Origin
Benson, NC
Late night in Benson on Sunday
Local time
3:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Benson, NC to Cary, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
40.3 mi
65 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Benson, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Cary, NC
C k
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Benson to Cary, you are in for a straightforward 40.4-mile trip through the heart of North Carolina. Expect to spend about 41 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stays. With a fuel budget of approximately $6, it is a highly economical route for your commute or weekend visit. You will remain entirely within the Southeast region throughout the journey, keeping the transition between locations seamless. Because there are no scheduled stops, you can easily complete this drive in one go. It is a practical choice for those who prefer local roads over the intensity of major interstate travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 34.4 mi | 38m |
| NC 242 | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Chapel Hill Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| North Wall Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Academy Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 34.4 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Benson, NC and Cary, NC.
1
Start on US 301; NC 242
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Wall Street
2
Turn left onto NC 242
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
NC 242
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
4
Merge onto I 40
12 mi
·
12 min
·
I 40
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
22 mi
·
25 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward NC 54: Cary
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn left onto NC 54
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Chapel Hill Road
Use the left lane.
8
Turn right onto North Academy Street
24 ft
·
0 sec
·
North Academy Street
Use the right lane.
9
Arrive at destination
North Academy Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.2 miles from Benson, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 40.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
NC 242
Turn left onto NC 242
Navigation decision point
6
15.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
37.9 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward NC 54: Cary
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NC 54: Cary
5
38.1 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
NC 54 / Chapel Hill Road
Turn left onto NC 54 / Chapel Hill Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
40.3 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
North Academy Street
Turn right onto North Academy Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.30 one way
$12.60 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.89 | $13.78 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.46 | $14.92 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.90 | $17.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.23 | $1.93 |
| Efficient EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.53 | $1.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Cary, NC
Late night in Cary on Sunday
Local time
3:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
48m 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?
Forget the monotony of the interstate; this route is a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention. You will navigate a series of local roads, including NC 54, Chapel Hill Road, and North Academy Street, rather than cruising on high-speed highways. In fact, the highway share for this trip is zero percent, meaning you will be navigating surface streets for the entire 41-minute duration. The road’s personality shifts as you transition from the Benson area into the more developed landscape surrounding Cary. Because the route relies on local infrastructure, you should prepare for a more hands-on driving experience compared to a standard highway haul.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.4 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and NC 242. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near NC 242.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 48m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (NC 242): Navigation decision point; at 15.6 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 40.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.4 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.5 miles (NC 242): Navigation decision point; at 15.6 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.9 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 Cary, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Cary, NC
More trips to Cary, NC
Explore more options from Benson, NC or browse trips ending in Cary, NC.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NC road trips.