How far is South Pittsburg, TN from East Chattanooga, TN?

The driving distance from South Pittsburg, TN to East Chattanooga, TN is about 35.1 miles (56.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 42m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 26 miles (41.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 24m 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
35.1 mi
00h 42m
Flight
26.02 mi
41.87 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from South Pittsburg.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
26.02 mi
Kilometers
41.87 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
35.1 mi
Kilometers
56.48 km
Drive Time
00h 42m

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 42m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in East Chattanooga
Sat, Apr 18, 12:10 PM EDT
Return by in South Pittsburg
Sat, Apr 18, 11:52 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave South Pittsburg
2026-04-18T10:27
Arrive East Chattanooga
Sat, Apr 18, 11:10 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 42m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
8:42 AM to 8:42 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:06 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in South Pittsburg
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
Lookout Mountain
TN

Town in Tennessee, United States

From South Pittsburg
17.4 mi
00h 21m
To East Chattanooga
17.7 mi
00h 21m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
85°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 5:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph SW
Destination
86°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between South Pittsburg and East Chattanooga.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between South Pittsburg and East Chattanooga.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    30 m · 13 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto 3rd Street

    1214 ft · 35 sec · 3rd Street

  3. 3

    Turn left

    2.1 mi · 3 min

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right toward I-24 East: Chattanooga

    1068 ft · 26 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    26.2 mi · 29 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward US 27 North: Downtown Chattanooga

    2163 ft · 47 sec

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    1.2 km · 60 sec

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward Downtown

    1123 ft · 26 sec

  9. 9

    Turn right onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard

    1323 ft · 50 sec · West Martin Luther King Boulevard

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Georgia Avenue

    2587 ft · 1 min · Georgia Avenue

  11. 11

    Turn right onto East 4th Street

    2081 ft · 35 sec · East 4th Street

  12. 12

    Turn straight

    613 ft · 22 sec

  13. 13

    Continue on Riverside Drive

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Riverside Drive

  14. 14

    Turn right onto Wilcox Boulevard

    1.5 km · 2 min · Wilcox Boulevard

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Dodson Avenue

    1.3 km · 1 min · Dodson Avenue

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Glass Street

    1871 ft · 46 sec · Glass Street

  17. 17

    Turn sharp right onto North Chamberlain Avenue

    16 m · 1 sec · North Chamberlain Avenue

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Chamberlain Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between South Pittsburg and East Chattanooga.

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
18 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
51.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I-24 East
26.4 mi · 75%
Riverside Drive
1.31 mi · 4%
US 27 North
1.14 mi · 3%
Wilcox Boulevard
0.94 mi · 3%
Dodson Avenue
0.83 mi · 2%
Georgia Avenue
0.49 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I-24 East

Merge slight left

26.2 mi · 00h 29m

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 42m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+9.1 mi
26 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lookout Mountain
00h 21m from South Pittsburg
Leave By
7:06 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving South Pittsburg and Mostly Sunny near East Chattanooga.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from South Pittsburg to East Chattanooga?

The road trip is about 35.1 miles (56.5 km) and usually takes 00h 42m 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?

Lookout Mountain is a useful midpoint, sitting about 17.4 miles from South Pittsburg and 17.7 miles from East Chattanooga.

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

The direct path is about 26 miles (41.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 9.1 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:06 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.68 one way or $9.35 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 11 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between South Pittsburg and East Chattanooga, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around South Pittsburg and Mostly Sunny near East Chattanooga.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between South Pittsburg and East Chattanooga. Straight-line distance: 26.02 mi (41.87 km).

South Pittsburg

#1 South Pittsburg

City in Marion County, Tennessee, United States

Population3,009
Coordinates35.0123000, -85.7044100
Altitude192
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 East Chattanooga

A neighborhood in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Population11,000
Coordinates35.0653500, -85.2491200
Altitude208
CountryUnited States
Start: 3rd Street (-85.704557, 35.01206)
End: North Chamberlain Avenue (-85.249066, 35.06533)

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
4.69 L · about $4.68
Round trip
$9.35
2.48 gal · 9.38 L
Estimated CO2
11 kg one way
Round trip: 22 kg / 49 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $4.68 $9.35
Mid-grade $4.25 $5.27 $10.55
Premium $4.65 $5.77 $11.54
Diesel $5.30 $6.58 $13.15

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 18, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between South Pittsburg, TN and East Chattanooga, TN. The current time in South Pittsburg is 10:27:52, although it is 11:27:52 in East Chattanooga.

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.