Origin
Spartanburg, SC
Morning in Spartanburg on Tuesday
Local time
6:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Spartanburg, SC to Anderson, SC
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 21m
Distance
57.4 mi
92 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Spartanburg, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Anderson, SC
Junior Bastos
Trip Overview
Spartanburg to Anderson is 57.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 21 minutes via I 85 and Highway 81 North, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward trip within South Carolina, connecting two points in the Southeast region. Most of the drive is on major highways, making it a quick and easy transit. You'll find it a practical option for a short hop, with minimal time commitment and a predictable travel time. It's a good choice if you're looking to get from point A to point B efficiently without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 85 | 38.4 mi | 47m |
| Highway 81 North | 5 mi | 8m |
| Warren H Abernathy Highway | 4.6 mi | 7m |
| East Greenville Street | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| W O Ezell Boulevard | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| State Highway 81 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| West Saint John Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Fant Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 85
— 38.4 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Spartanburg, SC and Anderson, SC.
1
Start on US 221; SC 56
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
North Church Street
2
Turn left onto US 29
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Saint John Street
3
Turn right onto US 29
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on US 29
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
W O Ezell Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on US 29
4.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Warren H Abernathy Highway
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 85 South: Greenville, GSP International Airport
7
Merge onto I 85
38 mi
·
47 min
·
I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 27
Toward SC 81: Anderson
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
194 ft
·
10 sec
10
Turn left onto SC 81
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Highway 81 North
11
Continue on SC 81
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 81
12
Continue on SC 81
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Highway 81 North
13
Continue on East Greenville Street
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
East Greenville Street
14
Turn left onto North Fant Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Fant Street
15
Turn right onto East Whitner Street
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
East Whitner Street
16
Arrive at destination
East Whitner Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.7 miles from Spartanburg, SC, 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 0.1 and 47.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 29 / West Saint John Street
Turn left onto US 29 / West Saint John Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 29 / West Main Street
Turn right onto US 29 / West Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
8.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 85
Merge onto I 85
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
47.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward SC 81: Anderson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward SC 81: Anderson
5
47.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.98 one way
$17.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.81 | $19.63 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.62 | $21.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.67 | $25.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.03 | $2.76 |
| Efficient EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.02 | $2.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23 | 0 | $8.04 | $3.67 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Anderson, SC
Morning in Anderson on Tuesday
Local time
6:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°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
23 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 21m 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 is predominantly highway, with 77% of the 57.4 miles on the interstate. You'll experience a long stretch of 38.4 miles on I 85, which means a good amount of time cruising at higher speeds. After leaving the interstate, you'll transition to surface roads like Highway 81 North and Warren H Abernathy Highway. Expect a notable increase in exits and potential traffic as you approach your destination, a common characteristic of this type of transition from interstate to local roads.
77% 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: 38.4 mi on I 85.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 85 and Highway 81 North. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 29 / West Saint John Street.
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 57.4 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.1 miles (US 29 / West Saint John Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (US 29 / West Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles (I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Spartanburg, SC to Anderson, SC, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp International Airport along the way.
Gsp International Airport
8.7 mi in
|
~15m
About the Cities
Starting in Spartanburg, SC
Full guide →Spartanburg is both a county and city in Upcountry South Carolina.
Arriving in Anderson, SC
Full guide →Anderson is a county and city in the Upcountry of South Carolina. The city of Anderson had a population of 27,545 in 2016 with an urban area population of 75,702. Anderson County had a population of 194,692 in 2016. The city of Anderson serves as one of the three primary cities in the Upcountry of South Carolina, the others being Spartanburg and Greenville.
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 21m. Total distance: 57.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 38.4 miles on I 85. 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 0.1 miles (US 29 / West Saint John Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (US 29 / West Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles (I 85): 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 Anderson, SC 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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