Origin
Henderson, NC
Late night in Henderson on Sunday
Local time
12:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Henderson, 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 7m
Distance
43.7 mi
70 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Henderson, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Raleigh, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to head from Henderson to Raleigh, you are looking at a straightforward 43.7-mile journey through North Carolina. You can expect to spend about 1 hour and 7 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel budget of approximately $7, the drive is quite economical for a quick transition between these two Southeast locations. You will primarily navigate via US 1, Capital Boulevard, and Eastern Boulevard. Because the route is relatively short, you have the flexibility to leave whenever it best suits your schedule without needing a complex itinerary.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 1 | 22.9 mi | 31m |
| Capital Boulevard | 9.3 mi | 15m |
| Eastern Boulevard | 7.7 mi | 9m |
| North Blount Street | 1.3 mi | 4m |
| Andrews Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Wake Forest Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Old Louisburg Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East South Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 1
— 22.9 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Henderson, NC and Raleigh, NC.
1
Start on US 1 BUS; US 158 BUS
19 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Garnett Street
2
Turn left onto NC 39
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Andrews Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
4
Merge onto US 1
7.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Eastern Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on US 1
23 mi
·
31 min
·
US 1
Use the straight lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1
8.1 mi
·
13 min
·
Capital Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on US 401
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Capital Boulevard
8
Keep slight right at fork onto Old Louisburg Road
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
Old Louisburg Road
9
Turn left onto Wake Forest Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Wake Forest Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on North Blount Street
1.3 mi
·
4 min
·
North Blount Street
11
Turn right onto East South Street
506 ft
·
19 sec
·
East South Street
12
Arrive at destination
East South Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.9 miles from Henderson, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 41.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NC 39 / Andrews Avenue
Turn left onto NC 39 / Andrews Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 1 / Eastern Boulevard
Merge onto US 1 / Eastern Boulevard
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
31.7 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
US 1 / Capital Boulevard
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1 / Capital Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
41 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
Old Louisburg Road
Keep slight right at fork onto Old Louisburg Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
41.2 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
Wake Forest Road
Turn left onto Wake Forest Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.83 one way
$13.67 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.47 | $14.94 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.09 | $16.18 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.65 | $19.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.59 | $2.10 |
| Efficient EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.82 | $1.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.12 | $2.80 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Raleigh, NC
Late night in Raleigh on Sunday
Local time
12:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Mostly Clear
SW 0 to 3 mph
0% chance
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
6 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 7m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip offers a mixed driving experience, balancing highway efficiency with local transitions. You will spend about 52% of your time on highways, providing a consistent pace for the majority of the trip. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on US 1, where you will cover 22.9 miles of road. As you move toward the destination, the character of the drive shifts from the more open stretches of US 1 into the urban-leaning corridors of Capital and Eastern Boulevards. Expect a functional drive that trades scenic variety for direct, practical connectivity between these two points.
52% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.9 mi on US 1.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near NC 39 / Andrews Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 43.7 miles you will encounter 7 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 (NC 39 / Andrews Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (US 1 / Eastern Boulevard): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.7 miles (US 1 / Capital Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Henderson, NC
Full guide →Henderson is in North Carolina.
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 7m. Total distance: 43.7 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 (52%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.9 miles on US 1. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (NC 39 / Andrews Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (US 1 / Eastern Boulevard): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.7 miles (US 1 / Capital Boulevard): 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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