Origin
Sumter, SC
Late night in Sumter on Tuesday
Local time
4:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sumter, 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
2h 1m
Distance
97.4 mi
157 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 53m
★
6 AM
2h 2m
8 AM
2h 19m
10 AM
2h 8m
12 PM
2h 6m
3 PM
2h 9m
5 PM
2h 19m
8 PM
1h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sumter, SC
Junior Bastos
Chester, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Sumter to Chester, South Carolina, expect a straightforward journey covering 97.4 miles. You should set aside about 2 hours and 1 minute for this drive, which is perfectly manageable as a single-day excursion. Budgeting approximately $16 for fuel will cover your transit across these rural Southeast landscapes. Because this route relies on local connectors rather than major interstates, you will stay entirely within the state while navigating a series of regional highways. It is an efficient way to transit between these two cities without the need for an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
48.7 miles from Sumter, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 1m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lancaster Highway | 19.9 mi | 25m |
| Kershaw Camden Highway | 14.9 mi | 16m |
| Kershaw Highway | 14.4 mi | 16m |
| Sumter Highway | 8.4 mi | 9m |
| Camden Highway | 8.2 mi | 9m |
| Thomas Sumter Highway | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| Lancaster Bypass | 7.2 mi | 9m |
| Broad Street | 7 mi | 12m |
Longest stretch:
Lancaster Highway
— 19.9 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sumter, SC and Chester, SC.
1
Start on US 76 Business
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
East Liberty Street
2
Turn right onto US 76 Business
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on US 76 Business
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Broad Street
4
Turn slight right onto US 521
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Camden Highway
5
Continue on US 521
7.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Thomas Sumter Highway
6
Continue on US 521
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Camden Highway
7
Continue on US 521
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Sumter Highway
8
Continue on US 521
4.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Broad Street
9
Continue on US 521; US 601
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Kershaw Highway
10
Continue on US 521; US 601
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Kershaw Camden Highway
11
Continue on US 521; US 601
0.7 mi
·
48 sec
·
South Hampton Street
12
Turn left onto US 521; US 601
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Matson Street
13
At end of road, turn left onto US 521 Business
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Kershaw Camden Highway
14
Continue on US 521
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
·
Spring Street
15
Turn right onto US 521
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
16
Continue on US 521; SC 522
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Kershaw Camden Highway
17
Continue on US 521
7.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Lancaster Bypass
18
Continue on SC 9
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Chester Highway
19
Keep slight left at fork onto SC 9
20 mi
·
25 min
·
Lancaster Highway
Use the straight lane.
20
Continue on SC 9 Business
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Lancaster Street
21
Continue on SC 9 Business
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Gadsden Street
22
Arrive at destination
West End Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time, though planning for a two-hour window ensures you arrive without rushing. Because there are no scheduled stops in the current data, you should handle your own fueling needs before heading out to keep your $16 budget on track. Pay close attention to your navigation, as the turn-heavy nature of these local roads requires frequent adjustments compared to typical highway driving. Use the 19.9-mile stretch on Lancaster Highway as your primary interval for checking your vehicle's status or adjusting your comfort settings. Prioritize steady pacing to navigate the local turns safely throughout your journey.
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 48.7 miles from Sumter, SC, or about 1h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 19.9 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 21 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 48.7 miles or 1h 1m 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 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chester, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sumter, SC so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sumter, SC
This is one driving day of about 97.4 miles and 2h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Sumter, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Lancaster Highway for about 19.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
49 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 21 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 48.7 miles from Sumter, 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 55 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 76.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 76 Business / North Washington Street
Turn right onto US 76 Business / North Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
49.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
US 521; US 601 / South Matson Street
Turn left onto US 521; US 601 / South Matson Street
Navigation decision point
4
51 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
US 521 Business / Kershaw Camden Highway
At end of road, turn left onto US 521 Business / Kershaw Camden Highway
Navigation decision point
3
56.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
|
US 521 / Main Street
Turn right onto US 521 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
76.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 33m in
|
SC 9 / Lancaster Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto SC 9 / Lancaster Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.23 one way
$30.46 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
34 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $16.65 | $33.31 |
| premium | $4.70 | $18.03 | $36.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $21.50 | $43.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 29.2 | 0 | $10.23 | $4.68 |
| Efficient EV | 24.4 | 0 | $8.52 | $3.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 39 | 0 | $13.64 | $6.23 |
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 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
Chester, SC
Late night in Chester on Tuesday
Local time
4:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°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
4 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
2h 1m 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 that demands your full attention behind the wheel. You will navigate primarily via Lancaster Highway, Kershaw Camden Highway, and Kershaw Highway, as this route features zero percent highway share. The road’s personality is defined by its winding nature rather than high-speed straightaways, with your longest uninterrupted stretch lasting just 19.9 miles along Lancaster Highway. This is not a monotonous interstate grind; instead, you will experience a more intimate connection to the road as you transition between local paths.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.9 mi on Lancaster Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 76 Business / North Washington Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Sumter, SC to Chester, SC is easy. At 2h 1m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 76 Business / North Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 49.5 miles (US 521; US 601 / South Matson Street): Navigation decision point; at 51 miles (US 521 Business / Kershaw Camden Highway): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Sumter, SC
Full guide →Sumter is a city in Santee Cooper Country, 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 2h 1m. Total distance: 97.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.9 miles on Lancaster Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 76 Business / North Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 49.5 miles (US 521; US 601 / South Matson Street): Navigation decision point; at 51 miles (US 521 Business / Kershaw Camden Highway): Navigation decision point.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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