If you are planning a trip from Salem to Winston-Salem, you are looking at a straightforward 91.7-mile journey. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 30 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stays. You will navigate primarily via Enola Road, US 421 South, and the Salem Parkway. Budget approximately $14 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Southeast locations. Because the route is short and efficient, it offers plenty of flexibility for your schedule, whether you are heading out for business or a quick visit.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
45.9 miles from Salem, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
83.1 mi
1h 34m
Salem Parkway
4.7 mi
6m
Pete Brittain Road
1.6 mi
2m
Enola Road
0.7 mi
1m
North Main Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Cherry Street South
0.2 mi
<1m
West 2nd Street
0.2 mi
<1m
High Street Southwest
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 83.1 mi, about 1h 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Salem, NC and Winston-Salem, NC.
1
Start on Pete Brittain Road
1.6 mi·2 min·Pete Brittain Road
2
Turn sharp left onto Enola Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Enola Road
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·30 sec
4
Merge onto I 40
83 mi·1 hr 34 min·I 40
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi·36 sec
Exit 188Toward US 421 South: Salem Parkway
6
Merge onto US 421
4.7 mi·6 min·Salem Parkway
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi·14 sec
Exit 233BToward Marshall Street, TO Cherry StreetUse the slight right lane.
8
Continue on High Street Southwest
459 ft·15 sec·High Street Southwest
9
Turn left onto Cherry Street South
0.2 mi·26 sec·Cherry Street South
10
Turn right onto West 2nd Street
0.2 mi·24 sec·West 2nd Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn left onto North Main Street
0.2 mi·26 sec·North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
12
Arrive at destination
North Main Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short 1.5-hour drive, you have the advantage of being able to depart whenever suits your plans best. There are no planned stops on this route, so ensure your vehicle is fueled up before you leave to keep your $14 budget on track. Pay close attention to the turn-heavy nature of the local roads, as you will need to navigate carefully rather than settling into a highway rhythm. Because the longest stretch on Enola Road is negligible, keep your map handy to manage the frequent transitions. Focus on your navigation early, and you will reach Winston-Salem with ease.
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 45.9 miles from Salem, NC, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 83.1 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 20 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45.9 miles or 53m 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 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Winston-Salem, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Salem, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Salem, NC
This is one driving day of about 91.7 miles and 1h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Salem, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 40 for about 83.1 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 91.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.6 mi into trip|~2m in|Enola Road
Turn sharp left onto Enola Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
2.6 mi into trip|~4m in|I 40
Merge onto I 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
90.9 mi into trip|~1h 45m in
Take the exit toward Marshall Street, TO Cherry Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 233B
Toward Marshall Street, TO Cherry Street
7
91.3 mi into trip|~1h 46m in|West 2nd Street
Turn right onto West 2nd Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
91.5 mi into trip|~1h 47m in|North Main Street
Turn left onto North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.34 one way
$28.68 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$15.68
$31.36
premium
$4.70
$16.97
$33.94
diesel
$5.61
$20.25
$40.49
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.5
0
$9.63
$4.40
Efficient EV
22.9
0
$8.02
$3.67
EV Truck/SUV
36.7
0
$12.84
$5.87
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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
Salem, NC
Morning
in Salem on Tuesday
Local time
6:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Winston-Salem, NC
Morning
in Winston-Salem on Tuesday
Local time
6:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°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
22 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 47m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Since the highway share is 0%, you won’t be spending much time in high-speed, multi-lane traffic. The route features a series of local segments, with the longest stretch on Enola Road measuring 0 miles of uninterrupted highway. You will find that the road changes character frequently as you transition between these local pathways. It is a hands-on driving experience that keeps you engaged with the road layout throughout the entire 91.7-mile trek.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 83.1 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Salem Parkway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near Enola Road.
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 47m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (Enola Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.6 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 90.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Winston-Salem is a city in North Carolina. It has an approximate population of 251,000 (2022). Winston-Salem is one of three cities that make up the Piedmont Triad; the others are Greensboro and High Point.
Top landmarks
•Old Salem — historic district and open-air museum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.A.
•Reynolds Building — historic skyscraper in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.A.
•Home Moravian Church — church building in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
The longest stretch is about 83.1 miles on I 40. 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 1.6 miles (Enola Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.6 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 90.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Winston-Salem, NC before heading back.
