Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
35m
Distance
25.1 mi
40 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Raleigh, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Durham to Raleigh is 25.1 miles and takes about 35m via I 40, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, short drive within North Carolina, connecting two major hubs in the Southeast region. Given its brief length and focus on interstate travel, it's ideal for a quick commute or a simple hop between cities without needing extensive planning. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained highways, making it a predictable and efficient journey.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 8.7 mi | 10m |
| Durham Freeway | 6.5 mi | 8m |
| Wade Avenue | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Western Boulevard | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Gorman Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Faircloth Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Durham, NC and Raleigh, 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 right at fork onto SR 1728
Turn right onto Faircloth Street
Continue on Gorman Street
Turn left onto Western Boulevard
Continue on Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Turn left onto South Wilmington Street
Turn left onto East South Street
Arrive at destination
5 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.
Turn right onto South Dillard Street
Navigation decision point
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 right at fork onto SR 1728 / Wade Avenue toward Wade Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$3.93 one way
$7.85 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $4.29 | $8.58 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.65 | $9.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.54 | $11.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.64 | $1.20 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10 | 0 | $3.51 | $1.61 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Durham on Sunday
Local time
3:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
92°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Raleigh on Sunday
Local time
3:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
92°F
Mostly Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
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.
This drive is largely highway-focused, with 61% of the journey on major roadways like I 40 and the Durham Freeway. Expect a consistent pace for much of the 35-minute trip. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.7 miles on I 40, allowing for a good rhythm. While predominantly interstate, the route incorporates sections of Wade Avenue, offering a slight variation in the driving experience before you reach your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Durham 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.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 25.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.
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.
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.
The capital of North Carolina and the largest city of the Research Triangle, Raleigh is the primary political and economic driver of the metro area. Indeed, business and politics are the main draws to Raleigh, which lacks the more trendy feel or active arts scene of Durham or Chapel Hill to the west. However, a concerted effort to expand the residential base and move events downtown has led to significantly expanded retail and restaurant options in the downtown core. Also, visitors will find many of the state's cultural institutions here, namely a major performing arts center downtown and three state museums, and a college town atmosphere in the neighborhood around the campus of North Carolina State University, the state's largest university.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 35m. Total distance: 25.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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