Origin
Smithfield, NC
Late night in Smithfield on Tuesday
Local time
4:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Smithfield, NC to Raleigh, 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
40m
Distance
28.6 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Smithfield, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Raleigh, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Smithfield, NC to Raleigh, NC is 28.6 miles and takes about 40 minutes via Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway and I-40, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive connecting two points within North Carolina's Southeast region. Given its short distance and duration, it's ideal for a single-day trip, allowing you to maximize your time at your destination. Expect a mostly efficient journey that gets you where you need to go without significant detours or time commitments. It's a practical option for commuters or those looking for a quick connection between these two areas.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway | 8.9 mi | 9m |
| I 40 | 8.6 mi | 9m |
| East Market Street | 5.6 mi | 9m |
| US 70 BUS | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Rock Quarry Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Wilmington Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East South Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway
— 8.9 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Smithfield, NC and Raleigh, 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
8.6 mi
·
9 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Rock Quarry Rd North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn straight onto Rock Quarry Road
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Rock Quarry Road
8
Turn left onto Rock Quarry Road
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Rock Quarry Road
9
Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn right onto South Wilmington Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
South Wilmington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn left onto East South Street
24 ft
·
0 sec
·
East South Street
12
Arrive at destination
East South Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 17.6 and 28.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
17.6 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 40
Merge onto I 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
26.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward Rock Quarry Rd North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Rock Quarry Rd North
5
27.2 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
28.5 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
South Wilmington Street
Turn right onto South Wilmington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
28.6 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
East South Street
Turn left onto East South Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.47 one way
$8.94 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $4.89 | $9.78 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.29 | $10.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.31 | $12.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 10 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.00 | $1.37 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Raleigh, NC
Late night in Raleigh on Tuesday
Local time
4:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
40m 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?
This route offers a mixed driving experience, with 37% of it on highways. You'll encounter stretches on the Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway, including the longest uninterrupted segment of 8.9 miles, before transitioning to the faster pace of I-40. The drive progresses from potentially more scenic byways to a more direct interstate connection as you approach Raleigh. This variation means you'll experience both a slightly more relaxed pace and periods of quicker travel, keeping the drive engaging.
37% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.9 mi on Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 17.6 miles in near I 40.
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 28.6 miles you will encounter 7 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 17.6 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.2 miles (Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard): 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 Smithfield, NC to Raleigh, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Rock Quarry Rd North along the way.
Rock Quarry Rd North
26.2 mi in
|
~34m
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 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 40m. Total distance: 28.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.9 miles on Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway. 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 17.6 miles (I 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.2 miles (Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Raleigh, 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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