Origin
Raleigh, NC
Late night in Raleigh on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Raleigh, NC to Burlington, 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
57.3 mi
92 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
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.
Raleigh, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Burlington, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion across North Carolina, the 57.3-mile trip from Raleigh to Burlington is a straightforward option. You can comfortably complete this drive in about 1 hour and 12 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. Expect to spend approximately $9 on fuel for the journey, which keeps this outing budget-friendly. Your path primarily utilizes the Dan K. Moore Freeway, Wade Avenue, and Western Boulevard to navigate out of the state capital. Since both cities are located within the Southeast region, you won't experience drastic shifts in geography, but the trip offers a reliable connection between these two hubs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dan K. Moore Frwy | 44.9 mi | 51m |
| Wade Avenue | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Western Boulevard | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| NC 87 | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| East Harden Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Gorman Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Faircloth Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dan K. Moore Frwy
— 44.9 mi, about 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Raleigh, NC and Burlington, NC.
1
Start on East South Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
East South Street
2
Turn left onto South Salisbury Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
South Salisbury Street
3
Turn sharp right onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
4
Continue on Western Boulevard
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Western Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Turn right onto Gorman Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Gorman Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on Faircloth Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Faircloth Street
7
Turn left onto Wade Avenue
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Wade Avenue
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on Wade Avenue
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Wade Avenue
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Merge onto I 40
45 mi
·
51 min
·
Dan K. Moore Frwy.
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 148
Toward NC 54: Graham, Chapel Hill
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto NC 54
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Harden Street
12
Enter roundabout onto NC 49; NC 54
98 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Harden Street
13
Continue on NC 49; NC 54
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Harden Street
14
Take the exit onto NC 87
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
NC 87
15
Turn left onto South Worth Street
381 ft
·
21 sec
·
South Worth Street
16
Turn right onto West Front Street
449 ft
·
23 sec
·
West Front Street
17
Turn right onto US 70; NC 62
166 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Church Street
18
Arrive at destination
US 70; NC 62
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 28.7 miles from Raleigh, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 3.3 and 54 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3.3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
Gorman Street
Turn right onto Gorman Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
4.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
Wade Avenue
Turn left onto Wade Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
8.2 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 40 / Dan K. Moore Frwy.
Merge onto I 40 / Dan K. Moore Frwy.
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
53 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward NC 54: Graham, Chapel Hill
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 148
Toward NC 54: Graham, Chapel Hill
5
54 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
NC 49; NC 54 / East Harden Street
Enter roundabout onto NC 49; NC 54 / East Harden Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.96 one way
$17.92 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.80 | $19.59 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.61 | $21.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.65 | $25.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.02 | $2.75 |
| Efficient EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.01 | $2.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.9 | 0 | $8.02 | $3.67 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Burlington, NC
Late night in Burlington on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°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
5 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 rather than a monotonous interstate cruise on this route. With only 4% of the journey spent on highways, you will spend most of your time navigating local roads that demand more active attention. You will cover your longest uninterrupted stretch of 44.9 miles while on the Dan K. Moore Freeway, which provides the most consistent pace of the trip. The transition from the urban sprawl of Raleigh into the surrounding local connectors creates a varied driving experience. Be prepared for a more technical feel behind the wheel as you move away from the high-speed transit sections.
Only 4% 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: 44.9 mi on Dan K. Moore Frwy.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.3 miles in near Gorman Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 57.3 miles you will encounter 12 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 3.3 miles (Gorman Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (Wade Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.2 miles (I 40 / Dan K. Moore Frwy.): 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 Raleigh, NC to Burlington, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Chapel Hill along the way.
Chapel Hill
53 mi in
|
~1h 5m
About the Cities
Starting in Raleigh, NC
Full guide →The capital of North Carolina and the largest city of the Research Triangle, Raleigh is the primary political and economic driver of the metro area. Indeed, business and politics are the main draws to Raleigh, which lacks the more trendy feel or active arts scene of Durham or Chapel Hill to the west. However, a concerted effort to expand the residential base and move events downtown has led to significantly expanded retail and restaurant options in the downtown core. Also, visitors will find many of the state's cultural institutions here, namely a major performing arts center downtown and three state museums, and a college town atmosphere in the neighborhood around the campus of North Carolina State University, the state's largest university.
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: 57.3 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 (4%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 44.9 miles on Dan K. Moore Frwy. 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: at 3.3 miles (Gorman Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (Wade Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.2 miles (I 40 / Dan K. Moore Frwy.): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Burlington, 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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