Weirton, WV to Rainelle, WV is 238.3 miles and takes about 4h 48m via I 79 and US 19, with a fuel budget near $37 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within West Virginia, taking you from the southeastern part of the state to another southeastern region. The route predominantly uses highways, making it a fairly straightforward drive. With only one recommended stop and a total travel time under five hours, this is a very manageable one-day excursion.
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
119.1 miles from Weirton, WV
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 25m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 79
136.3 mi
2h 26m
US 19
35.4 mi
42m
Midland Trail
21.1 mi
31m
Washington Pike
18 mi
26m
Upper Millcreek Telsa Road
8.6 mi
9m
WV 2
8.4 mi
12m
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
4.1 mi
5m
Jefferson Avenue
2.7 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
I 79
— 136.3 mi, about 2h 26m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,089 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,403
Quietest
2 AM
~202 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Weirton, WV and Rainelle, WV.
1
Start on WV 2
2.5 mi·4 min·Main Street
2
Keep slight right at fork onto WV 2
8.4 mi·12 min·WV 2
Exit 1Toward WV 2 South: Follansbee, Wheeling
3
Turn left onto WV 27
0.5 mi·43 sec·10th Street
4
Continue on WV 27
10 mi·14 min·Washington Pike
5
Continue on PA 844
1.1 mi·1 min·Jefferson Avenue
6
Continue on PA 844
8.0 mi·11 min·Washington Pike
7
Continue on PA 844
1.7 mi·3 min·Jefferson Avenue
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward I 70 East: New Stanton
9
Merge onto I 70
4.1 mi·5 min·Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
10
Take the exit onto I 79
136 mi·2 hr 26 min·I 79
Exit 21Toward I 79 south: Waynesburg, MorgantownUse the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit onto US 19
0.3 mi·41 sec·US 19
Toward US 19 South: Beckley
12
Keep slight left at fork
318 ft·8 sec
13
Turn right onto Upper Millcreek Telsa Road
8.6 mi·9 min·Upper Millcreek Telsa Road
14
Continue on US 19
35 mi·42 min·US 19
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
Toward US 60: Gauley Bridge, Rainelle
16
Turn left onto US 60
21 mi·31 min·Midland Trail
17
Turn right onto Maryland Avenue
23 ft·1 sec·Maryland Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
Maryland Avenue
Trip Plan
For this 4-hour, 48-minute drive, starting earlier in the day is advisable to maximize daylight. The longest stretch without a major change in direction is 136.3 miles on I 79, so plan your stops accordingly, perhaps before or after this segment. With a fuel cost estimated at $37, ensure your tank is full before departing Weirton, as dedicated services can be sparse on certain stretches. Since this is a single-day route, you have flexibility in pacing your stops.
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 119.1 miles from Weirton, WV, or about 2h 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 136.3 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 52 miles or 1h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 119.1 miles or 2h 25m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rainelle, 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 238.3 miles and 4h 48m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 52 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 79 for about 136.3 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.5 and 216.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
2.5 mi into trip|~5m in|WV 2
Keep slight right at fork onto WV 2 toward WV 2 South: Follansbee, Wheeling
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 1
Toward WV 2 South: Follansbee, Wheeling
4
10.9 mi into trip|~17m in|WV 27 / 10th Street
Turn left onto WV 27 / 10th Street
Navigation decision point
4
32.1 mi into trip|~49m in
Take the ramp toward I 70 East: New Stanton
Navigation decision point
Toward I 70 East: New Stanton
8
36.5 mi into trip|~56m in|I 79
Take the exit onto I 79 toward I 79 south: Waynesburg, Morgantown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 21
Toward I 79 south: Waynesburg, Morgantown
5
216.8 mi into trip|~4h 16m in
Take the exit toward US 60: Gauley Bridge, Rainelle
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 60: Gauley Bridge, Rainelle
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.90 one way
$75.81 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg83 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$41.33
$82.65
premium
$4.78
$44.84
$89.67
diesel
$5.35
$50.19
$100.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 83.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
71.5
0
$25.02
$11.44
Efficient EV
59.6
0
$20.85
$9.53
EV Truck/SUV
95.3
1
$33.36
$15.25
Gas CO2
83 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 1, 2026
Origin
Weirton, WV
Afternoon
in Weirton on Wednesday
Local time
3:45 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Partly Cloudy
N 1 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Rainelle, WV
Afternoon
in Rainelle on Wednesday
Local time
3:45 PM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Cloudy
NW 1 mph0% chanceLive 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
2 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
4h 48m 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...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 213.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 76% of this 238.3-mile drive is on highways. You'll experience a long stretch of 136.3 miles on I 79, which means consistent highway cruising for a significant portion of the trip. After that, expect to transition to surface roads for the remainder of the route. Given the highway share, be prepared for highway speeds for most of your travel time.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 136.3 mi on I 79.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 79 and US 19. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in near WV 2.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 238.3 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (WV 2): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.9 miles (WV 27 / 10th Street): Navigation decision point; at 32.1 miles: Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,403 ft754 ft
Total Climb
2,410 ft
Total Descent
773 ft
Highest Point
2,403 ft
~221.3 mi in
Elevation Range
1,648 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Weirton, WV to Rainelle, WV, road signs begin pointing toward Morgantown along the way.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 48m. Total distance: 238.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 136.3 miles on I 79. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 9 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.
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.
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 (WV 2): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.9 miles (WV 27 / 10th Street): Navigation decision point; at 32.1 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes — Gauley River National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Rainelle, WV, but most travelers stay overnight.
