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Trip from Alamance, NC to Raleigh, NC

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 16m

Distance

60.4 mi

97 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 10m ★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Alamance, NC, NC

Alamance, NC

Mark Stebnicki

city in and state capital of North Carolina, United States of America

Raleigh, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning a quick excursion from Alamance to Raleigh, you are looking at a straightforward 60.4-mile trek through the heart of North Carolina. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 16 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel budget of just $10, it is an incredibly economical route to navigate. You will primarily utilize I-40, the Sam Hunt Freeway, and Wade Avenue to reach your destination. Both cities are located within the Southeast, so you will remain in a familiar regional climate throughout your journey. This trip is ideal for those who prefer a direct, efficient drive rather than a scenic, winding detour.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 40 30.3 mi 34m
Sam Hunt Freeway 19.1 mi 22m
Wade Avenue 3.9 mi 5m
Western Boulevard 2.5 mi 4m
Alamance Road 2 mi 3m
Gorman Street 0.6 mi 1m
Faircloth Street 0.5 mi 1m
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard 0.5 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 40 — 30.3 mi, about 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Alamance, NC and Raleigh, NC.

1

Start on Cardinal Lane

33 ft · 3 sec · Cardinal Lane
2

Turn right onto NC 62

0.4 mi · 37 sec · S NC Highway 62 E
3

Continue on NC 62

2.0 mi · 3 min · Alamance Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Toward I 40 East, I 85 North: Graham
5

Merge onto I 40; I 85

19 mi · 22 min · Sam Hunt Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight right at fork onto I 40

30 mi · 34 min · I 40
Toward I 40 East: Raleigh Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight right at fork onto SR 1728

3.9 mi · 5 min · Wade Avenue
Exit 289 Toward Wade Avenue Use the slight right lane.
8

Turn right onto Faircloth Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Faircloth Street
9

Continue on Gorman Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · Gorman Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10

Turn left onto Western Boulevard

2.5 mi · 4 min · Western Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
11

Continue on Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard

0.5 mi · 1 min · Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
12

Turn left onto South Wilmington Street

0.2 mi · 42 sec · South Wilmington Street
13

Turn left onto East South Street

24 ft · 0 sec · East South Street
14

Arrive at destination

East South Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

town in North Carolina, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Carrboro, NC

30 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Mebane, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Carrboro, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 30.2 miles from Alamance, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 60.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
2.4 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the ramp toward I 40 East, I 85 North: Graham

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 40 East, I 85 North: Graham
5
2.7 mi into trip | ~4m in | I 40; I 85 / Sam Hunt Freeway

Merge onto I 40; I 85 / Sam Hunt Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
21.8 mi into trip | ~27m in | I 40

Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 East: Raleigh

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 40 East: Raleigh
8
52.1 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in | SR 1728 / Wade Avenue

Keep slight right at fork onto SR 1728 / Wade Avenue toward Wade Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 289 Toward Wade Avenue
5
60.4 mi into trip | ~1h 16m in | East South Street

Turn left onto East South Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.45 one way

$18.89 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $10.33 $20.65
premium $4.70 $11.18 $22.36
diesel $5.61 $13.34 $26.67

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.1 0 $6.34 $2.90
Efficient EV 15.1 0 $5.28 $2.42
EV Truck/SUV 24.2 0 $8.46 $3.87

Gas CO2

21 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (67% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 12, 2026

Origin

Alamance, NC

Late night in Alamance on Tuesday

Local time

4:07 AM

EDT

Current temp

53°F

Clear

NE 6 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued April 12 at 3:43AM EDT until April 12 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

Destination

Raleigh, NC

Late night in Raleigh on Tuesday

Local time

4:07 AM

EDT

Current temp

53°F

Clear

E 6 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued April 12 at 3:43AM EDT until April 12 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

1h 16m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This journey is heavily highway-focused, with 82% of your travel time spent on major thoroughfares. You will quickly settle into a rhythm on I-40, which features your longest uninterrupted stretch of 30.3 miles. The character of the road is functional and designed for speed, moving you efficiently from the suburban and rural outskirts of Alamance into the denser traffic patterns near Raleigh. Because the route relies so heavily on high-speed transit, you should prepare for a consistent, interstate-focused experience rather than technical or winding local roads. It is a predictable drive that prioritizes travel time over leisurely sightseeing.

82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.3 mi on I 40.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Sam Hunt Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.4 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles (I 40; I 85 / Sam Hunt Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.8 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Arriving in Raleigh, NC

Full guide →

The capital of North Carolina and the largest city of the Research Triangle, Raleigh is the primary political and economic driver of the metro area. Indeed, business and politics are the main draws to Raleigh, which lacks the more trendy feel or active arts scene of Durham or Chapel Hill to the west. However, a concerted effort to expand the residential base and move events downtown has led to significantly expanded retail and restaurant options in the downtown core. Also, visitors will find many of the state's cultural institutions here, namely a major performing arts center downtown and three state museums, and a college town atmosphere in the neighborhood around the campus of North Carolina State University, the state's largest university.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 60.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 30.3 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Raleigh, NC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles (I 40; I 85 / Sam Hunt Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.8 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Raleigh, NC before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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