Origin
West Raleigh, NC
Late night in West Raleigh on Sunday
Local time
3:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Raleigh, NC to Apex, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
12.5 mi
20 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Raleigh, NC
Evgeniia Belman
Apex, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 12.5-mile drive from West Raleigh, NC to Apex, NC takes about 20 minutes, making it a perfect quick trip within the Southeast region. With a fuel cost estimated at just $2, this route is budget-friendly and ideal for a single-day excursion. The journey primarily utilizes major roads, including I-440 and Western Boulevard, before transitioning to Center Street. Given its brevity, no overnight stays are necessary, offering flexibility in your timing. This drive is focused on efficient travel between two points in North Carolina.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 440 | 7.9 mi | 9m |
| Western Boulevard | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Center Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Pullen Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Hillsborough Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Salem Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Enterprise Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 440
— 7.9 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Raleigh, NC and Apex, NC.
1
Start on Enterprise Street
44 ft
·
3 sec
·
Enterprise Street
2
Turn left onto Hillsborough Street
401 ft
·
13 sec
·
Hillsborough Street
3
Turn slight right
104 ft
·
6 sec
4
Turn right onto Pullen Road
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Pullen Road
5
Enter roundabout onto Pullen Road
76 ft
·
2 sec
·
Pullen Road
6
Continue on Pullen Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Pullen Road
7
Turn right
402 ft
·
9 sec
Toward Western Boulevard West
8
Turn straight onto Western Boulevard
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Western Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
10
Merge onto I 440; US 1
7.9 mi
·
9 min
·
I 440; US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 96
Toward Ten Ten Road
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn left onto SR 1010
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Center Street
Use the left lane.
13
At end of road, turn right onto North Salem Street
51 ft
·
1 sec
·
North Salem Street
Use the right lane.
14
Arrive at destination
North Salem Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 12.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Pullen Road
Enter roundabout onto Pullen Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
2.9 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 440; US 1
Merge onto I 440; US 1
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
10.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward Ten Ten Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 96
Toward Ten Ten Road
5
10.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
SR 1010 / Center Street
Turn left onto SR 1010 / Center Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
12.5 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
North Salem Street
At end of road, turn right onto North Salem Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.95 one way
$3.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.14 | $4.27 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.31 | $4.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.76 | $5.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.31 | $0.60 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5 | 0 | $1.75 | $0.80 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Apex, NC
Late night in Apex on Sunday
Local time
3:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
15 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
20m 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 highway-focused experience for most of this 12.5-mile journey, with 63% of the drive on major roadways. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 7.9 miles on I-440, offering uninterrupted travel at highway speeds. The route begins with a substantial portion on I-440 and Western Boulevard, which are typical urban and suburban highways. As you approach Apex, the character shifts to Center Street, likely a more localized road. This progression means you'll experience a blend of faster-paced interstate driving followed by a more direct approach into your destination.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.9 mi on I 440.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 440 and Western Boulevard. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Pullen Road.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 12.5 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.2 miles (Pullen Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.9 miles (I 440; US 1): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Apex, NC
Full guide →Apex, the "Peak City", is a town near Raleigh in the state of North Carolina.
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 20m. Total distance: 12.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.9 miles on I 440. 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 0.2 miles (Pullen Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.9 miles (I 440; US 1): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Apex, 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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