Origin
North Charleston, SC
Evening in North Charleston on Sunday
Local time
7:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Charleston, SC to Union, SC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 18m
Distance
165.9 mi
267 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$26
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 6m
★
6 AM
3h 18m
8 AM
3h 42m
10 AM
3h 26m
12 PM
3h 24m
3 PM
3h 28m
5 PM
3h 41m
8 PM
3h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Charleston, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Union, SC
Sebastián Casimiro
Trip Overview
The drive from North Charleston, SC to Union, SC covers 165.9 miles and takes about 3h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 26, I 95, Kershaw Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 46.3 miles on I 26. At current regular gas prices, budget about $25.94 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
82.9 miles from North Charleston, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 32m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 26 | 46.3 mi | 51m |
| I 95 | 35.4 mi | 37m |
| Kershaw Highway | 14.4 mi | 16m |
| US 521 | 12.4 mi | 14m |
| Kershaw Camden Highway | 8.9 mi | 10m |
| Sumter Highway | 8.4 mi | 9m |
| Camden Highway | 8.2 mi | 9m |
| Rocky River Road | 7.7 mi | 13m |
Longest stretch:
I 26
— 46.3 mi, about 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Charleston, SC and Union, SC.
1
Start on US 52; US 78
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Rivers Avenue
2
Turn left onto SC 642
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Dorchester Road
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 26 West: Columbia
4
Merge onto I 26
46 mi
·
51 min
·
I 26
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 169B
Toward I 95 North: Florence
6
Merge onto I 95
35 mi
·
37 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward US 521: Alcolu, Sumter
8
Keep slight left at fork
289 ft
·
7 sec
Toward US 521 North: Alcolu, Sumter
9
Turn left onto US 521
12 mi
·
14 min
·
US 521
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto US 521
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
South Guignard Parkway
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on US 521
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
South Guignard Drive
12
Continue on US 521
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Bultman Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto US 521; US 76 Business
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Broad Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn slight right onto US 521
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Camden Highway
15
Continue on US 521
7.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Thomas Sumter Highway
16
Continue on US 521
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Camden Highway
17
Continue on US 521
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Sumter Highway
18
Continue on US 521
4.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Broad Street
19
Continue on US 521; US 601
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Kershaw Highway
20
Continue on US 521; US 601
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Kershaw Camden Highway
21
Continue on US 521; US 601
0.7 mi
·
48 sec
·
South Hampton Street
22
Turn left onto US 521; US 601
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Matson Street
23
At end of road, turn left onto US 521 Business
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Kershaw Camden Highway
24
Continue on US 521
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
·
Spring Street
25
Turn right onto US 521
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
26
Continue on US 521; SC 522
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Kershaw Camden Highway
27
Turn slight right onto SC 522
7.7 mi
·
13 min
·
Rocky River Road
28
Enter roundabout
196 ft
·
3 sec
29
Continue
26 ft
·
0 sec
30
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 82.9 miles from North Charleston, SC, or about 1h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 46.3 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 36 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 82.9 miles or 1h 32m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Union, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving North Charleston, SC so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from North Charleston, SC
This is one driving day of about 165.9 miles and 3h 18m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from North Charleston, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 26 for about 46.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
83 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 82.9 miles from North Charleston, SC, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 84 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 26
Merge onto I 26
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
47.4 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North: Florence
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 169B
Toward I 95 North: Florence
5
48.2 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
83.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 33m in
Take the exit toward US 521: Alcolu, Sumter
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 521: Alcolu, Sumter
6
84 mi into trip
|
~1h 34m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 521 North: Alcolu, Sumter
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 521 North: Alcolu, Sumter
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.94 one way
$51.89 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
58 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $28.37 | $56.73 |
| premium | $4.70 | $30.70 | $61.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $36.63 | $73.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 58 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 49.8 | 0 | $17.42 | $7.96 |
| Efficient EV | 41.5 | 0 | $14.52 | $6.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 66.4 | 0 | $23.23 | $10.62 |
Gas CO2
58 kg
EV CO2
19 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
Union, SC
Evening in Union on Sunday
Local time
7:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
35 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 18m 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?
165.9 mi in 3h 18m — 57% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: I 26.
57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 46.3 mi on I 26.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near I 26.
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 165.9 miles you will encounter 14 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 1.1 miles (I 26): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 47.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 48.2 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from North Charleston, SC to Union, SC, road signs begin pointing toward Sumter along the way.
Sumter
83.6 mi in
|
~1h 33m
About the Cities
Starting in North Charleston, SC
Full guide →North Charleston is in the Greater Charleston area. It is the third largest city in South Carolina with a lot of muscle in terms of commerce and consumerism.
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 3h 18m. Total distance: 165.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 46.3 miles on I 26. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Union, SC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (I 26): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 47.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 48.2 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Union, SC, but most travelers stay overnight.
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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