Origin
Durham, NC
Night in Durham on Saturday
Local time
10:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Durham, NC to Clayton, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
42 mi
68 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clayton, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion within the Southeast, the 42-mile trip from Durham to Clayton is a straightforward endeavor. You can expect to reach your destination in about 55 minutes, making this an ideal one-day excursion that requires no overnight stops. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $7, the drive is highly economical. Since you will be navigating local roads rather than interstates, this route is best suited for those who prefer avoiding highway traffic. It serves as a practical, low-cost connection between these two North Carolina communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 18.2 mi | 20m |
| Thomas Bradshaw Freeway | 7.2 mi | 8m |
| Durham Freeway | 6.5 mi | 8m |
| Goldsboro Highway | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| Clayton Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| South Lombard Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Dillard Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 18.2 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Durham, NC and Clayton, NC.
1
Start on East Main Street
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Turn right onto South Dillard Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Dillard Street
3
Turn left onto East Pettigrew Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
East Pettigrew Street
4
Turn right onto Fayetteville Road
472 ft
·
21 sec
·
Fayetteville Road
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto NC 147
6.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Durham Freeway
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 5A
Toward I 40 East: RDU Airport, Raleigh
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
8
Merge onto I 40
8.7 mi
·
10 min
·
I 40
Use the straight lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
9.5 mi
·
10 min
·
I 40
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on I 40; US 64
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Toward I 40 East: Wilmington
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward US 70: Garner, Smithfield, Goldsboro
13
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward US 70 East: Smithfield
14
Turn straight onto US 70
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Goldsboro Highway
15
Continue on US 70
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Clayton Boulevard
16
Turn slight right
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
17
Keep slight left at fork
115 ft
·
9 sec
18
Turn left onto Veterans Parkway
245 ft
·
8 sec
·
Veterans Parkway
19
Continue on South Lombard Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Lombard Street
20
Arrive at destination
North Lombard Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21 miles from Durham, NC, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 16.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Dillard Street
Turn right onto South Dillard Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Fayetteville Road
Turn right onto Fayetteville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
7.3 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward I 40 East: RDU Airport, Raleigh
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 5A
Toward I 40 East: RDU Airport, Raleigh
6
16.8 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.57 one way
$13.14 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.18 | $14.36 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.77 | $15.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.27 | $18.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.88 | $2.69 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Clayton, NC
Night in Clayton on Saturday
Local time
10:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
55m 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 as you transition between these two cities. You will navigate via South Dillard Street, East Pettigrew Street, and Fayetteville Road, as this route maintains a 0% highway share. Because the journey relies entirely on local corridors, you will experience constant changes in road conditions rather than a monotonous interstate stretch. Behind the wheel, you should stay alert for frequent turns and intersections that define the character of this 55-minute transit. It is a technical, localized experience that demands your full attention compared to a high-speed motorway.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.2 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Thomas Bradshaw Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near South Dillard Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 42 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (South Dillard Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (Fayetteville Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: 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.
Between Durham, NC and Clayton, NC, road signs point toward Raleigh, Smithfield and Goldsboro.
Raleigh
7.3 mi in
|
~10m
Smithfield
33.5 mi in
|
~40m
Goldsboro
33.5 mi in
|
~40m
About the Cities
Starting in Durham, NC
Full guide →Of the three cities that make up North Carolina's Research Triangle, Durham has traditionally been the one with the grittier, more working-class image. A city of just over 300,000 residents in 2026, Durham has moved beyond a "tobacco town" with a prestigious university at its center to become a regionally and nationally recognized symbol of urban renewal, gentrification, technology and diversity. Durham's vibrant African-American community was historically pioneering in United States Black culture, from the arts to finance. These days, the tobacco warehouses and textile mills have been converted to other uses, as Durham has taken on a much more high-profile (and expensive) identity. Thanks to local anchor Duke University, a thriving, research-driven medical and tech industry has taken root.
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 55m. Total distance: 42 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.2 miles on I 40. 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 Clayton, 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 0.2 miles (South Dillard Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (Fayetteville Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Clayton, 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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