft · 1 min

  16. 16

    Merge slight left onto United States Highway 280

    9.8 mi · 14 min · United States Highway 280

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Chelsea Road

    1 km · 1 min · Chelsea Road

  18. 18

    Turn left

    100 m · 28 sec

  19. 19

    Turn left onto Allen Drive

    52 m · 8 sec · Allen Drive

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Chelsea Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Hoover and Chelsea.

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
20 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
109.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
United States Highway 280
9.85 mi · 54%
John M. Harbert III Freeway
3.52 mi · 19%
I 65 South
1.61 mi · 9%
I 459 North
0.82 mi · 5%
Chelsea Road
0.64 mi · 4%
US 280 East
0.56 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

United States Highway 280

Merge slight left onto United States Highway 280

9.85 mi · 00h 14m

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 28m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 56m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6.7 mi
11.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lake Purdy
00h 14m from Hoover
Leave By
7:34 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Hoover and Sunny near Chelsea.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Hoover to Chelsea?

The road trip is about 18.1 miles (29.2 km) and usually takes 00h 28m 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?

Lake Purdy is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9.1 miles from Hoover and 9.1 miles from Chelsea.

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

The direct path is about 11.4 miles (18.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 6.7 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 $2.42 one way or $4.85 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Hoover and Sunny near Chelsea.

Stop Ideas Near Lake Purdy

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

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

RAIL

Birmingham

15 mi away
1819 Morris Ave.
BUS

Brent, AL

70 mi away
10393 Alabama Highway 5
RAIL

Anniston

82 mi away
126 West 4th St
RAIL

Tuscaloosa

86 mi away
2105 Greensboro Ave

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Hoover and Chelsea. Straight-line distance: 11.38 mi (18.32 km).

Hoover

#1 Hoover

The most populous city in Jefferson County, Alabama.

Population85,959
Coordinates33.4053900, -86.8113800
Altitude176
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Chelsea

Chelsea is a place in Alabama, United States.

Population0
Coordinates33.3401100, -86.6302600
Altitude156
CountryUnited States
Start: Hoover (-86.81138, 33.40539)
End: Chelsea (-86.63026, 33.34011)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 29 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 36m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 21m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.64 gal
2.42 L · about $2.42
Round trip
$4.85
1.28 gal · 4.84 L
Estimated CO2
5.7 kg one way
Round trip: 11.4 kg / 25 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.79 $2.42 $4.85
Mid-grade $4.26 $2.73 $5.45
Premium $4.63 $2.96 $5.92
Diesel $5.42 $3.47 $6.93

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 14, 2026

There is no time difference between Hoover and Chelsea. The current time is 18:32:48.

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.