Origin
Kenova, WV
Late night in Kenova on Tuesday
Local time
5:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kenova, WV to Charleston, WV
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
58.3 mi
94 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 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kenova, WV
Wikimedia Commons
Charleston, WV
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Kenova to Charleston, you can expect a quick and efficient 58.3-mile trip. The drive typically takes about 1 hour and 6 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day journey. Because the route is so direct, you won't need to worry about overnight stops, and you can easily complete the trip in one go. Budgeting around $9 for fuel should cover your travel costs comfortably. This path keeps you within West Virginia, moving you across the Southeast region with minimal fuss. It is a straightforward, highway-focused drive that favors speed and efficiency over complex navigation.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 52 | 56.5 mi | 1h 2m |
| 14th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Lee Street East | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Lee St Bridge | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Dickinson Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
US 52
— 56.5 mi, about 1h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kenova, WV and Charleston, WV.
1
Start on 14th Street
50 ft
·
9 sec
·
14th Street
2
Continue on WV 75
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
14th Street
3
Turn left onto US 52
57 mi
·
1 hr 2 min
·
US 52
Use the left lane.
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward US 60: Civic Center
5
Turn right onto US 60
518 ft
·
8 sec
·
Lee St Bridge
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on US 60
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Lee Street East
7
Turn right onto Dickinson Street
36 ft
·
0 sec
·
Dickinson Street
8
Arrive at destination
Dickinson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.1 miles from Kenova, WV, 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
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 58.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 52
Turn left onto US 52
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
57.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward US 60: Civic Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 60: Civic Center
6
57.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
US 60 / Lee St Bridge
Turn right onto US 60 / Lee St Bridge
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
58.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
Dickinson Street
Turn right onto Dickinson Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.12 one way
$18.23 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.97 | $19.94 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.79 | $21.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.87 | $25.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.12 | $2.80 |
| Efficient EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.10 | $2.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.3 | 0 | $8.16 | $3.73 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Charleston, WV
Late night in Charleston on Tuesday
Local time
5:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
52°F
Milton, WV
29 mi in
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
1 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 6m 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 high-speed experience, as 97% of this route takes place on major highways. You will spend the vast majority of your time on US 52, which accounts for a 56.5-mile stretch of the journey. The road feels consistent and fast, lacking the technical turns or slow-moving local traffic often found on secondary roads. As you navigate toward the final segments on 14th Street and Lee Street East, the character of the road shifts slightly to accommodate your arrival in Charleston. It is a no-nonsense, utilitarian drive that keeps you moving steadily toward your destination without the need for constant course corrections.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 56.5 mi on US 52.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 52 and 14th Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near US 52.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Kenova, WV to Charleston, WV is easy. At 1h 6m with 97% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (US 52): Lane positioning matters here; at 57.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 57.5 miles (US 60 / Lee St Bridge): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
750 ft
556 ft
Total Climb
340 ft
Total Descent
300 ft
Highest Point
750 ft
~37.5 mi in
Elevation Range
194 ft
About the Cities
Arriving in Charleston, WV
Full guide →Charleston, established in 1794, is the state capital of West Virginia. With a population of about 49,000 in 2020, Charleston is the largest city in West Virginia. It's at the junction of Interstates 77, 79, and 64, as well as the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers, the latter of which flows prominently through the city.
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 6m. Total distance: 58.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 56.5 miles on US 52. 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.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through WV can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (US 52): Lane positioning matters here; at 57.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 57.5 miles (US 60 / Lee St Bridge): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Charleston, WV 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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