Weirton to Princeton is 283.9 miles and takes about 5h 32m via I 77, WV 2, and Dean Martin Boulevard, with a fuel budget near $44 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within West Virginia, moving from the state's eastern edge to its southern reaches. You'll encounter a predominantly highway profile for most of the drive, making it a straightforward transit. With a recommended one-day travel time, this route is ideal for those looking to cover ground efficiently without a complex itinerary. Plan for a direct connection between these two West Virginia points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
142 miles from Weirton, WV
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 77
94.1 mi
1h 47m
WV 2
76.6 mi
1h 22m
Dean Martin Boulevard
34.4 mi
44m
Energy Road
21.6 mi
25m
Chelsea Street
16.8 mi
19m
3rd Street
13.7 mi
15m
Emerson Avenue
5.1 mi
5m
North 4th Avenue
5 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
I 77
— 94.1 mi, about 1h 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Weirton, WV and Princeton, WV.
1
Start on WV 2
2.5 mi·4 min·Main Street
2
Keep slight left at fork onto US 22
1.1 mi·1 min·US 22
3
Take the exit
0.1 mi·18 sec
Exit 244
4
Merge onto SR 7
0.4 mi·51 sec·Dean Martin Boulevard
5
Take the exit
364 ft·12 sec
6
Continue on North 4th Street
1.1 mi·2 min·North 4th Street
7
Turn left onto Slack Street
226 ft·6 sec·Slack Street
8
Turn right onto South Court Street
235 ft·6 sec·South Court Street
9
Turn right onto SR 7
34 mi·43 min·Dean Martin Boulevard
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·47 sec
11
Turn left onto SR 872
0.5 mi·31 sec·Ferry Landing Road
12
Continue on WV 2 Spur
0.4 mi·34 sec·WV 2 Spur
13
Turn right onto WV 2
0.8 mi·1 min·Lafayette Avenue
14
Continue on WV 2
22 mi·25 min·Energy Road
15
Continue on WV 2
1.3 mi·1 min·North State Route 2
16
Continue on WV 2
2.0 mi·2 min·3rd Street
17
Continue on WV 2
4.3 mi·4 min·Vine Street
18
Continue on WV 2
5.0 mi·5 min·North 4th Avenue
19
Turn left onto WV 2
269 ft·4 sec·Elizabeth Street
20
Turn right onto WV 2
17 mi·19 min·Chelsea Street
21
Continue on WV 2
12 mi·13 min·3rd Street
22
Continue on WV 2
5.1 mi·5 min·Emerson Avenue
23
Take the exit onto WV 2
77 mi·1 hr 22 min·WV 2
24
Continue on I 77
94 mi·1 hr 47 min·I 77
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Exit 9Toward US 460: Princeton, Pearisburg VA
26
Turn right onto US 460
2.6 mi·3 min·Big Laurel Highway
27
Turn right onto CR 27
372 ft·7 sec·Princeton-Ingleside Road
28
Continue on CR 27
0.5 mi·51 sec·Ingleside Road
29
Continue on CR 27
0.3 mi·27 sec·East Main Street
30
Turn right onto US 19
84 ft·1 sec·North Walker Street
31
Arrive at destination
US 19
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 32m duration, leaving Weirton in the morning is your best bet to arrive in Princeton with ample daylight. The drive is manageable in a single day, so you have flexibility on when to depart. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 94.1-mile stretch on I 77, as services can be spaced out. Consider a brief stop around the halfway point to stretch your legs and refuel if necessary. The shift from highway to WV 2 may require a bit more attention due to potentially denser local traffic and more frequent intersections.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 142 miles from Weirton, WV, or about 2h 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 94.1 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 62 miles or 1h 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 142 miles or 2h 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Princeton, WV than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Weirton, WV 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 Weirton, WV
This is one driving day of about 283.9 miles and 5h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 miles from Weirton, WV.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 77 for about 94.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.5 and 280 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.5 mi into trip|~5m in|US 22
Keep slight left at fork onto US 22
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
3.6 mi into trip|~6m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 244
4
5.3 mi into trip|~10m in|Slack Street
Turn left onto Slack Street
Navigation decision point
5
5.4 mi into trip|~10m in|South Court Street
Turn right onto South Court Street
Navigation decision point
6
280 mi into trip|~5h 26m in
Take the exit toward US 460: Princeton, Pearisburg VA
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 9
Toward US 460: Princeton, Pearisburg VA
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.16 one way
$90.31 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg99 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$49.24
$98.47
premium
$4.78
$53.42
$106.83
diesel
$5.35
$59.80
$119.60
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 99.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
85.2
1
$29.81
$13.63
Efficient EV
71
0
$24.84
$11.36
EV Truck/SUV
113.6
1
$39.75
$18.17
Gas CO2
99 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Forecast as of Jun 2, 2026
Origin
Weirton, WV
Afternoon
in Weirton on Wednesday
Local time
3:45 PM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Sunny
NE 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued June 2 at 3:56PM EDT by NWS Charleston WV
Destination
Princeton, WV
Afternoon
in Princeton on Wednesday
Local time
3:45 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
NE 6 mph26% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued June 2 at 3:56PM EDT by NWS Charleston WV
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
8 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
5h 32m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Gauley River National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
The 25 miles of free-flowing Gauley River and the six miles of the Meadow River pass through scenic gorges and valleys containing a wide variety of natural and cultural features. The Gauley River cont...
22 mi from route
~54 min detour
Free
near mile 215.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly highway, with 61% of the driving on major roads like I 77. You'll experience a longest stretch of 94.1 miles on I 77 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a consistent driving experience for the majority of the trip, with fewer exits and more open cruising. The shift to WV 2 and Dean Martin Boulevard will introduce more local traffic and potentially more frequent stops as you approach your destination.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 94.1 mi on I 77.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 77 and WV 2. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in near US 22.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 32m drive. You will face about 17 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (US 22): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 5.3 miles (Slack Street): Navigation decision point.
Weirton is a city in the northern panhandle of West Virginia. This city is built on the steel industry which you can find along the Ohio River and is origin location of Weirton Steel.
Areas of Weirton may also be recognised for their role as a filming location for the movie Super 8.
Princeton is a city of 6,347 people (as of 2000) in West Virginia. It was established in 1838 and named for Princeton, New Jersey, where General Hugh Mercer — an apothecary from Fredericksburg, Virginia, for whom Mercer County was named — was killed in a Revolutionary War battle.
Top landmarks
•Lake Shawnee Amusement Park — defunct amusement park in West Virginia
•Mercer County Courthouse — courthouse in Princeton, West Virginia, United States
The longest stretch is about 94.1 miles on I 77. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 11 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 11 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through WV can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (US 22): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 5.3 miles (Slack Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Gauley River National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.5 hours each way, a round trip means 11.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Princeton, WV before the return drive.
