Origin
Sumter, SC
Late night in Sumter on Tuesday
Local time
4:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sumter, SC to Darlington, 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
59m
Distance
38.9 mi
63 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sumter, SC
Junior Bastos
Darlington, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip between Sumter and Darlington, South Carolina, you are looking at a straightforward 38.9-mile journey. Expect to spend about 59 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel budget of just $6, it is a highly economical way to travel within the Southeast. You will navigate primarily via Lamar Highway, Darlington Highway, and Oswego Highway. Since the entire route is local, you can easily complete it in a single morning or afternoon, leaving you plenty of time at your destination.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lamar Highway | 12.6 mi | 19m |
| Darlington Highway | 10.2 mi | 15m |
| Oswego Highway | 8.5 mi | 13m |
| Davis Street | 4.9 mi | 7m |
| Warren Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Pearl Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| East Calhoun Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Liberty Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Lamar Highway
— 12.6 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sumter, SC and Darlington, SC.
1
Start on US 76 Business
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
East Liberty Street
2
Turn left onto US 15
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
North Lafayette Drive
3
Turn right onto US 401
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
East Calhoun Street
4
Continue on US 401
8.5 mi
·
13 min
·
Oswego Highway
5
Continue on US 401
10 mi
·
15 min
·
Darlington Highway
6
Continue on US 401
4.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Davis Street
7
Turn left onto US 401
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Main Street
8
Turn right onto US 401
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Warren Street
9
Continue on US 401
7.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Lamar Highway
10
Enter roundabout onto US 401
142 ft
·
2 sec
·
Lamar Highway
11
Continue on US 401
4.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Lamar Highway
12
Turn straight onto SC 34; SC 151
252 ft
·
4 sec
·
Harry Byrd Highway
13
Continue on Pearl Street
0.6 mi
·
51 sec
·
Pearl Street
14
Arrive at destination
Pearl Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.5 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 0.3 and 33.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 15 / North Lafayette Drive
Turn left onto US 15 / North Lafayette Drive
Navigation decision point
3
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 401 / East Calhoun Street
Turn right onto US 401 / East Calhoun Street
Navigation decision point
3
24.5 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
US 401 / West Main Street
Turn left onto US 401 / West Main Street
Navigation decision point
3
24.8 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
US 401 / Warren Street
Turn right onto US 401 / Warren Street
Navigation decision point
5
33.4 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
US 401 / Lamar Highway
Enter roundabout onto US 401 / Lamar Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.08 one way
$12.17 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.65 | $13.30 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.20 | $14.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.59 | $17.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.08 | $1.87 |
| Efficient EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.40 | $1.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.45 | $2.49 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Darlington, SC
Late night in Darlington on Tuesday
Local time
4:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°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
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
59m 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 trip is best described as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate commute. Because 0% of the route is on major highways, you should prepare for a more engaged driving experience on secondary roads. The longest stretch of consistent driving you will encounter is a 12.6-mile segment on the Lamar Highway. Expect the road conditions to remain consistent throughout the hour-long trip as you transition between these local thoroughfares. It is a practical, no-frills drive that rewards steady attention rather than long-distance endurance.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.6 mi on Lamar 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 0.3 miles in near US 15 / North Lafayette Drive.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Sumter, SC to Darlington, SC is easy. At 59m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (US 15 / North Lafayette Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 401 / East Calhoun Street): Navigation decision point; at 24.5 miles (US 401 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Sumter, SC
Full guide →Sumter is a city in Santee Cooper Country, South Carolina.
Arriving in Darlington, SC
Full guide →Founded 1835
Top landmarks
- • First Baptist Church — historic church in Darlington, South Carolina, United States
- • Cashua Street-Spring Street Historic District — historic district in South Carolina, United States
- • Darlington Downtown Historic District — historic district in South Carolina, 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 59m. Total distance: 38.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.6 miles on Lamar 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 0.3 miles (US 15 / North Lafayette Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 401 / East Calhoun Street): Navigation decision point; at 24.5 miles (US 401 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Darlington, 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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