Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 32m
Distance
132.2 mi
213 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$20
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Port Royal, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Sumter, SC
Junior Bastos
The drive from Port Royal, SC to Sumter, SC covers 132.2 miles and takes about 2h 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 95, US 521, Trask Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 88.3 miles on I 95. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.26 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
66.1 miles from Port Royal, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 18m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 88.3 mi | 1h 34m |
| US 521 | 15.1 mi | 18m |
| Trask Parkway | 12 mi | 14m |
| US 21 | 6.9 mi | 8m |
| Parris Island Gateway | 5.5 mi | 8m |
| Kings Highway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Ribaut Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Russell Bell Bridge | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 40 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
1 PM
~1,460 veh/hr typical · worst 2,269
Quietest
2 AM
~216 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Port Royal, SC and Sumter, SC.
Start on Paris Avenue
Turn left onto US 21
Continue on US 21
Continue on US 21
At end of road, turn left onto US 21
Enter roundabout onto US 21
Continue on US 21
Continue on US 17
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn left onto US 521
Continue on South Main Street
Turn right onto US 76 Business
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 29 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 66.1 miles or 1h 18m 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 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sumter, SC than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Port Royal, 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 Port Royal, SC
This is one driving day of about 132.2 miles and 2h 32m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
66 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.
A short stop after about 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 66.1 miles from Port Royal, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 95 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 88.3 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 132.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto US 21 / Ribaut Road
Navigation decision point
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 521: Alcolu, Sumter
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward US 521 North: Alcolu, Sumter
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn right onto US 76 Business / East Liberty Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$20.26 one way
$40.51 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $22.23 | $44.46 |
| premium | $4.64 | $24.13 | $48.27 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $29.14 | $58.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 39.7 | 0 | $13.88 | $6.35 |
| Efficient EV | 33.1 | 0 | $11.57 | $5.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 52.9 | 0 | $18.51 | $8.46 |
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
15 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Port Royal on Wednesday
Local time
5:05 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Sunny
Destination
Late night in Sumter on Wednesday
Local time
5:05 AM
EDT
Current temp
95°F
Sunny
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Historical Park
The Reconstruction era,1861-1900 the historic period in which the United States grappled with the question of how to integrate millions of newly freed African Americans into social, political, economi...
National Park
Astonishing biodiversity exists in Congaree National Park, the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Waters from the Congaree and...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
132.2 mi in 2h 32m, mostly highway — 88.3 mi of that is on I 95.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and US 521. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near US 21 / Ribaut Road.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 32m 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: at 0.4 miles (US 21 / Ribaut Road): Navigation decision point; at 28.2 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 116.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
215 ft
Total Descent
66 ft
Highest Point
172 ft
~132.6 mi in
Elevation Range
153 ft
Founded 1845
Sumter is a city in Santee Cooper Country, South Carolina.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 32m. Total distance: 132.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Straightforward navigation.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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