Origin
Knightdale, NC
Late night in Knightdale on Sunday
Local time
12:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Knightdale, 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
42m
Distance
33.2 mi
53 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Knightdale, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
This 36.8-mile drive from Knightdale, NC, to Durham, NC, is a quick trip, estimated to take about 37 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $6. You'll primarily navigate using South Smithfield Road, Knightdale Boulevard, and I-540 West. Given its short duration and local feel, this route offers a straightforward way to travel between two points in the Southeast region of North Carolina.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Wake Expressway | 19 mi | 20m |
| Durham Freeway | 5.1 mi | 6m |
| T.W. Alexander Drive | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Knightdale Boulevard | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Glenwood Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Smithfield Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Roxboro Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Jackie Robinson Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Northern Wake Expressway
— 19 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Knightdale, NC and Durham, NC.
1
Start on Railroad Street
442 ft
·
21 sec
·
Railroad Street
2
Turn right onto South Smithfield Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Smithfield Road
3
Turn left onto US 64 Business
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Knightdale Boulevard
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 540 West
5
Merge onto I 540
19 mi
·
20 min
·
Northern Wake Expressway
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 70 West: Durham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto US 70
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Glenwood Avenue
8
Turn left onto T.W. Alexander Drive
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
T.W. Alexander Drive
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 885 North: Durham
Use the right lane.
10
Merge onto I 885
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Durham Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto NC 147
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Durham Freeway
Exit 9
Toward NC 147 North: Durham Downtown
Use the slight left lane.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on Jackie Robinson Drive
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Jackie Robinson Drive
14
Turn right onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
South Roxboro Street
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left onto East Main Street
100 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Main Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
16
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 21.8 and 33.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
21.8 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward US 70 West: Durham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 70 West: Durham
8
30 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
NC 147 / Durham Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto NC 147 / Durham Freeway toward NC 147 North: Durham Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 9
Toward NC 147 North: Durham Downtown
7
32.6 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street
7
32.9 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Roxboro Street
Turn right onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Roxboro Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
33.2 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
East Main Street
Turn left onto East Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.19 one way
$10.38 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.68 | $11.35 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.14 | $12.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.33 | $14.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10 | 0 | $3.49 | $1.59 |
| Efficient EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.91 | $1.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.65 | $2.12 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Durham, NC
Late night in Durham on Sunday
Local time
12:36 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
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
42m 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 turn-heavy local drive for this 36.8-mile trip. While I-540 West is part of the journey, the overall highway share is 0%, indicating a reliance on city streets and local roads. The route is characterized by frequent turns, so staying alert and following your GPS closely will be key. There isn't a particularly long uninterrupted stretch, meaning you'll likely be making adjustments to your speed and direction fairly often as you navigate through the towns.
73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19 mi on Northern Wake Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Northern Wake Expressway and Durham Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 21.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 33.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 21.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
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 42m. Total distance: 33.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19 miles on Northern Wake Expressway. 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 21.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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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