How far is Knoxville, TN from Rutherford, TN?

The driving distance from Knoxville, TN to Rutherford, TN is about 343.8 miles (553.3 km), with a travel time of about 06h 24m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 283.2 miles (455.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 48m 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
343.79 mi
06h 24m
Flight
283.18 mi
455.73 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Knoxville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
283.18 mi
Kilometers
455.73 km
Flight Time
00h 34m

Driving Distance

Road route
343.79 mi
Kilometers
553.27 km
Drive Time
06h 24m

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 24m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Rutherford
Fri, May 1, 3:52 PM CDT
Return by in Knoxville
Fri, May 1, 11:16 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Knoxville
2026-05-01T10:28
Arrive Rutherford
Fri, May 1, 4:52 PM EDT
Route Timing
06h 24m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
11:24 AM to 12:54 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
11:12 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Knoxville
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
Berry Hill
TN

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

From Knoxville
171.7 mi
03h 12m
To Rutherford
172.1 mi
03h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
68°F
Friday

Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Fri, May 1 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph N
Destination
67°F
Friday

Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Fri, May 1 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph NNE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Knoxville and Rutherford.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Knoxville and Rutherford.

  1. 1

    Start on Henley Street

    1056 ft · 20 sec · Henley Street

  2. 2

    Continue on Henley Street

    727 ft · 14 sec · Henley Street

  3. 3

    Turn slight left onto Western Avenue

    1.1 km · 1 min · Western Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Ailor Avenue

    2326 ft · 43 sec · Ailor Avenue

  5. 5

    Take the ramp straight toward I 40 West, I 75 South

    1637 ft · 40 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    18.3 mi · 21 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on Nashville

    154.8 mi · 2 hr 47 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on I 24 West, I 40 West: Nashville

    2.1 mi · 3 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on I 40 West: Huntsville, Memphis

    2263 ft · 43 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight right onto Downtown Loop

    1 km · 52 sec · Downtown Loop

  11. 11

    Continue on Downtown Loop

    2.3 mi · 3 min · Downtown Loop

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on I 40 West: Memphis

    125.6 mi · 2 hr 16 min

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward US 45: Trenton

    1704 ft · 42 sec

  14. 14

    Turn right onto North Highland Avenue

    4.4 mi · 8 min · North Highland Avenue

  15. 15

    Take the ramp slight right

    9.8 mi · 13 min

  16. 16

    Turn right onto North Central Avenue

    20.1 mi · 23 min · North Central Avenue

  17. 17

    Turn right

    903 ft · 23 sec

  18. 18

    Turn left onto North Main Street

    3135 ft · 1 min · North Main Street

  19. 19

    Continue on South Trenton Street

    2.3 mi · 4 min · South Trenton Street

  20. 20

    Turn right onto East Main Street

    32 m · 2 sec · East Main Street

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Knoxville and Rutherford.

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
21 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Nashville
155 mi · 45%
I 40 West
145 mi · 42%
North Central Avenue
20.1 mi · 6%
North Highland Avenue
14.3 mi · 4%
Downtown Loop
2.92 mi · 1%
South Trenton Street
2.26 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Nashville

Keep slight right to continue on Nashville

155 mi · 02h 47m

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 24m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 48m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+60.6 mi
283.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Berry Hill
03h 12m from Knoxville
Leave By
11:12 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Rain Showers leaving Knoxville and Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers near Rutherford.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Knoxville to Rutherford?

The road trip is about 343.8 miles (553.3 km) and usually takes 06h 24m 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?

Berry Hill is a useful midpoint, sitting about 171.7 miles from Knoxville and 172.1 miles from Rutherford.

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

The direct path is about 283.2 miles (455.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 60.6 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 $45.74 one way or $91.48 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 107.8 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Rain Showers around Knoxville and Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers near Rutherford.

Stop Ideas Near Berry Hill

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

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

BUS

Nashville, TN

4 mi away
705 5th Avenue South
BUS

Clarksville, TN

71 mi away
11 Jefferson Street \r\n

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Knoxville and Rutherford. Straight-line distance: 283.18 mi (455.73 km).

Knoxville

#1 Knoxville

The most populous city in Tennessee.

Population190,223
Coordinates35.9606400, -83.9207400
Altitude276
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Rutherford

County in Tennessee, United States

Population1,064
Coordinates36.1275700, -88.9859000
Altitude101
CountryUnited States
Start: Knoxville (-83.92074, 35.96064)
End: Rutherford (-88.9859, 36.12757)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 553 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 27m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 35m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 52m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 43m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 54m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
12.13 gal
45.92 L · about $45.74
Round trip
$91.48
24.26 gal · 91.84 L
Estimated CO2
107.8 kg one way
Round trip: 215.6 kg / 475 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $45.74 $91.48
Mid-grade $4.25 $51.59 $103.18
Premium $4.65 $56.45 $112.91
Diesel $5.30 $64.34 $128.68

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 01, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Knoxville, TN and Rutherford, TN. The current time in Knoxville is 10:28:24, although it is 09:28:24 in Rutherford.

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.