Traveling from Jacksonville to Raleigh covers 117.3 miles and typically takes about 2 hours and 25 minutes. This highway-focused route is straightforward enough to complete in a single day, making it an ideal choice for a quick trip between the coast and the state capital. You can expect to spend roughly $19 on fuel for the journey, keeping your travel costs manageable. Since both cities are located within the Southeast region of North Carolina, the transition between them is seamless and familiar. Whether you are heading inland for business or leisure, this drive offers a reliable connection without the need for an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
58.6 miles from Jacksonville, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 18m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
NC 24
59.8 mi
1h 4m
Catherine Lake Road
14.4 mi
21m
I 40
12.6 mi
13m
Richlands Highway
6.4 mi
9m
Jackson Store Road
6.3 mi
8m
NC 50
5.1 mi
6m
Hallsville Road
4.4 mi
5m
South Kenansville Bypass
3.9 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
NC 24
— 59.8 mi, about 1h 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jacksonville, NC and Raleigh, NC.
1
Start on US 17 Business; NC 24 Business
1.1 mi·1 min·Marine Boulevard
2
Keep slight right at fork onto US 258; NC 24 Business
1.4 mi·2 min·Richlands Highway
3
Continue on US 258; NC 24
5.0 mi·7 min·Richlands Highway
4
Turn left onto NC 111
14 mi·21 min·Catherine Lake Road
5
Turn right onto SR 1800
6.3 mi·8 min·Jackson Store Road
6
At end of road, turn left onto Hallsville Road
4.4 mi·5 min·Hallsville Road
7
At end of road, turn right onto NC 50
5.1 mi·6 min·NC 50
8
Turn left onto D S Williams Road
1.0 mi·1 min·D S Williams Road
9
Turn left onto NC 24; NC 903
3.9 mi·5 min·South Kenansville Bypass
10
Take the exit onto NC 24
60 mi·1 hr 4 min·NC 24
Use the right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
13 mi·13 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward Rock Quarry Rd NorthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn straight onto Rock Quarry Road
0.4 mi·49 sec·Rock Quarry Road
14
Turn left onto Rock Quarry Road
0.3 mi·41 sec·Rock Quarry Road
15
Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
1.2 mi·2 min·Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn right onto South Wilmington Street
0.2 mi·41 sec·South Wilmington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn left onto East South Street
24 ft·0 sec·East South Street
18
Arrive at destination
East South Street
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 2-hour and 25-minute trek, plan your departure to avoid peak congestion times on I-40. Because the route is relatively short, you have the flexibility to drive it in one go without the need for scheduled stops, though keeping your fuel tank in mind remains a good practice. Since the longest stretch is on NC 24, ensure your vehicle is ready for a solid hour of consistent driving before you reach the interstate. Keep a close watch on your speed as you transition between the secondary roads and the faster-paced highway sections. Enjoy the ease of a direct route that gets you from the coast to Raleigh in well under three hours.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 58.6 miles from Jacksonville, NC, or about 1h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59.8 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 26 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 58.6 miles or 1h 18m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Raleigh, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Jacksonville, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Jacksonville, NC
This is one driving day of about 117.3 miles and 2h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Jacksonville, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on NC 24 for about 59.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 42.4 and 117.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
42.4 mi into trip|~1h in|NC 24
Take the exit onto NC 24
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
102.2 mi into trip|~2h 5m in|I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
114.8 mi into trip|~2h 19m in
Take the exit toward Rock Quarry Rd North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Rock Quarry Rd North
5
115.8 mi into trip|~2h 21m in|Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
117.1 mi into trip|~2h 24m in|South Wilmington Street
Turn right onto South Wilmington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.34 one way
$36.69 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$20.06
$40.11
premium
$4.70
$21.71
$43.42
diesel
$5.61
$25.90
$51.80
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.2
0
$12.32
$5.63
Efficient EV
29.3
0
$10.26
$4.69
EV Truck/SUV
46.9
0
$16.42
$7.51
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Jacksonville, NC
Late night
in Jacksonville on Tuesday
Local time
4:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Raleigh, NC
Late night
in Raleigh on Tuesday
Local time
4:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
5 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
2h 25m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mix of road types as you transition from the coast to the interior, with 66% of your time spent on highways. Your journey begins with a significant 59.8-mile stretch on NC 24, which serves as the longest uninterrupted portion of the trip. You will navigate via Catherine Lake Road before eventually merging onto I-40 to complete the final leg. The drive balances local road navigation with the efficiency of interstate travel, shifting from regional corridors to faster, multi-lane thoroughfares. By the time you approach Raleigh, you will have experienced a steady progression from rural surroundings to the busier infrastructure of the capital.
66% 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: 59.8 mi on NC 24.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NC 24 and Catherine Lake Road. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 42.4 miles in near NC 24.
Driving Effort6/10
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 117.3 miles you will encounter 14 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 42.4 miles (NC 24): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 102.2 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 114.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Jacksonville is the county seat of Onslow County, North Carolina. The home of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River. Jacksonville is in North Carolina's Inner Banks region, approximately a one hour away from the "Port City" Wilmington.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 25m. Total distance: 117.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 59.8 miles on NC 24. 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.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 42.4 miles (NC 24): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 102.2 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 114.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
