Origin
Delaware, OH
Late night in Delaware on Tuesday
Local time
5:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Delaware, OH to Columbus, OH
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
38m
Distance
30.4 mi
49 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Delaware, OH
yaman ozuduru
Columbus, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Delaware to Columbus is a quick 30.4-mile trip that typically takes about 38 minutes. Because this is a short journey within the Midwest, it is perfectly suited for a simple day trip rather than an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via I-71, State Route 37 East, and West William Street to bridge the two cities. With a fuel cost of just $5, this commute is highly economical for those moving between these Ohio hubs. It is a straightforward route that provides a reliable connection for travelers looking to get between these two points efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 71 | 20.2 mi | 22m |
| State Route 37 East | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| West William Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Sunbury Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Northeast Freeway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Third Street | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| East State Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 71
— 20.2 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Delaware, OH and Columbus, OH.
1
Start on US 36
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
West William Street
2
Continue on US 36; SR 37; SR 521
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Sunbury Road
3
Continue on US 36; SR 37
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
State Route 37 East
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
5
Merge onto I 71
20 mi
·
22 min
·
I 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 109A
Toward I 670 East, I 670 West: Airport, Dayton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 670 West: Dayton
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 670
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Northeast Freeway
9
Keep slight left at fork onto Northeast Freeway
0.6 mi
·
53 sec
·
Northeast Freeway
Toward US 23 South
10
Turn straight onto US 23
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
North Third Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn right onto East State Street
106 ft
·
3 sec
·
East State Street
Use the right lane.
12
Turn right
88 ft
·
6 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 8.1 and 30.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
8.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 71
Merge onto I 71
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
28.3 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward I 670 East, I 670 West: Airport, Dayton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 109A
Toward I 670 East, I 670 West: Airport, Dayton
7
28.6 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 670 West: Dayton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 670 West: Dayton
5
29.1 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
Northeast Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto Northeast Freeway toward US 23 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 23 South
6
30.4 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
East State Street
Turn right onto East State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.72 one way
$9.44 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $5.24 | $10.47 |
| premium | $4.91 | $5.88 | $11.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.71 | $13.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.6 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 | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
| Efficient EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.66 | $1.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.26 | $1.95 |
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
Columbus, OH
Late night in Columbus on Tuesday
Local time
5:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
20 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
38m 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 highway-focused drive is defined by its efficiency, with 88% of your journey spent on high-speed roads. You will find yourself settling into a rhythm during the longest uninterrupted stretch of 20.2 miles on I-71. The experience is consistent and fast-paced, lacking the stop-and-start nature of local surface streets for the vast majority of the time. As you transition from the local routes onto the interstate, the character of the drive shifts from suburban accessibility to a standard, predictable highway flow. Expect a functional, no-nonsense road experience that prioritizes speed over scenic detours.
88% 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: 20.2 mi on I 71.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 71 and State Route 37 East. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.1 miles in near I 71.
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 9 decision points packed into just 30.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.1 miles (I 71): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
983 ft
772 ft
Total Climb
186 ft
Total Descent
284 ft
Highest Point
983 ft
~8.7 mi in
Elevation Range
211 ft
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 Delaware, OH to Columbus, OH, road signs begin pointing toward Dayton along the way.
Dayton
28.3 mi in
|
~33m
About the Cities
Starting in Delaware, OH
Full guide →Delaware is a quaint town of 41,000 people (2020) in the Greater Columbus region of Ohio. Delaware is home to the liberal Ohio Wesleyan University. It is the birthplace of Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States of America. His Presidential Library and home are in Fremont, Ohio.
Arriving in Columbus, OH
Full guide →Founded 1812
Columbus is the capital of the American state of Ohio and is located centrally within the state as the core of the Greater Columbus area. Sited in an area where the Rust Belt, Bible Belt, Appalachia, and the Farm Belt meet, Columbus is a fusion of many different parts of America. It is the home of the Ohio State University. The combination of Ohio Government and the Ohio State University has fueled amazing growth both financially and physically in Columbus. It has created a business and research environment that has provided substantial employment opportunities to the diverse ethnic and local graduates of the Ohio State University, and other academic institutions in Columbus. The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC), is projected to be one of the top 50 supercomputers in the world and among the top 10 supercomputing academic centers.
Top landmarks
- • Ohio Stadium — stadium in Columbus, Ohio, USA
- • Columbus Museum of Art — Museum in Columbus, Ohio, United States
- • Wexner Center for the Arts — center at Ohio State University
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 38m. Total distance: 30.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.2 miles on I 71. 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 Columbus, OH 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 8.1 miles (I 71): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.6 miles: 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 Columbus, OH 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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