Getting around Knoxville: roads, transit, airport, parking

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Facts come from Knoxville Area Transit and its contact page, McGhee Tyson Airport, the City of Knoxville’s parking page, Downtown Knoxville and the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

Knoxville is an interstate city: I-40 and I-75 meet on its west side, I-640 loops around the north, I-275 runs into downtown from the north and Alcoa Highway (U.S. 129) leads south to McGhee Tyson Airport, about 12 miles from downtown. Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) runs the city buses, including a fare-free Downtown Connector. Downtown parking is metered Monday through Saturday, with city garages for longer stays.

Who to call

• KAT customer service: 865-637-3000, Knoxville Station, 301 E. Church Ave.; counter open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 8 a.m. to noon Sunday
• KAT general office: 865-215-7800
• Parking and city streets: Knoxville 311, 865-215-4311
• Live traffic: TDOT SmartWay, smartway.tn.gov, or dial 511
• Airport: flyknoxville.com

The main roads

• Interstate 40 crosses the city east to west. Through west Knoxville it carries I-75 as well, until I-75 splits north at Exit 385 toward Lexington, Kentucky.
• Interstate 75 runs north from that split toward Powell and the Emory Road exit (Exit 112), where TDOT is building a new interchange.
• Interstate 640 is the northern bypass between I-40 on the west and east sides of the city.
• Interstate 275 connects I-75/I-640 to I-40 at the north edge of downtown.
• Interstate 140 leaves I-40 at Exit 376B, the airport’s suggested route for drivers coming from Nashville or Chattanooga.
• Alcoa Highway (U.S. 129) leaves I-40 at Exit 386B, crosses the Tennessee River and heads south to the airport and Alcoa.
• Kingston Pike, Chapman Highway, Broadway and Clinton Highway are the main surface roads out of downtown.

For this week’s closures and TDOT projects, see our road construction and closures guide.

KAT buses

KAT runs these routes, with a trip planner on its home page and real-time tracking in the free Transit app:

Paying: KAT now takes fares only through katpay (on the Transit app or a reloadable card) or exact cash on board; paper tickets have ended, and drivers do not give change. katpay caps what you pay per day and per 30 days. Current fares are on katbus.com.

Detours now: KAT lists long-term detours on Route 31 (Magnolia Avenue) and Route 32 (Dandridge Avenue).

UT football Saturdays: KAT runs game-day shuttles from Market Square for every home game and from the Old City (Willow Avenue by Covenant Health Park) on selected dates, including Saturday, Oct. 17, and still to come Nov. 7 and Nov. 21, plus park-and-ride from the Civic Coliseum garages. Shuttle tickets are sold only in the Transit app. LIFT paratransit serves the Coliseum pickup on game days.

McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS)

McGhee Tyson Airport is about 12 miles south of downtown Knoxville. It offers nonstop flights to more than 30 destinations on six airlines, the airport says; Southwest Airlines began service in March 2026.

Driving there: from Knoxville, take I-40 west to Exit 386B (U.S. 129 South, Alcoa Highway, Airport) and follow it about 12 miles. From Nashville or Chattanooga, take I-40 east to Exit 376B (I-140) for about 12 miles, then Exit 11A to U.S. 129 south for 2 miles; the airport is on the right. The airport posts live occupancy for its garage and lots on its home page; they ran near 90% full on the morning of Oct. 17, and the airport warned of heavy passenger traffic for the next two weeks.

Biking and walking

Knoxville’s greenways link many parks, from the Third Creek Greenway along Kingston Pike to the Will Skelton Greenway into the Urban Wilderness. Rental e-scooters and e-bikes are found throughout downtown. See our parks and trails guide.

Downtown parking

Meters (city parking page):

• Gay Street between Summit Hill Drive and Hill Avenue: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
• Everywhere else downtown: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
• Sundays: meters are off.
• Short-term meters: two-hour limit. Long-term meters on the Gay Street Viaduct, Depot Avenue and South Central Street: 10-hour limit.
• Stop-n-Go spaces: 15 minutes free with your flashers on.
• Enforcement: the Public Building Authority enforces downtown meters, and those in the Cumberland Avenue district from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

City garages: Market Square (406 Walnut St.), State Street (520 State St.) and Locust Street (540 Locust St.). The city says they are free after 6 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends, except during special events; on Saturday farmers market mornings, the Market Square garage has charged a flat rate, according to Nourish Knoxville. Downtown Knoxville posts live space counts for the Market Square, Locust Street, Main Avenue and State Street garages.

What this means for you

• Downtown for an evening or weekend? Park in a city garage and ride the free Downtown Connector.
• Flying out in the next two weeks? Leave extra time; the airport’s lots are close to full.

Related: moving to Knoxville, road construction and closures and things to do this month.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free bus in downtown Knoxville?

Yes. KAT’s Route 1, the Downtown Connector, is fare-free and runs every 15 minutes, serving Gay Street, the Old City and Covenant Health Park.

How far is the Knoxville airport from downtown?

McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is about 12 miles south of downtown Knoxville. From I-40, take Exit 386B to Alcoa Highway (U.S. 129) south and follow it about 12 miles.

When are Knoxville parking meters enforced?

Monday through Saturday: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Gay Street between Summit Hill Drive and Hill Avenue, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. elsewhere downtown. Meters are off on Sundays. Short-term meters have a two-hour limit.

Where is the main bus station in Knoxville?

Knoxville Station, KAT’s transit center at 301 E. Church Ave. downtown. KAT customer service is 865-637-3000.