Origin
Raleigh, NC
Morning in Raleigh on Sunday
Local time
7:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Raleigh, NC to Louisburg, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
32 mi
51 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Raleigh, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Louisburg, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 32-mile trip from Raleigh to Louisburg, North Carolina, can be completed in about 48 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. You'll primarily navigate Louisburg Road and US 401, also known as Capital Boulevard. With a modest estimated fuel cost of $5, this drive is quite budget-friendly for a single day's adventure. The route stays within the Southeast region and North Carolina. Its turn-heavy local drive profile suggests you'll be navigating through various town centers and intersections rather than a continuous highway.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Louisburg Road | 16.4 mi | 23m |
| US 401 | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| Capital Boulevard | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| South Main Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| South Wilmington Street | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| North McDowell Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Edenton Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| NC 56 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Louisburg Road
— 16.4 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Raleigh, NC and Louisburg, NC.
1
Start on East South Street
24 ft
·
6 sec
·
East South Street
2
Turn left onto South Wilmington Street
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
South Wilmington Street
3
Turn left onto East Edenton Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
East Edenton Street
4
Turn right onto US 70; US 401; NC 50
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
North McDowell Street
5
Continue on US 70; US 401; NC 50
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Capital Boulevard
Use the right lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1; US 401
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Capital Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 401
16 mi
·
23 min
·
Louisburg Road
Toward Rolesville, Louisburg
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on US 401
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
US 401
9
Merge onto US 401
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
US 401
10
Turn left onto NC 56
284 ft
·
8 sec
·
NC 56
11
Turn right onto South Main Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Main Street
12
Turn left onto West Nash Street
43 ft
·
1 sec
·
West Nash Street
13
Arrive at destination
West Nash Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 6.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Wilmington Street
Turn left onto South Wilmington Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
East Edenton Street
Turn left onto East Edenton Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 70; US 401; NC 50 / North McDowell Street
Turn right onto US 70; US 401; NC 50 / North McDowell Street
Navigation decision point
6
5.4 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
US 1; US 401 / Capital Boulevard
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1; US 401 / Capital Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
6.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
US 401 / Louisburg Road
Keep slight right at fork onto US 401 / Louisburg Road toward Rolesville, Louisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward Rolesville, Louisburg
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.00 one way
$10.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.47 | $10.94 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.92 | $11.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.07 | $14.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.80 | $1.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.48 | $2.05 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Louisburg, NC
Morning in Louisburg on Sunday
Local time
7:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°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
21 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
48m 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 this 32-mile journey. While 24% of the route involves highway driving, much of your time will be spent on local roads, particularly Louisburg Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 16.4 miles on Louisburg Road, offering a brief period of consistent travel before more turns and intersections appear. This drive will feel more like navigating through communities than a straight shot on an open highway, requiring your attention to traffic signals and local street layouts.
Only 24% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.4 mi on Louisburg Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Wilmington Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 32 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Wilmington Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (East Edenton Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (US 70; US 401; NC 50 / North McDowell Street): Navigation decision point.
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 Louisburg, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Rolesville along the way.
Rolesville
6.6 mi in
|
~13m
|
via US 401
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 48m. Total distance: 32 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.4 miles on Louisburg Road. 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 Louisburg, 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: near the start (South Wilmington Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (East Edenton Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (US 70; US 401; NC 50 / North McDowell Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Louisburg, 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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