How Far Is Savannah From Atlanta?

The distance from Atlanta to Savannah is around 250 miles, taking the shortest route along I-75 and I-16.

Averaging 70mph the whole way, the drive can be done in around 3 hours 40 minutes, but a more typical drive time is approximately 4 hours or so, excluding fuel and rest stops.

Rush hour traffic around Atlanta can add around an hour to total travel time. Don’t forget to factor this in if you are driving up from Savannah to Atlanta airport to catch a flight!

Distance from Atlanta to Savannah and typical drive time via I-75 and I-16:

• Downtown Atlanta to Savannah – 250 miles, 3 hrs 30 mins to 4 hrs 10 mins
• Atlanta Airport (ATL) to Savannah – 250 miles, 3 hrs 30 mins to 4 hrs 10 mins
• Buckhead to Savannah – 255 miles, 3 hrs 30 mins to 4 hrs 30 mins
• Decatur to Savannah – 255 miles, 3 hrs 30 mins to 4 hrs 30 mins
• Marietta to Savannah – 270 miles, 4-5 hours
• Alpharetta to Savannah – 275 miles, 4-5 hours

If you are going to Tybee Island, add another 20 miles, or 30 minutes drive time, to the journeys above.

Driving From Atlanta To Savannah

The I-75 to Macon and then the I-16 onward to Savannah is generally considered the best driving route to take traveling between Atlanta and Savannah.

It is a straightforward (and somewhat tedious) trip past mile after mile of central Georgia farmland and pine forest. Resist the temptation to speed, as the area is regularly patrolled.

An alternative route takes the I-20 out of Atlanta, passing Covington and Madison, then cutting southward to connect with the I-16 for the remainder of the journey into Savannah.

In terms of scenery, neither route offers anything out of the ordinary. Choose your route route based on which stops most appeal to you, or just take the quickest route if you don’t plan to stop.

Places To Stop On The Atlanta To Savannah Drive

Macon

Macon – located roughly half way between Savannah and Atlanta – is the most obvious and popular stopping point when driving between the two cities along the main I-75/I-16 route.

The historic downtown has plenty of charm, and a good selection of restaurants and cafés. Macon also offers several historic attractions should you wish to prolong the break.

Sights include ancient American Indian burial mounds at Ocmulgee National Monument; the 1840s Rose Hill Cemetery; African-American art and history at the Tubman Museum; Hay and Cannonball Houses; and the former home of the Allman Brothers Band.

Madison

Madison is a beautiful small city on the slightly more out-of-the-way route taking the I-20 out of Atlanta. Depending on where in Atlanta you are starting out from or traveling to, however, it may add little to the distance and travel time.

Madison is famed for its antebellum architecture, with several historic homes open to visitors. Other attractions in or near the city’s downtown historic district include local history at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, art galleries, antique stores, restaurants, and a couple of historic cemeteries.

Milledgeville

If you are a fan of southern literature, and especially of the works of Flannery O’Connor, Milledgeville is a very worthwhile detour off the I-20 Savannah-Atlanta route.

Other Options

An alternative mid-way stop off the I-75/I-16 route is the Museum of Aviation at Warner Robins, 20 miles/30 minutes south of Macon. This free museum (one of the largest airforce museums in the country) is well worth a visit, with dozens of historic aircraft and other exhibits. You can rejoin the I-16 driving eastward from the museum.

Atlanta Airport (ATL) To Savannah

Car Rental

Car rental services are available at Atlanta’s airport. It is about a four hour drive from Atlanta airport to Savannah. See list of agencies and contact details

You can sometimes save substantially on car rental fees by renting your car from somewhere other than the airport. MARTA provides a convenient connection to downtown.

Check the rental agency’s opening hours if you choose this option: hours at the agency’s city location(s) may be somewhat shorter than at the airport.

Greyhound Coach

Greyhound offer direct services between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and downtown Savannah, with prices equivalent to those traveling to or from downtown Atlanta, as below.

