"Discover the Fascinating Time Zone Crossing on Tennessee's I-40"

If you're driving through eastern Tennessee on Interstate 40 and wondering where the time changes, we've got you covered. The time change occurs between Mile Markers 340 and 341.

If you're traveling westbound from Eastern Time to Central Time, set your coordinates to 35.895888°, -84.701530°. If you're going eastbound from Central Time to Eastern Time, set your coordinates to 35.895666°, -84.701624°.

Now, for those seeking a more detailed explanation, let's dive in.

Many people are curious about where the time zone changes on I-40 in Tennessee, and we've seen an influx of search queries about this specific spot. While the answer can be found on our popular Interstate Highway Time Zone Crossings page, we recognize that the page can be overwhelming for those seeking a single piece of information.

In the United States, many time zone changes occur at state borders, making it easy to determine when the time changes. However, Tennessee is unique in that it's both geographically large and falls within an interesting geographic situation, making it necessary to split the state into two time zones. The U.S. government used a convenient basis that already existed - county structures - to split Tennessee so that approximately one-quarter of the counties are in the Eastern Time Zone and three-quarters in the Central Time Zone.

For those driving westbound from Eastern to Central Time on I-40, the time zone boundary falls between Cumberland and Roane Counties. While this boundary doesn't run near any major cities, Knoxville is roughly 45 miles east and serves as a useful point of reference. For those traveling eastbound from Central to Eastern Time, the boundary is approximately 150 miles from Nashville - but you can always use the coordinates we provided for a more precise estimation.

We hope this information helps you plan your trip through Tennessee. Safe travels!