Origin
Orangeburg, SC
Morning in Orangeburg on Sunday
Local time
7:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Orangeburg, SC to Summerville, SC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
54.7 mi
88 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
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Orangeburg, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Summerville, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion from Orangeburg to Summerville, you are looking at a straightforward 54.7-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 2 minutes. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day outing, as the distance is short enough that you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations. You can expect to spend roughly $9 on fuel for the trek, making it an affordable option for a change of scenery within the Southeast region. Navigating the route is simple, primarily utilizing I-26, Five Chop Road, and North Main Street to bridge the two South Carolina locales. Whether you are traveling for business or a brief getaway, this efficient drive offers a reliable connection between the two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 26 | 44.3 mi | 47m |
| Five Chop Road | 6.4 mi | 8m |
| North Main Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| John C Calhoun Drive | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Magnolia Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Whitman Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Richardson Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 26
— 44.3 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Orangeburg, SC and Summerville, SC.
1
Start on Whitman Street
165 ft
·
12 sec
·
Whitman Street
2
Turn right onto US 601; US 21 Business
336 ft
·
13 sec
·
Magnolia Street
3
Turn left onto US 301
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
John C Calhoun Drive
4
Turn right onto US 301
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Five Chop Road
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
6
Merge onto I 26
44 mi
·
47 min
·
I 26
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 199A
Toward US 17 Alternate South: Summerville
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn straight onto US 17 Alternate
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn left onto East Richardson Avenue
116 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Richardson Avenue
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right
92 ft
·
6 sec
11
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.3 miles from Orangeburg, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 54.7 — 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 601; US 21 Business / Magnolia Street
Turn right onto US 601; US 21 Business / Magnolia Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 301 / John C Calhoun Drive
Turn left onto US 301 / John C Calhoun Drive
Navigation decision point
7
52.4 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Take the exit toward US 17 Alternate South: Summerville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 199A
Toward US 17 Alternate South: Summerville
5
54.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
East Richardson Avenue
Turn left onto East Richardson Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
54.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.55 one way
$17.11 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.35 | $18.71 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.12 | $20.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.08 | $24.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.74 | $2.63 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.79 | $2.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.66 | $3.50 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Summerville, SC
Morning in Summerville on Sunday
Local time
7:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
Holly Hill, SC
27 mi in
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
2 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
1h 2m 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?
This trip is heavily highway-focused, with 81% of your travel occurring on higher-speed roads. You will spend the bulk of your time on I-26, which accounts for a 44.3-mile stretch of the journey, providing a consistent pace for the majority of the drive. The transition from the local segments on Five Chop Road and North Main Street into the interstate flow is seamless. Expect a functional, no-frills experience behind the wheel rather than a winding backroad adventure. Because the route is dominated by highway miles, you will find the driving rhythm steady and predictable from start to finish.
81% 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: 44.3 mi on I 26.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 26 and Five Chop Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 601; US 21 Business / Magnolia Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 2m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 601; US 21 Business / Magnolia Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 301 / John C Calhoun Drive): Navigation decision point; at 52.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 2m. Total distance: 54.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 44.3 miles on I 26. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 601; US 21 Business / Magnolia Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 301 / John C Calhoun Drive): Navigation decision point; at 52.4 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 Summerville, SC 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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