Origin
Columbia, SC
Late night in Columbia on Tuesday
Local time
5:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, SC to Gaston, 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
22m
Distance
15.8 mi
25 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gaston, SC
Daniel Sell
Trip Overview
This short 15.8-mile drive from Columbia, SC, to Gaston, SC, will take you about 22 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. You'll primarily navigate Charleston Highway and Highway 321, with a portion on Gervais Street. The estimated fuel cost is a budget-friendly $2, and with no designated stops, you have the flexibility to make spontaneous detours. This mixed drive stays within the Southeast region, offering a straightforward journey between two points in South Carolina. It's a quick hop that won't require an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston Highway | 5.9 mi | 7m |
| Highway 321 | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| Gervais Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Meeting Street | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Platt Springs Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Williams Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| D Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Charleston Highway
— 5.9 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, SC and Gaston, SC.
1
Start on Gervais Street
434 ft
·
17 sec
·
Gervais Street
2
Continue on US 1; US 378
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Gervais Street
3
Continue on US 1; US 378
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Meeting Street
4
Turn slight left onto Charleston Highway
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Charleston Highway
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto SC 602
297 ft
·
7 sec
·
D Avenue
6
Continue on SC 602
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Platt Springs Road
7
Turn left onto Williams Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Williams Street
8
Turn right onto US 21; US 176; US 321
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Charleston Highway
9
Turn slight right onto US 321
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Highway 321
10
Continue on US 321
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
11
Arrive at destination
US 321
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 4.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
2.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Charleston Highway
Turn slight left onto Charleston Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
3
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
SC 602 / D Avenue
Turn right onto SC 602 / D Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
3.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Williams Street
Turn left onto Williams Street
Navigation decision point
4
4.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
US 21; US 176; US 321 / Charleston Highway
Turn right onto US 21; US 176; US 321 / Charleston Highway
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.47 one way
$4.94 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.70 | $5.40 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.92 | $5.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.49 | $6.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.66 | $0.76 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.38 | $0.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.21 | $1.01 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Gaston, SC
Late night in Gaston on Tuesday
Local time
5:12 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
22m 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 mixed drive on this route, with 31% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.9 miles on Charleston Highway. The road character shifts from urban streets to more open highway sections as you progress. This isn't a monotonous interstate experience; rather, it's a blend that keeps things interesting for the short duration. You'll experience varied driving conditions without any particularly challenging segments.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.9 mi on Charleston Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in near Charleston Highway.
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 22m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (Charleston Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (SC 602 / D Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles (Williams Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting 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 22m. Total distance: 15.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.9 miles on Charleston Highway. 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: at 2.4 miles (Charleston Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (SC 602 / D Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles (Williams Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Gaston, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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