Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 50m
Distance
152.2 mi
245 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$24
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ogden, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Durham, NC to Ogden, NC is 152.2 miles and takes about 2 hours 50 minutes via I 40, with a fuel budget near $24 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This highway-focused drive stays within North Carolina, traveling from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. You'll spend most of your time on major interstates, making it a straightforward trip. With only one recommended stop and a short travel time, this route is ideal for a single-day journey. The estimated fuel cost of $24 offers a clear budget for this relatively short haul.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
76.1 miles from Durham, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 26m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 127.3 mi | 2h 18m |
| Thomas Bradshaw Freeway | 11.3 mi | 12m |
| Durham Freeway | 6.5 mi | 8m |
| Gordon Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Market Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Dillard Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Pettigrew Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Durham, NC and Ogden, NC.
Start on East Main Street
Turn right onto South Dillard Street
Turn left onto East Pettigrew Street
Turn right onto Fayetteville Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto NC 147
Take the exit
Merge onto I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Continue on I 40; US 64
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 40
Take the exit
Turn right onto Gordon Road
Turn left onto US 17 Business
Arrive at destination
Given the relatively short duration of under 3 hours, this route is best tackled in a single day, allowing for maximum flexibility. Aim to depart Durham in the morning to avoid potential midday traffic, especially as you approach your destination. With only one stop recommended and a 127.3-mile stretch on I 40, plan your fuel needs accordingly; ensure your tank is sufficiently full before embarking on that longer segment. The $24 fuel cost is a good baseline for budgeting, but always check current prices. This is a straightforward drive, so focus on arriving refreshed.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 33 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 76.1 miles or 1h 26m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ogden, NC than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Durham, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Durham, NC
This is one driving day of about 152.2 miles and 2h 50m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
76 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.
A short stop after about 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 76.1 miles from Durham, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 40 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 127.3 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 39.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Fayetteville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
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
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward SR 42: Fuquay-Varina, Cleveland Rd
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$23.80 one way
$47.60 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $26.02 | $52.05 |
| premium | $4.70 | $28.17 | $56.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $33.60 | $67.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 45.7 | 0 | $15.98 | $7.31 |
| Efficient EV | 38.1 | 0 | $13.32 | $6.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 60.9 | 0 | $21.31 | $9.74 |
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 kg (66% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Durham on Sunday
Local time
1:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
92°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Ogden on Sunday
Local time
1:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
54°F
Mount Olive, NC
76 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Battlefield
In the early morning hours of February 27, 1776, Loyalist forces charged across a partially dismantled Moores Creek Bridge. Beyond the bridge, nearly 1,000 North Carolina Patriots waited quietly with...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This drive is predominantly a highway experience, with 95% of the route on major roads like I 40, Thomas Bradshaw Freeway, and Durham Freeway. Expect a consistent pace for much of the journey, especially during the longest stretch of 127.3 miles on I 40. While the profile is largely highway-focused, the initial and final segments might involve navigating city-adjacent freeways before merging onto the open interstate. It's a drive designed for efficient travel rather than leisurely sightseeing.
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 0.5 miles in near Fayetteville Road.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 152.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (Fayetteville Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
160 ft
Total Descent
516 ft
Highest Point
443 ft
~21.7 mi in
Elevation Range
428 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Durham, NC to Ogden, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Wilmington along the way.
Wilmington
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).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 50m. Total distance: 152.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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