Origin
Burlington, NC
Late night in Burlington on Tuesday
Local time
5:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Burlington, NC to Durham, 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
42m
Distance
33.9 mi
55 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Burlington, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick transit between Burlington and Durham, you can expect a straightforward 33.9-mile journey that typically takes about 42 minutes to complete. This trip is perfectly suited as a single-day excursion, as the distance is short enough that you will not need to worry about overnight accommodations. Budgeting approximately $5 for fuel should be sufficient to cover the distance in a standard vehicle. You will remain within the Southeast region throughout the entire drive, keeping the transition between these two North Carolina cities seamless. Because this is a high-speed, highway-focused route, it is an efficient way to navigate between the two points without unnecessary detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sam Hunt Freeway | 14.3 mi | 16m |
| I 85 | 9.4 mi | 10m |
| Durham Freeway | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| West Webb Avenue | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| West Harden Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East Harden Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Roxboro Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Elm Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Sam Hunt Freeway
— 14.3 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Burlington, NC and Durham, NC.
1
Start on US 70; NC 62
192 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Church Street
2
Turn right onto NC 87; NC 100
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
West Webb Avenue
3
Continue on NC 87
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
West Elm Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto NC 49; NC 54; NC 87
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West Harden Street
Use the left lane.
5
Enter roundabout onto NC 54
78 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Harden Street
6
Continue on NC 54
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Harden Street
7
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
8
Merge onto I 40; I 85
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Sam Hunt Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85; NC 86 Truck
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
I 85; NC 86 Truck
Toward I 85 North: Durham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 147
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Durham Freeway
Toward NC 147 South: Downtown Durham, Duke University, North Carolina Central University, Research Triangle Park
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
512 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Mangum Street, Roxboro Street
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on Morehead Avenue
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Morehead Avenue
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn left onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
South Roxboro Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto East Main Street
100 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Main Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 33.2 — 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
|
~3m in
|
NC 49; NC 54; NC 87 / West Harden Street
Turn left onto NC 49; NC 54; NC 87 / West Harden Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
3.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
NC 54 / East Harden Street
Enter roundabout onto NC 54 / East Harden Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
18.6 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
I 85; NC 86 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85; NC 86 Truck toward I 85 North: Durham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 85 North: Durham
8
28 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
NC 147 / Durham Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 147 / Durham Freeway toward NC 147 South: Downtown Durham, Duke University, North Carolina Central University, Research Triangle Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NC 147 South: Downtown Durham, Duke Univ...
7
33.2 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward Mangum Street, Roxboro Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Mangum Street, Roxboro Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.30 one way
$10.60 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.80 | $11.59 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.27 | $12.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.48 | $14.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.56 | $1.63 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.75 | $2.17 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Durham, NC
Late night in Durham on Tuesday
Local time
5:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°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
19 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
42m 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 high-speed experience, as 85% of this 33.9-mile route is comprised of highway driving. You will spend the bulk of your time on the Sam Hunt Freeway, I-85, and the Durham Freeway, which provide a consistent, fast-paced rhythm. The longest uninterrupted stretch occurs during your 14.3-mile run on the Sam Hunt Freeway, allowing you to settle into a steady cruising speed. While the route lacks technical, winding local roads, the interstate-focused design ensures you reach your destination quickly. You will find that the character of the drive remains predictable and functional from start to finish.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.3 mi on Sam Hunt Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Sam Hunt Freeway and I 85. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in near NC 49; NC 54; NC 87 / West Harden Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 33.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (NC 49; NC 54; NC 87 / West Harden Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (NC 54 / East Harden Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 18.6 miles (I 85; NC 86 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Burlington, NC and Durham, NC, road signs point toward Duke University, Carolina Central University and Research Triangle Park.
Duke University
28 mi in
|
~34m
|
via NC 147
Carolina Central University
28 mi in
|
~34m
|
via NC 147
Research Triangle Park
28 mi in
|
~34m
|
via NC 147
About the Cities
Arriving in Durham, NC
Full guide →Of the three cities that make up North Carolina's Research Triangle, Durham has traditionally been the one with the grittier, more working-class image. A city of just over 300,000 residents in 2026, Durham has moved beyond a "tobacco town" with a prestigious university at its center to become a regionally and nationally recognized symbol of urban renewal, gentrification, technology and diversity. Durham's vibrant African-American community was historically pioneering in United States Black culture, from the arts to finance. These days, the tobacco warehouses and textile mills have been converted to other uses, as Durham has taken on a much more high-profile (and expensive) identity. Thanks to local anchor Duke University, a thriving, research-driven medical and tech industry has taken root.
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 42m. Total distance: 33.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.3 miles on Sam Hunt Freeway. 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 Durham, 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 (NC 49; NC 54; NC 87 / West Harden Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (NC 54 / East Harden Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 18.6 miles (I 85; NC 86 Truck): 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 Durham, 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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