Origin
Greensboro, NC
Late night in Greensboro on Sunday
Local time
12:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Greensboro, NC to Albemarle, 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 24m
Distance
64.5 mi
104 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Albemarle, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 64.5-mile drive from Greensboro, NC, to Albemarle, NC, is easily manageable in about 1 hour and 24 minutes. Given its short duration and the fact that it's a single-day trip, you won't need to worry about overnight stays. The route is highly focused on highway travel, making up 92% of the journey, so expect a quick and direct experience. With an estimated fuel cost of just $10, this trip is very budget-friendly. Both Greensboro and Albemarle are located within the Southeast region, so you'll be staying within familiar territory throughout this NC road trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NC 49 | 25.5 mi | 33m |
| Governor John Motley Morehead Expressway | 17.7 mi | 19m |
| I 73 | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| US 52 | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| NC 8 | 4.3 mi | 6m |
| Freeman Mill Road | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| North 1st Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Albemarle Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NC 49
— 25.5 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Greensboro, NC and Albemarle, NC.
1
Start on West Market Street
130 ft
·
9 sec
·
West Market Street
2
Turn right onto South Greene Street
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
South Greene Street
Use the right lane.
3
Enter roundabout onto West McGee Street
17 ft
·
0 sec
·
West McGee Street
4
Continue on West McGee Street
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
West McGee Street
5
Turn left onto Freeman Mill Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Freeman Mill Road
Use the right lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto Freeman Mill Road
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Freeman Mill Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on US 220
18 mi
·
19 min
·
Governor John Motley Morehead Expressway
Use the straight lane.
8
Merge onto I 73; I 74; US 220
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
I 73; I 74; US 220
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
10
Keep slight right at fork
206 ft
·
4 sec
11
Turn slight right onto Albemarle Road
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Albemarle Road
12
Continue on NC 49
9.9 mi
·
13 min
·
NC 49
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on NC 49
16 mi
·
19 min
·
NC 49
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn slight left onto NC 8
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
NC 8
15
At end of road, turn left onto US 52
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
US 52
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left onto US 52 Business
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
North 1st Street
17
Turn right onto West Main Street
138 ft
·
5 sec
·
West Main Street
18
Arrive at destination
West Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.3 miles from Greensboro, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 58 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Greene Street
Turn right onto South Greene Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West McGee Street
Enter roundabout onto West McGee Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Freeman Mill Road
Keep slight right at fork onto Freeman Mill Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
21 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 73; I 74; US 220
Merge onto I 73; I 74; US 220
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
58 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
|
US 52
At end of road, turn left onto US 52
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.09 one way
$20.17 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $11.03 | $22.06 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.94 | $23.88 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.24 | $28.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.77 | $3.10 |
| Efficient EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.8 | 0 | $9.03 | $4.13 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Albemarle, NC
Late night in Albemarle on Sunday
Local time
12:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°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
10 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
1h 24m 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?
You'll find this journey is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 92% of the 64.5 miles covered on main roads like NC 49 and I 73. Expect swift progress for the most part, especially during the longest uninterrupted stretch of 25.5 miles on NC 49. While the majority of the route is designed for efficient travel, the transition between these main arteries is seamless, ensuring minimal disruption to your pace. The character of the drive is consistent, prioritizing getting you from point A to point B with few detours.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.5 mi on NC 49.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NC 49 and Governor John Motley Morehead Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Greene Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 64.5 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (South Greene Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (West McGee Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.4 miles (Freeman Mill Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Greensboro, NC
Full guide →Greensboro is a city of almost 300,000 people (2020) in North Carolina. It is named after Nathanael Greene, a Patriot general who fought a battle here during the Revolutionary War. It's nicknamed the "Gate City" for its historical role as a transportation hub for the Piedmont. The famous author William Sydney Porter, better known as O. Henry, was born here. It can be sleepy and genteel but is enjoying a newfound reputation as a great place for young people. Downtown especially is experiencing a surfeit of bars, music venues and restaurants. Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point are the three cities that make up the Piedmont Triad, halfway between Raleigh and Charlotte.
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 24m. Total distance: 64.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.5 miles on NC 49. 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 Albemarle, 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: near the start (South Greene Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (West McGee Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.4 miles (Freeman Mill Road): 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 Albemarle, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Albemarle, NC
More trips to Albemarle, NC
Explore more options from Greensboro, NC or browse trips ending in Albemarle, NC.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NC road trips.