Origin
Catawba, SC
Morning in Catawba on Tuesday
Local time
7:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Catawba, SC to Columbia, SC
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
1h 24m
Distance
74.3 mi
120 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Catawba, SC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
This 74.3-mile drive from Catawba, SC to Columbia, SC takes about 1 hour and 24 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 90% of your journey on major roads like I-77 and Anderson Road South. With a fuel cost estimated at $12, this is an economical option for a quick transition between destinations within the Southeast. You won't need to split this drive; it's designed for a single, straightforward segment. Plan for a smooth and efficient trip with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 77 | 58 mi | 1h 2m |
| I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway | 7.3 mi | 8m |
| Anderson Road South | 4.3 mi | 4m |
| SC 5 | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Bull Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Reservation Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Gervais Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Cureton Ferry Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 77
— 58 mi, about 1h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Catawba, SC and Columbia, SC.
1
Start on State Road S-46-697
146 ft
·
7 sec
·
Cureton Ferry Road
2
Turn right onto Reservation Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Reservation Road
3
Turn left onto SC 5
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
SC 5
4
Take the ramp onto SC 5
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
SC 5
5
Merge onto US 21; SC 5
4.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Anderson Road South
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
7
Merge onto I 77
34 mi
·
36 min
·
I 77
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 77
24 mi
·
26 min
·
I 77
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto SC 277
7.3 mi
·
8 min
·
I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway
Exit 18
Toward SC 277: Columbia
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on SC 277
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Bull Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Turn right onto US 1; US 378
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Gervais Street
12
Continue on Gervais Street
234 ft
·
22 sec
·
Gervais Street
13
Arrive at destination
Gervais Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
37 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 37.1 miles from Catawba, 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
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 73.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Reservation Road
Turn right onto Reservation Road
Navigation decision point
4
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
SC 5
Turn left onto SC 5
Navigation decision point
5
6.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 77
Merge onto I 77
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
65 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
SC 277 / I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto SC 277 / I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway toward SC 277: Columbia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 18
Toward SC 277: Columbia
4
73.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
|
US 1; US 378 / Gervais Street
Turn right onto US 1; US 378 / Gervais Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.62 one way
$23.24 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $12.70 | $25.41 |
| premium | $4.70 | $13.75 | $27.50 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.40 | $32.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 26 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.3 | 0 | $7.80 | $3.57 |
| Efficient EV | 18.6 | 0 | $6.50 | $2.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.7 | 0 | $10.40 | $4.76 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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
Columbia, SC
Morning in Columbia on Tuesday
Local time
7:00 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
29 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 24m 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 experience on this 74.3-mile route. With 90% of the drive on major roads, including I-77 and I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway, the pace is generally quick. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 58 miles on I-77, offering a consistent driving rhythm. While the profile is highway-focused, incorporating parts of Anderson Road South may introduce brief moments of local road feel before rejoining faster thoroughfares. It's a functional drive designed for covering ground efficiently.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 58 mi on I 77.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 77 and I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Reservation Road.
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 1h 24m 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: near the start (Reservation Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (SC 5): Navigation decision point; at 6.9 miles (I 77): 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 24m. Total distance: 74.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 58 miles on I 77. 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: near the start (Reservation Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (SC 5): Navigation decision point; at 6.9 miles (I 77): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Congaree National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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