Origin
Smithfield, NC
Morning in Smithfield on Tuesday
Local time
6:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Smithfield, NC to Durham, NC
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
55.1 mi
89 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Smithfield, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Smithfield to Durham is a straightforward 55.1-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 9 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, this trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. You should budget approximately $9 for fuel to complete the transit between these two Southeast hubs. The route relies heavily on major thoroughfares, making it a reliable and efficient way to cross the region. Whether you are heading to Durham for business or leisure, the drive is brief enough that you can easily make the return trip on the same day.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 29.5 mi | 33m |
| Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway | 8.9 mi | 9m |
| Durham Freeway | 6.7 mi | 8m |
| East Market Street | 5.6 mi | 9m |
| US 70 BUS | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| South Roxboro Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Jackie Robinson Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 29.5 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Smithfield, NC and Durham, NC.
1
Start on US 70 BUS
5.6 mi
·
9 min
·
East Market Street
2
Continue on US 70 BUS
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 70 BUS
3
Take the ramp
0.9 mi
·
2 min
4
Merge onto I 42
8.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway
5
Merge onto I 40
30 mi
·
33 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 279B
Toward I 885 North: Downtown Durham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 885
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Durham Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto NC 147
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Durham Freeway
Exit 9
Toward NC 147 North: Durham Downtown
Use the slight left lane.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on Jackie Robinson Drive
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Jackie Robinson Drive
11
Turn right onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
South Roxboro Street
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto East Main Street
100 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Main Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
13
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.5 miles from Smithfield, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 47.1 and 55 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
47.1 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Take the exit toward I 885 North: Downtown Durham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 279B
Toward I 885 North: Downtown Durham
8
51.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
NC 147 / Durham Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto NC 147 / Durham Freeway toward NC 147 North: Durham Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 9
Toward NC 147 North: Durham Downtown
7
54.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street
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.
Toward Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street
7
54.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Roxboro Street
Turn right onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Roxboro Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
55 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
East Main Street
Turn left onto East Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.62 one way
$17.23 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.42 | $18.84 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.20 | $20.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.17 | $24.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.79 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.82 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.71 | $3.53 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Durham, NC
Morning in Durham on Tuesday
Local time
6:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°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
1 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 9m 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 drive that is primarily focused on highway travel, with 70% of your time spent on high-speed roads. You will spend the bulk of your journey navigating I-40, which features a longest uninterrupted stretch of 29.5 miles. The experience transitions from the Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway into the more urbanized Durham Freeway as you approach your destination. While the route feels like a standard interstate grind, the shift in road types helps break up the monotony. You will find that the transitions between these arterial roads are fairly seamless, keeping your transit time predictable.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.5 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 47.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.1 miles you will encounter 8 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 47.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.9 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 54.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Smithfield, NC
Full guide →Smithfield and Selma are a pair of adjacent towns in Johnston County, North Carolina.
Arriving in Durham, NC
Full guide →Founded 1869
Of the three cities that make up North Carolina's Research Triangle, Durham has traditionally been the one with the grittier, more working-class image. A city of just over 300,000 residents in 2026, Durham has moved beyond a "tobacco town" with a prestigious university at its center to become a regionally and nationally recognized symbol of urban renewal, gentrification, technology and diversity. Durham's vibrant African-American community was historically pioneering in United States Black culture, from the arts to finance. These days, the tobacco warehouses and textile mills have been converted to other uses, as Durham has taken on a much more high-profile (and expensive) identity. Thanks to local anchor Duke University, a thriving, research-driven medical and tech industry has taken root.
Top landmarks
- • Bennett Place State Historic Site — historic site in Durham North Carolina, United States
- • City Garage Yard and Fire Drill Tower — fire drill tower
- • American Tobacco Trail — Rails-to-Trails project located in North Carolina
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 9m. Total distance: 55.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.5 miles on I 40. 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 Durham, 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: at 47.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.9 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 54.5 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 Durham, 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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