How far is Zephyrhills, FL from Lakeland, FL?

The driving distance from Zephyrhills, FL to Lakeland, FL is about 27 miles (43.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 39m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 19.4 miles (31.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 18m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
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
27.01 mi
00h 39m
Flight
19.46 mi
31.32 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Zephyrhills.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
19.46 mi
Kilometers
31.32 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
27.01 mi
Kilometers
43.47 km
Drive Time
00h 39m

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 39m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lakeland
Thu, Apr 30, 5:07 PM EDT
Return by in Zephyrhills
Thu, Apr 30, 5:47 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Zephyrhills
2026-04-30T16:28
Arrive Lakeland
Thu, Apr 30, 5:07 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 39m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:39 AM to 7:39 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:12 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Zephyrhills
10:00 PM EDT
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
Plant City
FL

A city in Hillsborough County, Florida.

From Zephyrhills
13.5 mi
00h 19m
To Lakeland
13.5 mi
00h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
90°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 30 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 12 mph WSW
Destination
92°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 30 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 12 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Zephyrhills and Lakeland.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Zephyrhills and Lakeland.

  1. 1

    Start on 5th Avenue

    37 m · 8 sec · 5th Avenue

  2. 2

    Continue on 5th Avenue

    93 m · 18 sec · 5th Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Gall Boulevard

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Gall Boulevard

  4. 4

    Keep slight left to continue on Paul S Buchman Highway

    9.8 mi · 13 min · Paul S Buchman Highway

  5. 5

    Continue on Alexander Street

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Alexander Street

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Paul Buchman Highway

    2.1 mi · 3 min · Paul Buchman Highway

  7. 7

    Turn slight right

    56 m · 7 sec

  8. 8

    Take the ramp straight toward I 4 East: Orlando

    3117 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    6.6 mi · 7 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward Lakeland

    2222 ft · 54 sec

  11. 11

    Turn straight onto Memorial Boulevard

    3.1 mi · 5 min · Memorial Boulevard

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue

    1932 ft · 45 sec · Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue

  13. 13

    Turn left onto George Jenkins Boulevard

    1 mi · 2 min · George Jenkins Boulevard

  14. 14

    Turn sharp right onto East Main Street

    622 ft · 24 sec · East Main Street

  15. 15

    At the end of the road, turn left onto South Lake Avenue

    1586 ft · 57 sec · South Lake Avenue

  16. 16

    At the end of the road, turn right onto East Walnut Street

    85 m · 12 sec · East Walnut Street

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Walnut Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Zephyrhills and Lakeland.

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
17 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
63 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Paul S Buchman Highway
9.81 mi · 36%
I 4 East
7.57 mi · 28%
Memorial Boulevard
3.13 mi · 12%
Paul Buchman Highway
2.14 mi · 8%
Alexander Street
1.22 mi · 5%
Gall Boulevard
1.17 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Paul S Buchman Highway

Keep slight left to continue on Paul S Buchman Highway

9.81 mi · 00h 13m

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 39m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+7.6 mi
19.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Plant City
00h 19m from Zephyrhills
Leave By
7:12 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Zephyrhills and Mostly Sunny near Lakeland.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Zephyrhills to Lakeland?

The road trip is about 27 miles (43.5 km) and usually takes 00h 39m 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?

Plant City is a useful midpoint, sitting about 13.5 miles from Zephyrhills and 13.5 miles from Lakeland.

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

The direct path is about 19.4 miles (31.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 7.6 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:12 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.94 one way or $7.88 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Zephyrhills and Mostly Sunny near Lakeland.

Stop Ideas Near Plant City

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

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

RAIL

Lakeland

16 mi away
600 East Main Street
RAIL

Lakeland

16 mi away
600 East Main Street
RAIL

Union Station

34 mi away
601 North Nebraska Ave
RAIL

Winter Haven

37 mi away
1800 7th St SW

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Zephyrhills and Lakeland. Straight-line distance: 19.46 mi (31.32 km).

Zephyrhills

#1 Zephyrhills

City in Florida

Population17,019
Coordinates28.2336200, -82.1811900
Altitude29
CountryUnited States
Lakeland

#2 Lakeland

The most populous city in Polk County, Florida.

Population115,283
Coordinates28.0394700, -81.9498000
Altitude60
CountryUnited States
Start: Zephyrhills (-82.18119, 28.23362)
End: Lakeland (-81.9498, 28.03947)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 43 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 54m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 40m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 32m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 27m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 23m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.95 gal
3.61 L · about $3.94
Round trip
$7.88
1.9 gal · 7.22 L
Estimated CO2
8.4 kg one way
Round trip: 16.9 kg / 37 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.15 $3.94 $7.88
Mid-grade $4.60 $4.37 $8.73
Premium $4.90 $4.65 $9.30
Diesel $4.35 $4.13 $8.26

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 Florida · Apr 30, 2026

There is no time difference between Zephyrhills and Lakeland. The current time is 16:28:40.

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.