Origin
Sumter, SC
Late night in Sumter on Sunday
Local time
3:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sumter, SC to Columbia, SC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
44.1 mi
71 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sumter, SC
Junior Bastos
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Sumter to Columbia, you are in for a quick 44.1-mile journey that typically takes about one hour. Because the entire route stays on local roads like North Washington Street, Broad Street, and Devine Street, you won't be dealing with any highway driving. This trip is perfect for a one-day excursion, as the modest 0% highway share makes it a straightforward trek between these two Southeast locations. You can expect to spend approximately $7 on fuel for the round trip, making this a very budget-friendly option. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a change of scenery, this drive offers a simple, direct connection between the two cities without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 76 | 34.2 mi | 42m |
| Broad Street | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| Gervais Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Millwood Avenue | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Devine Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| North Washington Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Liberty Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 76
— 34.2 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sumter, SC and Columbia, 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
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Broad Street
4
Continue on US 76; US 378
34 mi
·
42 min
·
US 76; US 378
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on US 76; US 378
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Devine Street
6
Turn slight right onto US 76; US 378
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Millwood Avenue
7
Turn left onto US 1; US 76; US 378
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Gervais Street
8
Continue on Gervais Street
234 ft
·
22 sec
·
Gervais Street
9
Arrive at destination
Gervais Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22 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
1 of 11 decision points cluster around mile 0.2 — 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.90 one way
$13.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.54 | $15.08 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.16 | $16.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.74 | $19.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.63 | $2.12 |
| Efficient EV | 11 | 0 | $3.86 | $1.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.17 | $2.82 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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
Columbia, SC
Late night in Columbia on Sunday
Local time
3:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
90°F
Hopkins, SC
22 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
38 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 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Since the route avoids highways entirely, you will navigate through city streets and local thoroughfares for the duration of your hour-long trip. There is no long-distance highway stretch here, as the longest uninterrupted segment is 0 miles on North Washington Street. You will need to stay alert for frequent turns as you transition between Broad Street and Devine Street to reach your destination. This drive requires more active steering and attention than a standard highway route, giving you a very grounded perspective of the local landscape as you move from Sumter toward Columbia.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.2 mi on US 76.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 76 and Broad Street. 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
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Sumter, SC to Columbia, SC is easy. At 1h 1m with 78% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
There is one spot that needs extra attention: at 0.2 miles (US 76 Business / North Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Columbia, SC
Full guide →Columbia is the capital city and second largest city in South Carolina. It is home to the main campus of the University of South Carolina, and to the Army's Fort Jackson. It is in the approximate geographic center of the state, and was one of the first planned cities in the United States.
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 1m. Total distance: 44.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.2 miles on US 76. 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.
There is one spot that needs extra attention: at 0.2 miles (US 76 Business / North Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Congaree National Park. 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 Columbia, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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