Origin
Waxhaw, NC
Late night in Waxhaw on Tuesday
Local time
5:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waxhaw, NC to Charlotte, NC
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
37m
Distance
23 mi
37 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waxhaw, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Charlotte, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Waxhaw to Charlotte is a straightforward 30.3-mile trip that typically takes about 41 minutes. Because of the manageable distance and duration, this route is perfect for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations. You can expect to spend roughly $5 on fuel for the journey, making it a very budget-friendly transit within the Southeast region. The path relies entirely on local roads like North Broome Street, Providence Road South, and Queens Road rather than major interstates. It is an ideal option if you are looking for a practical, direct link between these two North Carolina communities without the complexity of a long-distance haul.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Providence Road South | 19.5 mi | 31m |
| East Morehead Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| North Broome Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Tryon Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Queens Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East South Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Providence Road South
— 19.5 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waxhaw, NC and Charlotte, NC.
1
Start on NC 75
61 ft
·
5 sec
·
East South Main Street
2
Turn right onto NC 16
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Broome Street
3
Continue on NC 16
20 mi
·
31 min
·
Providence Road South
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on Queens Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Queens Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Continue on East Morehead Street
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
East Morehead Street
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn right onto South Tryon Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Tryon Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
Arrive at destination
South Tryon Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
2 of 22 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 22.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NC 16 / North Broome Street
Turn right onto NC 16 / North Broome Street
Navigation decision point
5
22.4 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
South Tryon Street
Turn right onto South Tryon Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.60 one way
$7.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $3.93 | $7.87 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.26 | $8.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.08 | $10.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.41 | $1.10 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.01 | $0.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.22 | $1.47 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Charlotte, NC
Late night in Charlotte on Tuesday
Local time
5:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°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
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
37m 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 that keeps you engaged behind the wheel rather than a monotonous interstate grind. With 0% of the route on highways, you will navigate through residential and commercial areas using surface streets exclusively. There is no long-distance highway cruising here, as the longest uninterrupted stretch is 0 miles on North Broome Street. The personality of this drive is defined by constant navigation through local intersections, requiring your full attention as you transition from the outskirts of Waxhaw into the heart of Charlotte. It is a functional, winding path that prioritizes local connectivity over speed.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.5 mi on Providence Road South.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
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 early in the drive near NC 16 / North Broome Street.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Waxhaw, NC to Charlotte, NC is easy. At 37m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (NC 16 / North Broome Street): Navigation decision point; at 22.4 miles (South Tryon Street): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Waxhaw, NC
Full guide →The Charlotte Metro (also "Metrolina") is a region of North and South Carolina within and surrounding the city of Charlotte in the Piedmont of the Southeastern United States. The Charlotte metropolitan area is well known for its auto racing history (especially NASCAR). The region is headquarters to 8 Fortune 500 and 7 Fortune 1000 companies including Bank of America, Duke Energy, Sealed Air Corporation, Nucor Steel, and Lowe's Home Improvement Stores. Additional headquarters include Harris Teeter, Food Lion, and Cheerwine
Arriving in Charlotte, NC
Full guide →“Hornet's Nest” · Founded 1768
Charlotte is an ambitious and rapidly growing city in the southern part of the Piedmont of North Carolina. It is also developing its fledgling tourist industry; its central core is one of the most visitor-friendly districts in the Carolinas. Charlotte's most popular attractions include the Carolina Panthers (NFL), the Charlotte Hornets (NBA), the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the Charlotte Ballet, Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Mint Museum, Harvey B. Gantt Center, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Billy Graham Library, Levine Museum of the New South, Charlotte Museum of History, Carowinds amusement park, and the U.S. National Whitewater Center.
Top landmarks
- • Carowinds — amusement park in North and South Carolina
- • Dilworth — neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
- • Elizabeth — neighborhood of Charlotte, North 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 37m. Total distance: 23 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m 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 19.5 miles on Providence Road South. 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: near the start (NC 16 / North Broome Street): Navigation decision point; at 22.4 miles (South Tryon Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Charlotte, NC 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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