Origin
Lexington, NC
Late night in Lexington on Tuesday
Local time
5:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lexington, NC to Greensboro, NC
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
40m
Distance
32.6 mi
52 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lexington, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Lexington to Greensboro is a straightforward 35.6-mile journey that typically takes about 36 minutes to complete. Because of the short distance, this is easily managed as a quick day trip rather than an overnight excursion. You will primarily utilize US 29, US 220 North, and the Governor John Motley Morehead Expressway to navigate between these two Southeast cities. Budgeting about $6 for fuel is sufficient for this transit, making it a very economical trip. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a change of scenery, the route is efficient and keeps you within the heart of North Carolina.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 29 | 26.5 mi | 29m |
| Freeman Mill Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| South Main Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Governor John Motley Morehead Expressway | 1 mi | 1m |
| South Edgeworth Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Market Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 29
— 26.5 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lexington, NC and Greensboro, NC.
1
Start on South Main Street
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Merge onto US 29; US 70
24 mi
·
27 min
·
US 29; US 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
Keep slight right at fork onto US 29
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
US 29
Toward US 29, US 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 35B
Toward US 220 North: Coliseum Area
Use the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto US 220
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Governor John Motley Morehead Expressway
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on Freeman Mill Road
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Freeman Mill Road
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn straight onto Freeman Mill Road
0.6 mi
·
53 sec
·
Freeman Mill Road
8
Continue on South Edgeworth Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
South Edgeworth Street
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto West Market Street
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
West Market Street
Use the right lane.
10
Arrive at destination
West Market Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 32.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 29; US 70
Merge onto US 29; US 70
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
25.5 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
US 29
Keep slight right at fork onto US 29 toward US 29, US 70
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 29, US 70
7
27.9 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward US 220 North: Coliseum Area
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 35B
Toward US 220 North: Coliseum Area
5
28.1 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
US 220 / Governor John Motley Morehead Expressway
Merge onto US 220 / Governor John Motley Morehead Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
32.4 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
West Market Street
Turn right onto West Market Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.10 one way
$10.20 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.57 | $11.15 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.03 | $12.07 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.20 | $14.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.42 | $1.56 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.85 | $1.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13 | 0 | $4.56 | $2.09 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Greensboro, NC
Late night in Greensboro on Tuesday
Local time
5:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°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
40m 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 rather than a monotonous interstate cruise on this path. While you won't encounter long, uninterrupted highway stretches, the route flows through a mix of local roads that require your full attention behind the wheel. The journey features zero highway-only segments, meaning you should prepare for frequent transitions and varying road conditions. Navigation requires staying alert as you weave through the local infrastructure connecting the two cities. The road surface and character change as you move from the quieter outskirts of Lexington toward the busier transit corridors of Greensboro.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.5 mi on US 29.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 29 and Freeman Mill Road. You will hit about 5 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near US 29; US 70.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 32.6 miles you will encounter 5 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 1.4 miles (US 29; US 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.5 miles (US 29): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Lexington, NC
Full guide →Lexington, North Carolina, is the self-proclaimed "Barbecue Capital of the World". Besides its famous barbecue, celebrated at the annual Lexington Barbecue Festival in October, Lexington is also distinctive for all the statues of pigs it has downtown.
Arriving 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.
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 40m. Total distance: 32.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26.5 miles on US 29. 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 Greensboro, 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 1.4 miles (US 29; US 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.5 miles (US 29): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.9 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 Greensboro, 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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