Origin
Lillington, NC
Late night in Lillington on Sunday
Local time
3:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lillington, NC to West 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
50m
Distance
32 mi
51 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 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lillington, NC
Wikimedia Commons
West Raleigh, NC
Evgeniia Belman
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Lillington to West Raleigh, you are looking at a straightforward 32.1-mile journey that typically takes about 48 minutes to complete. This route serves as a practical connection within the Southeast region of North Carolina, making it an easy day trip that does not require an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via South Main Street, North Raleigh Street, and Highway 55. With a fuel budget of just $5, it is a very economical drive for commuters or those visiting the area. Because the entire route is composed of local roads, you should expect a steady pace rather than high-speed interstate travel. It is a simple, functional drive that gets you from point A to point B without any necessary stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville Road | 9.3 mi | 13m |
| South Main Street | 9 mi | 13m |
| North Carolina Highway 55 | 4.8 mi | 7m |
| North Main Street | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| South Saunders Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| North Raleigh Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Western Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Pullen Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Fayetteville Road
— 9.3 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lillington, NC and West Raleigh, NC.
1
Start on this road
13 ft
·
2 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto US 401; US 421; NC 27; NC 210
9.0 mi
·
13 min
·
South Main Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto NC 55
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
North Raleigh Street
4
Continue on NC 55
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
North Carolina Highway 55
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Turn right onto US 401
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on US 401
9.3 mi
·
13 min
·
Fayetteville Road
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on US 70; US 401; NC 50
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
South Saunders Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn slight right
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Western Boulevard
9
Turn straight onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
10
Continue on Western Boulevard
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Western Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn slight right
429 ft
·
10 sec
Toward Pullen Road
12
Turn right onto Pullen Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Pullen Road
13
Enter roundabout onto Pullen Road
63 ft
·
2 sec
·
Pullen Road
14
Continue on Pullen Road
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Pullen Road
15
Enter roundabout onto Hillsborough Street
205 ft
·
6 sec
·
Hillsborough Street
16
Continue on Hillsborough Street
503 ft
·
14 sec
·
Hillsborough Street
17
Turn right onto Enterprise Street
44 ft
·
1 sec
·
Enterprise Street
18
Arrive at destination
Enterprise Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16 miles from Lillington, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 31.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 401; US 421; NC 27; NC 210 / South Main Street
Turn right onto US 401; US 421; NC 27; NC 210 / South Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
9.1 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
NC 55 / North Raleigh Street
Turn left onto NC 55 / North Raleigh Street
Navigation decision point
5
15.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
US 401 / North Main Street
Turn right onto US 401 / North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
31.7 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
Pullen Road
Enter roundabout onto Pullen Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
31.9 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
Hillsborough Street
Enter roundabout onto Hillsborough Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.00 one way
$10.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.47 | $10.94 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.92 | $11.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.07 | $14.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 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 | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.80 | $1.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.48 | $2.05 |
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
West Raleigh, NC
Late night in West Raleigh on Sunday
Local time
3:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 6 to 13 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
11 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
50m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you navigate through the regional landscape. Since this route maintains a 0% highway share, you won't be dealing with high-speed merging or long, monotonous interstate stretches. Instead, you will find yourself transitioning across local streets where the longest uninterrupted segment is 0 miles on South Main Street. The personality of this drive is defined by its frequent transitions and local road character. Behind the wheel, you will feel the rhythm of a backroads journey that favors constant movement through local corridors over the isolation of a major freeway.
Only 15% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.3 mi on Fayetteville Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 401; US 421; NC 27; NC 210 / South Main Street.
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 miles you will encounter 8 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 (US 401; US 421; NC 27; NC 210 / South Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.1 miles (NC 55 / North Raleigh Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.5 miles (US 401 / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
408 ft
192 ft
Total Climb
413 ft
Total Descent
204 ft
Highest Point
408 ft
~16 mi in
Elevation Range
216 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 32 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.3 miles on Fayetteville Road. 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 West Raleigh, 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: near the start (US 401; US 421; NC 27; NC 210 / South Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.1 miles (NC 55 / North Raleigh Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.5 miles (US 401 / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at West 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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