Origin
Spartanburg, SC
Morning in Spartanburg on Tuesday
Local time
6:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Spartanburg, SC to Chester, 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 5m
Distance
49 mi
79 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Spartanburg, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Chester, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Spartanburg to Chester, expect a straightforward 49-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 5 minutes. This trek is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, as it is quick enough to complete without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via South Pine Street, Furman L Fendley Highway, and the Jonesville Lockhart Highway. With an estimated fuel cost of just $8, it is a very budget-friendly transit through South Carolina. Both cities sit within the Southeast region, keeping the cultural and geographic feel consistent from start to finish.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jonesville Lockhart Highway | 28.5 mi | 33m |
| South Pine Street | 7 mi | 10m |
| Furman L Fendley Highway | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| Highway 176 Bypass | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Union Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Pinckney Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Forest Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Jonesville Highway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jonesville Lockhart Highway
— 28.5 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Spartanburg, SC and Chester, SC.
1
Start on US 221; SC 56
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
North Church Street
2
Turn left onto SC 56
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Henry Street
3
Turn right onto SC 56
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Union Street
4
Turn left onto Forest Avenue
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Forest Avenue
5
Turn right onto US 176; SC 9
7.0 mi
·
10 min
·
South Pine Street
6
Continue on US 176
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 176 Bypass
7
Continue on US 176
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Furman L Fendley Highway
8
Turn left onto S-44-12
238 ft
·
4 sec
·
West Springs Highway
9
Continue on S-44-12
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Forest Street
10
At end of road, turn right onto SC 9
0.6 mi
·
37 sec
·
South Main Street
11
Continue on SC 9; SC 18
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
Jonesville Highway
12
Keep slight right at fork onto SC 9; SC 18
141 ft
·
1 sec
·
Jonesville Highway
13
Turn straight onto SC 9
29 mi
·
33 min
·
Jonesville Lockhart Highway
14
Turn straight onto SC 9 Business
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Pinckney Street
15
Turn slight right
211 ft
·
7 sec
16
Turn straight onto SC 9 Business
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Center Street
17
Turn right onto West End Street
21 ft
·
0 sec
·
West End Street
18
Arrive at destination
West End Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.5 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 49 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
SC 56 / East Henry Street
Turn left onto SC 56 / East Henry Street
Navigation decision point
4
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Forest Avenue
Turn left onto Forest Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
2.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
US 176; SC 9 / South Pine Street
Turn right onto US 176; SC 9 / South Pine Street
Navigation decision point
4
16.7 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
S-44-12 / West Springs Highway
Turn left onto S-44-12 / West Springs Highway
Navigation decision point
5
49 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
West End Street
Turn right onto West End Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.66 one way
$15.33 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $8.38 | $16.76 |
| premium | $4.70 | $9.07 | $18.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.82 | $21.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.15 | $2.35 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.29 | $1.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.86 | $3.14 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Chester, SC
Morning in Chester on Tuesday
Local time
6:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
82°F
Union, SC
25 mi in
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
2 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 5m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. With only 5% of the route consisting of highway travel, you will spend the vast majority of your time on smaller, winding roads that demand your full attention. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 28.5 miles along the Jonesville Lockhart Highway, which serves as the backbone of your trip. Because the route relies heavily on local roads, you should anticipate a slower, more engaged driving experience compared to a standard high-speed commute.
Only 5% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.5 mi on Jonesville Lockhart Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near SC 56 / East Henry Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 5m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (SC 56 / East Henry Street): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles (Forest Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (US 176; SC 9 / South Pine Street): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
803 ft
464 ft
Total Climb
207 ft
Total Descent
469 ft
Highest Point
803 ft
Elevation Range
338 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Spartanburg, SC
Full guide →Spartanburg is both a county and city in Upcountry South 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 5m. Total distance: 49 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (5%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.5 miles on Jonesville Lockhart Highway. 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 0.2 miles (SC 56 / East Henry Street): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles (Forest Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (US 176; SC 9 / South Pine Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Cowpens National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chester, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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