Origin
Charlotte, NC
Morning in Charlotte on Sunday
Local time
10:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Charlotte, NC to Concord, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
21.7 mi
35 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Charlotte, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Concord, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 26.4-mile journey from Charlotte, NC to Concord, NC is a quick drive, estimated to take around 33 minutes. It's a straightforward trip that’s perfect for a single day, with no need for an overnight stay. You'll be navigating using West Sugar Creek Road and I-85 North, making it a convenient local route within the Southeast region. With an estimated fuel cost of just $4, this is an economical option for getting between these two North Carolina cities. The overall feel of this drive is that of a typical local commute, connecting two points efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Concord Parkway South | 6.7 mi | 9m |
| Julius Chambers Highway | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| South Tryon Street | 3.5 mi | 7m |
| North Tryon Street | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Cabarrus Avenue West | 2 mi | 3m |
| West Sugar Creek Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Mallard Creek Church Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Spring Street Southwest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Concord Parkway South
— 6.7 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charlotte, NC and Concord, NC.
1
Start on South Tryon Street
3.5 mi
·
7 min
·
South Tryon Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn left onto West Sugar Creek Road
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
West Sugar Creek Road
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 85 North: Concord
4
Merge onto I 85
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Julius Chambers Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 46A
Toward Mallard Creek Church Road East
Use the slight right lane.
6
Turn right onto West Mallard Creek Church Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West Mallard Creek Church Road
Use the right lane.
7
Turn left onto US 29
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Tryon Street
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on US 29
6.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Concord Parkway South
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto Cabarrus Avenue West
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Cabarrus Avenue West
Use the right lane.
10
Enter roundabout onto Cabarrus Avenue West
156 ft
·
3 sec
·
Cabarrus Avenue West
11
Continue on Cabarrus Avenue West
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Cabarrus Avenue West
12
Turn right onto Spring Street Southwest
409 ft
·
11 sec
·
Spring Street Southwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Arrive at destination
Spring Street Southwest
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 3.5 and 19.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
West Sugar Creek Road
Turn left onto West Sugar Creek Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
5.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 85 / Julius Chambers Highway
Merge onto I 85 / Julius Chambers Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
9.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward Mallard Creek Church Road East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 46A
Toward Mallard Creek Church Road East
5
9.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
West Mallard Creek Church Road
Turn right onto West Mallard Creek Church Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
19.7 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Cabarrus Avenue West
Turn right onto Cabarrus Avenue West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.39 one way
$6.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $3.71 | $7.42 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.02 | $8.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.79 | $9.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
| Efficient EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.90 | $0.87 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Concord, NC
Morning in Concord on Sunday
Local time
10:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
34m 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 turn-heavy local drive on this route, with a 0% highway share. This means you'll be on surface streets for the entire 26.4 miles, offering a more connected feel to the surrounding area. There isn't a 'longest stretch' to mention as the route is characterized by frequent turns and intersections rather than long, uninterrupted segments. The drive progresses by moving through various local roads, rather than a distinct shift in scenery or road type.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.7 mi on Concord Parkway South.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.5 miles in near West Sugar Creek Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 21.7 miles you will encounter 10 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 3.5 miles (West Sugar Creek Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles (I 85 / Julius Chambers Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
On the drive from Charlotte, NC to Concord, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Mallard Creek Church Road East along the way.
Mallard Creek Church Road East
9.5 mi in
|
~14m
About the Cities
Starting in Charlotte, NC
Full guide →Charlotte is an ambitious and rapidly growing city in the southern part of the Piedmont of North Carolina. It is also developing its fledgling tourist industry; its central core is one of the most visitor-friendly districts in the Carolinas. Charlotte's most popular attractions include the Carolina Panthers (NFL), the Charlotte Hornets (NBA), the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the Charlotte Ballet, Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Mint Museum, Harvey B. Gantt Center, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Billy Graham Library, Levine Museum of the New South, Charlotte Museum of History, Carowinds amusement park, and the U.S. National Whitewater Center.
Arriving in Concord, NC
Full guide →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.
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 34m. Total distance: 21.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.7 miles on Concord Parkway South. 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 3.5 miles (West Sugar Creek Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles (I 85 / Julius Chambers Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Concord, 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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