Origin
Graham, NC
Late night in Graham on Sunday
Local time
12:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Graham, NC to Raleigh, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
54.4 mi
88 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Graham, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Raleigh, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Graham to Raleigh, expect a straightforward 54.4-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 9 minutes. This Southeast corridor route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You can budget approximately $9 for fuel, making this an economical transit between these two North Carolina cities. Because the drive is relatively short and efficient, it offers excellent flexibility for your schedule. Whether you are heading to the capital for business or a quick visit, this highway-focused path provides a reliable link across the region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 30.3 mi | 34m |
| Sam Hunt Freeway | 14.3 mi | 16m |
| Wade Avenue | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Western Boulevard | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| East Harden Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Gorman Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Faircloth Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 30.3 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Graham, NC and Raleigh, NC.
1
Start on NC 87
61 ft
·
1 sec
·
Southwest Court Square
2
Continue on NC 87
364 ft
·
9 sec
·
Southeast Court Square
3
Turn right onto NC 87
389 ft
·
20 sec
·
North Main Street
4
Turn right onto NC 49; NC 54
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
·
East Harden Street
5
Enter roundabout onto NC 54
78 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Harden Street
6
Continue on NC 54
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Harden Street
7
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
8
Merge onto I 40; I 85
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Sam Hunt Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
30 mi
·
34 min
·
I 40
Toward I 40 East: Raleigh
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 1728
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Wade Avenue
Exit 289
Toward Wade Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto Faircloth Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Faircloth Street
12
Continue on Gorman Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Gorman Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto Western Boulevard
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Western Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
15
Turn left onto South Wilmington Street
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
South Wilmington Street
16
Turn left onto East South Street
24 ft
·
0 sec
·
East South Street
17
Arrive at destination
East South Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.2 miles from Graham, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 54.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NC 54 / East Harden Street
Enter roundabout onto NC 54 / East Harden Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 40; I 85 / Sam Hunt Freeway
Merge onto I 40; I 85 / Sam Hunt Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
15.9 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 East: Raleigh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 40 East: Raleigh
8
46.2 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
SR 1728 / Wade Avenue
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 1728 / Wade Avenue toward Wade Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 289
Toward Wade Avenue
5
54.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
East South Street
Turn left onto East South Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.51 one way
$17.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.30 | $18.60 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.07 | $20.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.01 | $24.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.71 | $2.61 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.62 | $3.48 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Raleigh, NC
Late night in Raleigh on Sunday
Local time
12:15 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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 9m 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 fast-paced experience, as highway driving accounts for 82% of your total time behind the wheel. You will spend the bulk of your journey on I-40, which features a long, uninterrupted stretch of 30.3 miles. As you approach your destination, the route transitions from the interstate onto the Sam Hunt Freeway and Wade Avenue. It is a highly practical, interstate-heavy drive that prioritizes speed and efficiency over winding backroads. Prepare for a consistent, high-speed flow that keeps you moving steadily toward Raleigh.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.3 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Sam Hunt Freeway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near NC 54 / East Harden Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.4 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (NC 54 / East Harden Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.6 miles (I 40; I 85 / Sam Hunt Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Raleigh, NC
Full guide →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).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 54.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.3 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 Raleigh, 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 0.5 miles (NC 54 / East Harden Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.6 miles (I 40; I 85 / Sam Hunt Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles (I 40): 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 Raleigh, 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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