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Trip from Bishopville, SC to Columbia, SC

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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 3m

Distance

53 mi

85 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 58m ★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m

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

town in Lee County, South Carolina, United States

Bishopville, SC

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 53-mile drive from Bishopville, SC, to Columbia, SC, is easily manageable in about 1 hour and 3 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. Primarily utilizing I-20 and I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway, with a segment on Sumter Highway, this route is heavily highway-focused, accounting for 89% of the journey. The estimated fuel cost for this short hop through the Southeast region is a modest $8. You won't need to break this drive up overnight; it's a simple point-to-point trip that allows for flexibility in your departure time.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 20 42.3 mi 46m
I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway 4.8 mi 5m
Sumter Highway 1.6 mi 2m
Bull Street 1.6 mi 2m
North Main Street 0.7 mi 1m
Gervais Street 0.4 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 20 — 42.3 mi, about 46m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bishopville, SC and Columbia, SC.

1

Start on US 15; SC 34; SC 341

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Main Street
2

Continue on US 15

1.6 mi · 2 min · Sumter Highway
3

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
4

Merge onto I 20

42 mi · 46 min · I 20
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

1.1 mi · 2 min
Exit 73 A Toward SC 277 South: Downtown, Columbia Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Merge onto SC 277

4.8 mi · 5 min · I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on SC 277

1.6 mi · 2 min · Bull Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
8

Turn right onto US 1; US 378

0.4 mi · 50 sec · Gervais Street
9

Continue on Gervais Street

234 ft · 22 sec · Gervais Street
10

Arrive at destination

Gervais Street

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Lugoff, SC, SC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lugoff, SC

27 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.

Popular next leg

Lugoff, SC to Columbia, SC

29.7 mi · 38m

Pacing Suggestions

Camden, SC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lugoff, SC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 26.5 miles from Bishopville, SC, 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

4 of 4

4 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 52.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
2.8 mi into trip | ~4m in | I 20

Merge onto I 20

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
45.1 mi into trip | ~51m in

Take the exit toward SC 277 South: Downtown, Columbia

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 73 A Toward SC 277 South: Downtown, Columbia
5
46.2 mi into trip | ~54m in | SC 277 / I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway

Merge onto SC 277 / I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
52.6 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in | US 1; US 378 / Gervais Street

Turn right onto US 1; US 378 / Gervais Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.29 one way

$16.58 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $9.06 $18.12
premium $4.70 $9.81 $19.62
diesel $5.61 $11.70 $23.40

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 15.9 0 $5.56 $2.54
Efficient EV 13.3 0 $4.64 $2.12
EV Truck/SUV 21.2 0 $7.42 $3.39

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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 20, 2026

Origin

Bishopville, SC

Late night in Bishopville on Tuesday

Local time

5:15 AM

EDT

Current temp

82°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Columbia, SC

Late night in Columbia on Tuesday

Local time

5:15 AM

EDT

Current temp

86°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

4 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

1h 3m 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 predominantly highway-focused experience on this 53-mile route. The majority of your time will be spent on I-20 and I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway, offering a consistent driving pace. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 42.3 miles on I-20, providing ample opportunity to settle into a rhythm. While Sumter Highway offers a brief change of pace, the overall profile is one of efficient, highway travel designed for quick transit.

89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.3 mi on I 20.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in near I 20.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 1h 3m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles (I 20): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 46.2 miles (SC 277 / I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Arriving in Columbia, SC

Full guide →

Columbia is the capital city and second largest city in South Carolina. It is home to the main campus of the University of South Carolina, and to the Army's Fort Jackson. It is in the approximate geographic center of the state, and was one of the first planned cities in the United States.

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 3m. Total distance: 53 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (89%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 42.3 miles on I 20. 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 2.8 miles (I 20): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 46.2 miles (SC 277 / I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Columbia, SC 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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