Burlington, NC to Concord, NC is 91.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 46 minutes via I-85, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This highway-focused drive stays within North Carolina, connecting two points in the Southeast region. Expect a straightforward trip primarily on interstates, making it a convenient option for a quick transit. It’s a practical choice if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently without much fuss. This route is best suited for those prioritizing speed and directness over scenic detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
45.8 miles from Burlington, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 54m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 85
60.2 mi
1h 4m
Sam Hunt Freeway
11.4 mi
13m
I 40
7.7 mi
9m
US 29
5.4 mi
5m
Church Street North
2.2 mi
4m
South Church Street
1.3 mi
3m
Alamance Road
1.2 mi
1m
US 601
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 85
— 60.2 mi, about 1h 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Burlington, NC and Concord, NC.
1
Start on US 70; NC 62
192 ft·6 sec·South Church Street
2
Turn left onto NC 87; NC 100
0.2 mi·24 sec·West Webb Avenue
3
Turn left onto US 70; NC 62
0.4 mi·48 sec·South Fisher Street
4
Turn straight onto US 70; NC 62
1.3 mi·2 min·South Church Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Turn left onto NC 62
1.2 mi·1 min·Alamance Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward I 40 West, I 85 South: Greensboro
7
Merge onto I 40; I 85
11 mi·13 min·Sam Hunt Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
7.7 mi·9 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 29
5.4 mi·5 min·US 29
Toward I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70 West: CharlotteUse the left lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85
60 mi·1 hr 4 min·I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto US 601
0.2 mi·22 sec·US 601
Exit 58Toward US 29, US 601 South: Kannapolis, Concord DowntownUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 601
0.8 mi·1 min·US 601
Toward US 29 South, US 601 South: Concord DowntownUse the left lane.
13
Turn straight onto Church Street North
2.2 mi·4 min·Church Street North
Use the straight / left lanes.
14
Turn right onto Cabarrus Avenue West
0.2 mi·39 sec·Cabarrus Avenue West
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto Spring Street Southwest
409 ft·11 sec·Spring Street Southwest
Use the left lane.
16
Arrive at destination
Spring Street Southwest
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of 1 hour 46 minutes, this trip offers a lot of flexibility. You can easily depart any time of day, making it ideal for a spontaneous outing or a quick errand. With a fuel cost estimated at $14, budgeting is straightforward. Since there are no designated stops in the data, plan your own breaks as needed, perhaps midway through the 60.2-mile stretch on I-85. Keep an eye out for standard interstate services for any unexpected needs. This is a drive where you can easily be on your way and arrive before you know it.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 45.8 miles from Burlington, NC, or about 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 60.2 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 20 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45.8 miles or 54m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Concord, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Burlington, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Burlington, NC
This is one driving day of about 91.5 miles and 1h 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Burlington, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 85 for about 60.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.1 and 91.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3.1 mi into trip|~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 40 West, I 85 South: Greensboro
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40 West, I 85 South: Greensboro
8
22.4 mi into trip|~29m in|US 29
Keep slight left at fork onto US 29 toward I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70 West: Charlotte
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70...
8
88 mi into trip|~1h 39m in|US 601
Take the exit onto US 601 toward US 29, US 601 South: Kannapolis, Concord Downtown
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 58
Toward US 29, US 601 South: Kannapolis, Concord...
8
88.2 mi into trip|~1h 40m in|US 601
Keep slight left at fork onto US 601 toward US 29 South, US 601 South: Concord Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward US 29 South, US 601 South: Concord Downt...
7
91.4 mi into trip|~1h 46m in|Spring Street Southwest
Turn left onto Spring Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.31 one way
$28.62 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$15.65
$31.29
premium
$4.70
$16.93
$33.87
diesel
$5.61
$20.20
$40.40
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.5
0
$9.61
$4.39
Efficient EV
22.9
0
$8.01
$3.66
EV Truck/SUV
36.6
0
$12.81
$5.86
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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 19, 2026
Origin
Burlington, NC
Late night
in Burlington on Tuesday
Local time
5:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Concord, NC
Late night
in Concord on Tuesday
Local time
5:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
20 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 46m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 94% of the journey utilizing major roadways like I-85 and I-40. You'll experience a predominantly interstate environment, characterized by consistent speed limits and efficient travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 60.2 miles on I-85, meaning you can settle in for a solid period of highway driving. While mostly interstate, brief sections on Sam Hunt Freeway offer a slight variation before rejoining the main highway corridors. It’s a route designed for consistent forward momentum.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 60.2 mi on I 85.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 85 and Sam Hunt Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.1 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 91.5 miles you will encounter 14 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 3.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.4 miles (US 29): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 88 miles (US 601): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Concord is a city in North Carolina and fast-growing bedroom community of the major city of Charlotte. In 2020, the population was around 107,000, making it the second largest city of the Charlotte Metro.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 46m. Total distance: 91.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 60.2 miles on I 85. 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 Concord, 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 3.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.4 miles (US 29): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 88 miles (US 601): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Concord, NC before heading back.
