How far is Vestavia Hills, AL from Rainbow City, AL?

The driving distance from Vestavia Hills, AL to Rainbow City, AL is about 64.4 miles (103.7 km), with a travel time of about 01h 17m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 55.3 miles (89 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 35m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
64.41 mi
01h 17m
Flight
55.33 mi
89.04 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Vestavia Hills.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
55.33 mi
Kilometers
89.04 km
Flight Time
00h 06m

Driving Distance

Road route
64.41 mi
Kilometers
103.66 km
Drive Time
01h 17m

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 01h 17m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Rainbow City
Thu, Oct 15, 3:49 PM CDT
Return by in Vestavia Hills
Thu, Oct 15, 5:07 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Vestavia Hills
2026-10-15T14:31
Arrive Rainbow City
Thu, Oct 15, 3:49 PM CDT
Route Timing
01h 17m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:18 AM to 11:18 AM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
3:54 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Vestavia Hills
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

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
Springville
AL

Town in St.

From Vestavia Hills
32.2 mi
00h 39m
To Rainbow City
32.2 mi
00h 39m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
88°F
Today

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 9:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SW
Destination
88°F
Today

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 10:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Vestavia Hills and Rainbow City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Vestavia Hills and Rainbow City.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    43 m · 17 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Tremont Drive

    145 m · 23 sec · Tremont Drive

  3. 3

    Turn right

    104 m · 27 sec

  4. 4

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Montgomery Highway

    1.8 mi · 3 min · Montgomery Highway

  5. 5

    Turn straight onto Independence Drive

    1 mi · 2 min · Independence Drive

  6. 6

    Continue on Red Mountain Expressway

    2.6 mi · 3 min · Red Mountain Expressway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward US 11 North: 1st Avenue North

    148 m · 12 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on US 11 North

    144 m · 11 sec

  9. 9

    Turn straight onto 1st Avenue North

    1.3 mi · 2 min · 1st Avenue North

  10. 10

    Turn left onto 41st Street North

    129 m · 21 sec · 41st Street North

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Messer Airport Highway

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Messer Airport Highway

  12. 12

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 20 East, I 59 North: Gadsden, Atlanta

    1316 ft · 34 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left

    603 ft · 9 sec

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on I 59 North: Gadsden

    50.8 mi · 55 min

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward AL 77: Attalla, Rainbow City

    3097 ft · 1 min

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Gilbert Ferry Road Southeast

    707 ft · 15 sec · Gilbert Ferry Road Southeast

  17. 17

    Continue on West Grand Avenue

    3.8 mi · 7 min · West Grand Avenue

  18. 18

    Turn slight right

    33 m · 4 sec

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Vestavia Hills and Rainbow City.

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
19 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
29.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 59 North
50.8 mi · 79%
West Grand Avenue
3.85 mi · 6%
Red Mountain Expressway
2.56 mi · 4%
Montgomery Highway
1.79 mi · 3%
Messer Airport Highway
1.5 mi · 2%
1st Avenue North
1.3 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 59 North

Keep slight left to continue on I 59 North: Gadsden

50.8 mi · 00h 55m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 17m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 36m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+9.1 mi
55.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Springville
00h 39m from Vestavia Hills
Leave By
3:54 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Vestavia Hills and Sunny near Rainbow City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Vestavia Hills to Rainbow City?

The road trip is about 64.4 miles (103.7 km) and usually takes 01h 17m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Springville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 32.2 miles from Vestavia Hills and 32.2 miles from Rainbow City.

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

The direct path is about 55.3 miles (89 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 3:54 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $8.98 one way or $17.95 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 20.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Vestavia Hills and Sunny near Rainbow City.

Stop Ideas Near Springville

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

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

RAIL

Birmingham

43 mi away
1819 Morris Ave.
RAIL

Anniston

61 mi away
126 West 4th St
BUS

Brent, AL

112 mi away
10393 Alabama Highway 5

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Vestavia Hills and Rainbow City. Straight-line distance: 55.33 mi (89.04 km).

Vestavia Hills

#1 Vestavia Hills

City in Jefferson and Shelby counties, Alabama, United States

Population34,317
Coordinates33.4487200, -86.7877700
Altitude290
CountryUnited States
Rainbow City

#2 Rainbow City

City in Alabama, United States

Population9,611
Coordinates33.9548200, -86.0419200
Altitude170
CountryUnited States
Start: Vestavia Hills (-86.78777, 33.44872)
End: Rainbow City (-86.04192, 33.95482)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 104 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 08m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 36m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 17m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 04m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 55m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 48m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
2.27 gal
8.6 L · about $8.98
Round trip
$17.95
4.54 gal · 17.2 L
Estimated CO2
20.2 kg one way
Round trip: 40.3 kg / 89 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $8.98 $17.95
Mid-grade $4.43 $10.05 $20.11
Premium $4.84 $10.98 $21.95
Diesel $5.93 $13.47 $26.94

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 · Oct 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Vestavia Hills and Rainbow City. The current time is 14:31:41.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.