Origin
Mebane, NC
Afternoon in Mebane on Sunday
Local time
4:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mebane, NC to Winston-Salem, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
59 mi
95 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mebane, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 59-mile drive from Mebane, North Carolina, to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour to complete. You'll navigate primarily local roads, with no highway time, making it a more direct, turn-heavy experience. The estimated fuel cost for this short journey is around $9, which is quite budget-friendly. Given its brevity and local road profile, this route offers a straightforward way to travel between two points within the Southeast region without significant time commitment. It's ideal for a quick hop between cities when you don't want to deal with interstate traffic.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 43 mi | 51m |
| Salem Parkway | 13.4 mi | 16m |
| South 5th Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| South Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Mebane Oaks Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Center Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 43 mi, about 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mebane, NC and Winston-Salem, NC.
1
Start on East Center Street
125 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Center Street
2
Turn right onto South 5th Street
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
South 5th Street
3
Turn left onto Mebane Oaks Road
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Mebane Oaks Road
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 40; I 85
23 mi
·
26 min
·
I 40; I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
7.7 mi
·
9 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40; US 220
13 mi
·
15 min
·
I 40; US 220
Use the straight lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 421
13 mi
·
16 min
·
Salem Parkway
Exit 206
Toward US 421 North: Kernersville
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 233A
Toward Main Street
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn slight right onto South Main Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
South Main Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Arrive at destination
North Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 29.5 miles from Mebane, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 58.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 40; I 85
Merge onto I 40; I 85
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
24.7 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
32.4 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
I 40; US 220
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40; US 220
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
45 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
US 421 / Salem Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 421 / Salem Parkway toward US 421 North: Kernersville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Exit 206
Toward US 421 North: Kernersville
7
58.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 233A
Toward Main Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.23 one way
$18.45 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.09 | $20.18 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.92 | $21.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.03 | $26.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.19 | $2.83 |
| Efficient EV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.16 | $2.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.6 | 0 | $8.26 | $3.78 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Winston-Salem, NC
Afternoon in Winston-Salem on Sunday
Local time
4:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°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
9 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 12m 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 the entirety of this 59-mile route. With 0% highway share, you'll be on South 5th Street and Mebane Oaks Road before merging onto Salem Parkway. There's no single 'longest stretch' noted, suggesting frequent turns and changes in road type as you make your way. This isn't a route for sustained high-speed travel; instead, plan for a more engaging, stop-and-go experience typical of navigating through local communities. The road's personality is one of constant engagement with your surroundings, requiring attention to navigation.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Salem Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near I 40; I 85.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59 miles you will encounter 9 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 2 miles (I 40; I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.7 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.4 miles (I 40; US 220): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Winston-Salem, NC
Full guide →Winston-Salem is a city in North Carolina. It has an approximate population of 251,000 (2022). Winston-Salem is one of three cities that make up the Piedmont Triad; the others are Greensboro and High Point.
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 12m. Total distance: 59 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 43 miles on I 40. 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 Winston-Salem, 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 2 miles (I 40; I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.7 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.4 miles (I 40; US 220): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Winston-Salem, 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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