If you are planning a trip from Saint Matthews to Florence, South Carolina, expect a journey covering 95.5 miles. You should set aside approximately 1 hour and 57 minutes of drive time to complete this trek. Because this is a relatively short distance, it functions perfectly as a simple day trip, requiring no overnight stays. Budget around $15 for fuel to cover the distance comfortably. Navigating through the Southeast, you will find this path is a practical way to connect these two South Carolina towns without the need for complex travel logistics.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
47.8 miles from Saint Matthews, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 1m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 95
63.6 mi
1h 8m
Old State Road
15.7 mi
23m
Five Chop Road
8.6 mi
10m
West Evans Street
2.4 mi
4m
I 20 Bus
1.6 mi
2m
Harry C Raysor Drive
1.2 mi
2m
West Cheves Street
0.7 mi
1m
Saint Matthews Road
0.6 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 63.6 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Matthews, SC and Florence, SC.
1
Start on this road
28 ft·7 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto SC 6
292 ft·12 sec·Bridge Street
3
Turn right onto US 601
1.2 mi·2 min·Harry C Raysor Drive
4
Continue on US 601
0.6 mi·55 sec·Saint Matthews Road
5
Turn left onto US 176
16 mi·23 min·Old State Road
6
Turn left onto US 301
8.6 mi·10 min·Five Chop Road
7
Take the exit onto US 15; US 301
0.3 mi·33 sec·US 15; US 301
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 95
64 mi·1 hr 8 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 20 Business East: Florence
10
Merge onto I 20 Bus
1.6 mi·2 min·I 20 Bus
11
Turn left onto S-21-31
2.4 mi·4 min·West Evans Street
12
Turn right onto Warley Street
0.1 mi·20 sec·Warley Street
13
Turn left onto West Cheves Street
0.7 mi·1 min·West Cheves Street
14
Turn right
133 ft·11 sec
15
Turn right
50 ft·3 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the local nature of these roads, flexibility is your greatest advantage when planning your departure. Because the drive clocks in under two hours, you can easily manage the trip in one go without needing scheduled rest stops. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge before heading out, as the $15 cost estimate assumes consistent travel on local routes. Since you will be navigating turn-heavy segments, consider checking your navigation apps for traffic alerts on Bridge Street before you leave to ensure the smoothest possible transition between these two South Carolina locations.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 47.8 miles from Saint Matthews, SC, or about 1h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.6 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 21 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 47.8 miles or 1h 1m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Florence, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Saint Matthews, SC so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Saint Matthews, SC
This is one driving day of about 95.5 miles and 1h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Saint Matthews, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 95 for about 63.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 95.5 — 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|SC 6 / Bridge Street
Turn left onto SC 6 / Bridge Street
Navigation decision point
5
26.2 mi into trip|~37m in|US 15; US 301
Take the exit onto US 15; US 301
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
26.5 mi into trip|~38m in|I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
90.1 mi into trip|~1h 46m in
Take the exit toward I 20 Business East: Florence
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 20 Business East: Florence
5
95.5 mi into trip|~1h 57m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.93 one way
$29.87 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg33 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$16.33
$32.66
premium
$4.70
$17.68
$35.35
diesel
$5.61
$21.09
$42.17
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.7
0
$10.03
$4.58
Efficient EV
23.9
0
$8.36
$3.82
EV Truck/SUV
38.2
0
$13.37
$6.11
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Saint Matthews, SC
Late night
in Saint Matthews on Tuesday
Local time
4:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Florence, SC
Late night
in Florence on Tuesday
Local time
4:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°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
1 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 57m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate sprint, as this route features zero highway travel. You will primarily navigate via Bridge Street, Harry C. Raysor Drive, and Saint Matthews Road to reach your destination. Since the highway share is 0%, your focus will remain on local roads that demand more active attention from the driver. This profile offers a more personal, ground-level perspective of the regional landscape compared to a standard high-speed commute.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 63.6 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Old State Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near SC 6 / Bridge Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 57m drive. You will face about 12 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 (SC 6 / Bridge Street): Navigation decision point; at 26.2 miles (US 15; US 301): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.5 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Florence is a city in the Pee Dee Country Region of South Carolina. It was the site of the Florence Stockade, a Confederate POW camp, notably bad but still maybe not as bad as Andersonville, then a railroad hub, and nowadays a regional center for medical care and manufacturing, including as it sits at the terminus for I-20. Even though it got started rather late, in 1871, it's more or less the hub for northeastern South Carolina, aka Pee Dee Country.
The longest stretch is about 63.6 miles on I 95. 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 (SC 6 / Bridge Street): Navigation decision point; at 26.2 miles (US 15; US 301): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.5 miles (I 95): 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 Florence, SC before heading back.
