Origin
Apex, NC
Late night in Apex on Tuesday
Local time
5:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Apex, NC to Graham, NC
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
52.4 mi
84 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Apex, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Graham, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Apex to Graham, you are looking at a 52.4-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 4 minutes. Because this is a relatively short trip, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion without the need for an overnight stay. You will navigate primarily through local roads, utilizing streets like Saunders, West Chatham, and Hunter rather than major interstates. With a fuel budget of approximately $8, it is a very economical trip to manage. Both your starting point and destination sit firmly within the Southeast region, ensuring a consistent local experience throughout the drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 35.5 mi | 41m |
| Triangle Expressway | 10.6 mi | 11m |
| West Williams Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| East Harden Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| US 64 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Saunders Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| West Chatham Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Durham Freeway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 35.5 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Apex, NC and Graham, NC.
1
Start on North Salem Street
383 ft
·
19 sec
·
North Salem Street
2
Turn right onto Saunders Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Saunders Street
3
Turn right onto West Chatham Street
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
West Chatham Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto Hunter Street
294 ft
·
9 sec
·
Hunter Street
5
Turn right onto NC 55
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
West Williams Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Toward US 64 West
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto US 64
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
US 64
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward NC 540 Toll North
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto NC 540 Toll
7.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Triangle Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 67
Toward NC 885 Toll North: Durham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on NC 885 Toll
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Triangle Expressway
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on I 885
0.1 mi
·
6 sec
·
Durham Freeway
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 5B
Toward I 40 West: Chapel Hill
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 40
36 mi
·
41 min
·
I 40
Use the straight lane.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 148
Toward NC 54: Graham, Chapel Hill
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto NC 54
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Harden Street
17
Enter roundabout onto NC 49; NC 54
98 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Harden Street
18
Continue on NC 49; NC 54
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
East Harden Street
19
Turn left onto NC 87
389 ft
·
18 sec
·
North Main Street
20
Turn right onto NC 87
302 ft
·
6 sec
·
Northwest Court Square
21
Arrive at destination
NC 87
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.2 miles from Apex, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 50.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
NC 55 / West Williams Street
Turn right onto NC 55 / West Williams Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward NC 540 Toll North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward NC 540 Toll North
7
11 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward NC 885 Toll North: Durham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 67
Toward NC 885 Toll North: Durham
8
15.2 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward I 40 West: Chapel Hill
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5B
Toward I 40 West: Chapel Hill
8
50.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward NC 54: Graham, Chapel Hill
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 148
Toward NC 54: Graham, Chapel Hill
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.19 one way
$16.39 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $8.96 | $17.92 |
| premium | $4.70 | $9.70 | $19.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.57 | $23.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.3 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 | 15.7 | 0 | $5.50 | $2.52 |
| Efficient EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.59 | $2.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21 | 0 | $7.34 | $3.35 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Graham, NC
Late night in Graham on Tuesday
Local time
5:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 4m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy, local driving experience that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous highway cruise, this route relies entirely on surface streets, meaning there is zero highway share involved. You will find that there is no long-distance, uninterrupted stretch, as the longest segment of the trip consists of 0 miles on Saunders Street. This makes for a hands-on drive where you are constantly navigating local transitions rather than settling into a cruise-control rhythm. It is the ideal choice if you prefer staying off the major interstates and navigating through the local landscape.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35.5 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Triangle Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near NC 55 / West Williams Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.4 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.8 miles (NC 55 / West Williams Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Apex, NC
Full guide →Founded 1873
Apex, the "Peak City", is a town near Raleigh in the state of North Carolina.
Arriving in Graham, NC
Full guide →Top landmarks
- • Alamance County Courthouse — county courthouse in Graham, North Carolina
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 4m. Total distance: 52.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 35.5 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 Graham, 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 0.8 miles (NC 55 / West Williams Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Graham, 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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