Chattanooga to Nashville Shuttle: What You Need to Know Before Booking

Car free in Chattanooga but trying to get to Nashville?  Options are limited.  The Chattanooga to Nashville shuttle is pretty much your only option. 

Chattanooga is a beautiful area in Tennessee surrounded by water, mountains and filled with caves to explore. Unfortunately it is not easy to get to.  There are only non-stop flights from the large airport hubs in the central US or on the East Coast, with a few additional routes to/from Florida.  As this is a small regional airport, it can often be cheaper to book a direct flight to nearby Nashville or Atlanta and then drive or catch a shuttle into town.

What about a Chattanooga to Nashville bus or train?

Sadly, Chattanooga is a bit of a transportation desert.  There is no bus from Nashville to Chattanooga or vice versa.  There are no Greyhound, FlixBus or Mega Bus services in the area, which is quite honestly shocking given its proximity to so many other major cities in the area.  While in Chattanooga, one of my waiters said there used to be a bus but it is no longer in service.  

No Chattanooga Amtrak either? Nope.  This is really surprising given the deep railroad history in the city.  So much so there is even a railroad museum in the city.  Maybe in the future rail travel will return to the area, but for now, it is not an option.

Driving from Chattanooga to Nashville

One option is to rent a car and drive from Chattanooga to Nashville.  I looked into this while at a conference in Chattanooga.  I had gotten a ride to the city from a friend living in Nashville.  The problem was, she had to leave earlier than expected, which meant finding a way back to the Nashville airport for my return flight. 

A last minute one way rental from Chattanooga to Nashville airport was around $100-120.  As there were two of us going to Nashville it might have been a little cheaper than the Chattanooga shuttle to Nashville.  But once we accounted for gas, getting in and out of the rental facilities etc, it was not worth the time or energy.

This brings me to the best way to travel between cities, the Chattanooga to Nashville shuttle. 

Groome shuttle Chattanooga to Nashville

You may already be familiar with Groome Transportation, but if not, they are a nationwide shuttle service that runs in 11 states.  They mostly offer shuttle services between major international airports and outlying areas. 

Chattanooga to Nashville shuttle schedule

Groome has their shuttle from Chattanooga to Nashville running 24 hours a day.  Shuttles leave every 90 minutes either on the hour or half hour from 1am to 1130pm.  Groome recommends booking reservations at least 24 hours in advance of your requested departure time. 

You can expect the drive between Chattanooga and Nashville to take anywhere from 2 to 2.5 hours with drop off at the BNA Nashville airport.  There are up to three stops along the route at Monteagle, Manchester and Clarksville.  These are to pick up additional riders, which also provides an opportunity to quickly stretch or take a restroom break. 

Chattanooga to Nashville shuttle cost

The cost for a one way shuttle is $61/person.  Groome also has a Chattanooga to Atlanta shuttle for the same price. Since Chattanooga has limited direct flights, this is a great way to expand your search and potentially find cheaper flights. 

When I called to confirm availability, their customer service person said it is best to book online rather than over the phone as there may be an additional service charge added to the total. 

Find all everything you need to know about the Groome transportation Chattanooga schedule and how to book here. 

Shuttle bus comfort

Groome has large vans that fit around 8 or 9 passengers.  The seats are fairly comfortable, but if the van is full during your scheduled route, it can feel like close quarters.  However, the drive is very scenic which helps pass the time quickly between cities.

The bus is also equipped with USB A (older style) charging ports if you need to charge your phone or other devices during the drive. 

Groome transportation Chattanooga location

The Groome Transportation pick up and drop off is not in downtown Chattanooga, or at the airport.  Their office is located in East Ridge, which is 15 minutes southeast of the downtown area, and 10 minutes south of the airport.  Their office also has a small waiting area inside and restrooms to use before getting in the van. 

For those that live in the area, or nearby, they do appear to offer parking at this facility only.  However, if you are car free, a ride share from the city center was around $15. 

If you happen to be coming from the Nashville airport to Chattanooga, your shuttle will pick up at BNA and drop you off in East Ridge.  Then you will need to Uber or Lyft to your hotel. 

My Chattanooga to Nashville shuttle review

I had a great experience taking the Chattanooga to Nashville shuttle.  Every person that I interacted with at Groom from the customer service, to check in and our driver were all very friendly.  The car arrived and departed right on schedule. The driver will take care of getting all your luggage stored in the back.

I’m really glad we booked the shuttle to Nashville airport rather than renting a car.  It was so much easier, and we found another woman that had been at the conference on our shuttle.  She had even booked the shuttle after ours, but since they had an open seat, she was able to jump on earlier. 

Whether you’re trying to get from Chattanooga to Nashville or vice versa, this is the best option. 

Chattanooga Nashville shuttle FAQs

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