Most days, there are three services running from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport to Savannah and two buses from Savannah to Atlanta Airport, with a scheduled journey time of a little over 4 hours.

Note for international visitors: immigration lines at Atlanta’s airport can be very long, which should be factored into your plans for meeting a connecting bus service.

Savannah 16 Motor Coach Lines

Service currently suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A shuttle bus service also operates daily between downtown Savannah and Atlanta’s airport.

The Savannah stop is in front of the Hyatt Regency, at 2 West Bay Street. The Atlanta stop is at the Lower South Baggage Claim, Door 2, at the South Terminal of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Departure times vary by day of the week. From Atlanta there is usually a daily early morning trip, with an additional mid-afternoon trip on some weekdays. From Savannah there is usually a late morning trip on weekdays, and an early afternoon trip on weekends, with an additional evening trip most weekdays.

Travel time is around 3 hours and 45 minutes. The fare is $75 each way. Book online or call 404-500-3966 for reservations. More details

Atlanta To Savannah By Bus

Taking the bus to Savannah from Atlanta is a cheap and convenient option for those who don’t want to drive. The average journey time is around 4 hours and 30 minutes (although one trip takes substantially longer than the others).

Greyhound offer several daily services between Atlanta and Savannah, two or three of which, depending on the day of the week, also stop at Atlanta’s main airport, Hartsfield-Jackson International.

The station is located downtown, and is easily accessible by public transit. The street address is 232 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30303. See on map

The cheapest online economy fares cost $37-$45 dollars each way ($74-$90 round trip) depending on the time and day of travel, with tickets allowing priority boarding and free same-day ticket exchange to an earlier bus available for an additional fee.

→ More information about traveling to Savannah by bus

Flights Between Atlanta & Savannah

Flying is the quickest but also one of the most expensive ways to travel between Atlanta and Savannah. Budget airline flights connecting the two cities are not currently available.

Delta provides the only non-stop service, with flight time of a little over an hour, and numerous morning, afternoon and evening flight options available daily.

In peak season (spring and the holidays), expect to pay around $250-$350 round trip, per person, for the cheapest economy ticket and often substantially more for flights bought close to the time of travel. From late spring through fall, round-trip flights are often available from around $150-$210 per person, outside of holiday weekends.

Indirect flights with several other airlines are also available, with small cost savings occasionally possible, but substantially longer total journey times.

Savannah’s airport is located 10 miles north-west of downtown, with bus, taxi and rideshare services available to complete your journey.

→ More about connecting transport options from Savannah’s airport

If your final destination is the Golden Isles (Brunswick/Jekyll/St Simons/Sea Island), please note that a direct service between Atlanta and Brunswick, again provided by Delta, is also available. Flight times and economy ticket prices are similar to the peak season prices on the Atlanta-Savannah route.

Atlanta To Savannah By Train

Former & Future Routes

There is currently no direct train from Atlanta to Savannah.

A one-time service – the Nancy Hanks II, operated by the Central of Georgia – was axed in 1971, and nowadays the Savannah-Atlanta train line carries only freight.

There is some talk of resurrecting the old Atlanta to Savannah route for passenger travel (a high speed rail line could bring non-flying travel time between the cities down to as little as 75 minutes), but as yet no real progress has been made.

Current Routes

Technically, it is possible to travel between Atlanta and Savannah by train, as Amtrak provides passenger services to both cities. In practice, it is extremely inconvenient. The bus is a much better option for non-drivers on this route.

Train travel between Savannah and Atlanta, a distance of 250 miles by road, takes more than a full day (28hrs+), with lengthy wait times between connections and a route that can go as far out of the way as Washington, DC. The cost is around $250-$280 per person, each way, depending on the route and how far ahead you book.

→ More about traveling to Savannah by train

See Also: Things To Do In Savannah, GA & Nearby

– Savannah events
– Historic house museums
– Black history tours
– The Historic District
– Forsyth Park
– Bonaventure Cemetery
– Free things to do in Savannah
– Antiques stores in Savannah
– Food festivals in Georgia
– Georgia beaches
– Fort Pulaski