Athens To Atlanta
Only 72 miles separate Athens, GA and Atlanta, a trip that can be made in an hour and a half in good traffic. This comparatively short distance makes either city an excellent choice as a day trip destination, with plenty of time left to see the sights.
Intercity bus service between Athens and Atlanta is provided by Greyhound and Megabus, with both services offering a couple of trips in each direction daily, with travel time comparable to driving at a little under an hour and a half. Megabus’s Athens bus station is the more conveniently situated for visits to downtown attractions.
Shuttle transportation is also available for travel between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Athens. Unfortunately, it is not currently possible to travel from Athens to Atlanta by train, as Athens lacks a passenger rail station.
See also:
– Things to do in Atlanta
– Things to do in Athens, GA
– Public transport in Atlanta
– The best time of year to visit Atlanta
!Please check all details before planning your travel. Availability of services, prices and other information may change at short notice.
How Far Is Athens From Atlanta?
The distance from Atlanta to Athens is around 72 miles, taking the I-85 out of Atlanta and the US-29.
In ideal traffic, the drive can be made in not much more than an hour. Typical drive time is around 1 hour 25 minutes, and in heavy traffic, up to around 2 hours.
Distances from Atlanta area locations to Athens and typical drive times, via the fastest route, are as follows:
- Downtown Atlanta to Athens – 72 miles, 1 hr 15 mins to 2 hrs
- Atlanta Airport to Athens – 81 miles, 1 hr 25 mins to 2 hrs 20 mins
- Marietta to Athens – 79 miles, 1 hr 25 mins to 2 hrs 20 mins
- Decatur to Athens – 67 miles, 1 hr 10 mins to 1 hr 50 mins
- Alpharetta to Athens – 63 miles, 1 hr 15 mins to 2 hrs 25 mins
Atlanta To Athens Bus Services
Greyhound/Southeastern Stages
There are two daily direct bus services from Atlanta to Athens, but only one in the Athens to Atlanta direction. Travel time is an hour and a half, with economy tickets available from $12-$17 each way.
Atlanta to Athens bus options:
- 4pm - 5:30pm – 1 hr 30 mins, direct
- 7:05pm - 8:20pm – 1 hrs 15 mins, direct
Athens to Atlanta bus options:
- 7:35pm - 9:10pm – 1 hr 35 mins, direct
Atlanta’s Greyhound station is conveniently located downtown (232 Forsyth Street SW), with connections to public bus and rail transportation nearby.
The Athens bus station is 10 miles west of downtown Athens, at 4020 Atlanta Highway. Limited public transportation is available via the Athens-Clarke County Route 21 – West Side/Columbia Brookside bus, but in many cases local taxi or rideshare services will be the only practical option for completing your journey.
Megabus
Megabus also operates two daily direct bus services in each direction between Atlanta and Athens. Travel time is just under two hours in the Atlanta to Athens direction, and around an hour and a half in the Athens to Atlanta direction.
Ticket prices depend on how far in advance you buy them, with tickets from as little as a dollar each way if you book a long time ahead, up to around $15-$20 each way for tickets bought closer to the time of departure.
Atlanta to Athens bus options:
- 6:20am - 8:10am – 1 hr 50 mins, direct
- 6:10pm - 8pm – 1 hr 50 mins, direct
Athens to Atlanta bus options:
- 12:10pm - 1:45pm – 1 hr 35 mins, direct
- 11:05pm - 12:25am – 1 hr 20 mins, direct
Megabus’s Atlanta pick-up and drop-off point is at MARTA Civic Center Station, at 435 West Peachtree Street NW (see on map), downtown, with public transport links by train and bus to other parts of the city.
In Athens, buses stop at Athens Multimodal Transportation Center at 775 East Broad Street (see on map), conveniently located just a few blocks from downtown, and with public transit links by bus to other parts of the city.
Athens To Atlanta Airport Shuttle
Groome Transportation offers shuttle services between Atlanta Airport (ATL, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport) and Athens, with several stops in and around downtown Athens, including at the University of Georgia. Reservations are required.
The shuttle departs from Atlanta Airport every 1-2 hours from early morning to late evening, with return journeys from Athens likewise departing every 1-2 hours, but from the very early hours of the morning until early evening.
Depending on the particular point in Athens and vicinity to or from which you travel, total journey time is between 1 hour 50 minutes to 3 hours to the airport.
The adult fare for this service is $46 one-way, or $92 for a round trip. The child fare (ages 3-7) is $30 each way, or $60 round trip. Infants travel for free. Pets may also travel, for $12 each way ($24 round trip).
Atlanta To Athens, GA By Train
It is not currently possible to travel between Atlanta and Athens by train. The nearest Amtrak station to Athens is in Gainesville, GA, 43 miles away.
Future rail services to Athens are possible as part of the proposed Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor, but remain unlikely in the near future.