Origin
Carson City, NV
Night in Carson City on Saturday
Local time
9:41 PM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carson City, NV to Reno, NV
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
30.8 mi
49 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
6 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carson City, NV
Wikimedia Commons
Reno, NV
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Carson City, NV to Reno, NV is 30.8 miles and takes about 41m via Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive connecting two locations within the Mountain West region, both in Nevada. Primarily a highway-focused trip, it's ideal for a quick transit or a day trip, allowing ample time for activities at your destination. You'll find the journey efficient, making it easy to fit into a busy schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway | 24.9 mi | 27m |
| South Carson Street | 2.7 mi | 6m |
| Mill Street | 1.7 mi | 4m |
| US 395 BUS | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| Lake Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Plaza Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Sinclair Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway
— 24.9 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carson City, NV and Reno, NV.
1
Start on US 395 BUS
2.7 mi
·
6 min
·
South Carson Street
2
Take the ramp onto US 395 BUS
0.8 mi
·
52 sec
·
US 395 BUS
Toward I 580 North, US 395 North: Reno
3
Merge onto I 580; US 395
25 mi
·
27 min
·
Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 34
Toward Mill Street
5
Turn left onto Mill Street
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Mill Street
6
Turn right onto Sinclair Street
355 ft
·
12 sec
·
Sinclair Street
7
Continue on Lake Street
0.2 mi
·
56 sec
·
Lake Street
8
Turn left onto Plaza Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Plaza Street
9
Turn right
224 ft
·
20 sec
10
Turn left
105 ft
·
7 sec
11
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 2.7 and 30.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
US 395 BUS
Take the ramp onto US 395 BUS toward I 580 North, US 395 North: Reno
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 580 North, US 395 North: Reno
5
28.3 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward Mill Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 34
Toward Mill Street
5
30.6 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
Plaza Street
Turn left onto Plaza Street
Navigation decision point
5
30.7 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
30.7 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.14 one way
$12.27 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $6.49 | $12.99 |
| premium | $5.59 | $6.78 | $13.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.80 | $13.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.23 | $1.48 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.70 | $1.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Reno, NV
Night in Reno on Saturday
Local time
9:41 PM
PDT
Current temp
56°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
41m 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?
This route is predominantly highway, with 83% of the drive on major roads. You'll spend most of your time on the Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway, which offers the longest uninterrupted stretch at 24.9 miles. The drive begins on South Carson Street before merging onto the freeway, providing a consistent, high-speed experience for most of the journey. Expect a smooth, direct path as you head north toward Reno.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.9 mi on Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway and South Carson Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in near US 395 BUS.
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 41m 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 2.7 miles (US 395 BUS): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 30.6 miles (Plaza Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in Reno, NV
Full guide →Reno, the "Biggest Little City in the World", is in the beautiful north-west region of the State of Nevada, right at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Reno is the second largest tourist destination in Nevada, mainly thanks to its popular downtown casinos. It also has family entertainment, festivals, museums, and cuisine.
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 41m. Total distance: 30.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.9 miles on Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway. 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.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through NV can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.7 miles (US 395 BUS): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 30.6 miles (Plaza Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Reno, NV 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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