Origin
Greensboro, NC
Morning in Greensboro on Sunday
Local time
8:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Greensboro, NC to Durham, 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 7m
Distance
53.6 mi
86 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trip Overview
Traveling between Greensboro and Durham is a straightforward 53.6-mile commute that typically takes about 1 hour and 7 minutes. Because this trip is so quick, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight lodging. You can expect to spend roughly $9 on fuel for the journey, making it a very cost-effective way to navigate the Southeast. The entire route stays within North Carolina, moving you efficiently from the Triad area toward the Research Triangle. This highway-focused drive is ideal if you prioritize speed and simplicity over wandering backroads.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 34.2 mi | 39m |
| I 85 | 9.4 mi | 10m |
| Durham Freeway | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| East Gate City Boulevard | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| West Market Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Roxboro Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Bennett Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Dudley Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 34.2 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Greensboro, NC and Durham, NC.
1
Start on West Market Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Market Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn right onto South Dudley Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
South Dudley Street
3
Continue on Bennett Street
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Bennett Street
4
Turn left onto East Gate City Boulevard
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
East Gate City Boulevard
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 40 East, I 85 Business North
6
Merge onto I 40
34 mi
·
39 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85; NC 86 Truck
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
I 85; NC 86 Truck
Toward I 85 North: Durham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 147
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Durham Freeway
Toward NC 147 South: Downtown Durham, Duke University, North Carolina Central University, Research Triangle Park
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
512 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Mangum Street, Roxboro Street
Use the slight right lane.
10
Continue on Morehead Avenue
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Morehead Avenue
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn left onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
South Roxboro Street
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto East Main Street
100 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Main Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
13
Arrive at destination
East Main 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 26.8 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 4 and 53 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the ramp toward I 40 East, I 85 Business North
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40 East, I 85 Business North
5
4.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 40
Merge onto I 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
38.4 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
I 85; NC 86 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85; NC 86 Truck toward I 85 North: Durham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 85 North: Durham
8
47.8 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
NC 147 / Durham Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 147 / Durham Freeway toward NC 147 South: Downtown Durham, Duke University, North Carolina Central University, Research Triangle Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NC 147 South: Downtown Durham, Duke Univ...
7
53 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Take the exit toward Mangum Street, Roxboro Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Mangum Street, Roxboro Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.38 one way
$16.76 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.16 | $18.33 |
| premium | $4.70 | $9.92 | $19.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.83 | $23.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 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 | 16.1 | 0 | $5.63 | $2.57 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.69 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.50 | $3.43 |
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
Durham, NC
Morning in Durham on Sunday
Local time
8:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
8 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 7m 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 highly efficient, interstate-dominant experience that features a 91% highway share. Your journey relies heavily on I-40 and I-85, transitioning eventually to the Durham Freeway to reach your destination. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 34.2 miles on I-40, which keeps your momentum consistent for the majority of the trip. While the road lacks the technical turns of mountain passes or the slow pace of rural routes, it provides a predictable, fast-moving environment. You will spend most of your time in a steady flow of traffic, so prepare for a focused, high-speed drive.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.2 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and I 85. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4 miles in.
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 53.6 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 4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.2 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.4 miles (I 85; NC 86 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Greensboro, NC and Durham, NC, road signs point toward Duke University, Carolina Central University and Research Triangle Park.
Duke University
47.8 mi in
|
~59m
|
via NC 147
Carolina Central University
47.8 mi in
|
~59m
|
via NC 147
Research Triangle Park
47.8 mi in
|
~59m
|
via NC 147
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.
Arriving 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 1h 7m. Total distance: 53.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.2 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 Durham, 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 4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.2 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.4 miles (I 85; NC 86 Truck): 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 Durham, 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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