Connecting Williamstown to Fairmont, this 101.4-mile trip is a straightforward journey across West Virginia. You can expect the drive to take approximately 1 hour and 41 minutes, making it an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion. Budgeting around $16 for fuel should cover your transit costs comfortably. Because the entire route remains within the state, you will stay firmly within the Southeast region for the duration of the trip. Whether you are heading out for business or a quick visit, this drive is efficient enough that you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
50.7 miles from Williamstown, WV
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 59m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Corridor D
72.2 mi
1h 25m
Senator Jennings Randolph Highway
16.1 mi
17m
I 77
8.9 mi
9m
Fairmont Gateway Connector
1.2 mi
2m
Highland Avenue
1 mi
1m
Jefferson Street
0.3 mi
<1m
WV 14
<0.1 mi
<1m
East 5th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Corridor D
— 72.2 mi, about 1h 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Williamstown, WV and Fairmont, WV.
1
Start on East 5th Street
55 ft·9 sec·East 5th Street
2
Turn left onto WV 14
1.0 mi·1 min·Highland Avenue
3
Enter roundabout onto WV 14
165 ft·2 sec·WV 14
4
Continue on WV 14
261 ft·4 sec·WV 14
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward I 77: Parkersburg
6
Merge onto I 77
8.9 mi·9 min·I 77
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·49 sec
Toward US 50: Downtown Parkersburg
8
Turn left onto US 50
72 mi·1 hr 25 min·Corridor D
9
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 79 North
10
Merge onto I 79
16 mi·17 min·Senator Jennings Randolph Highway
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·54 sec
Toward WV 273 North: Downtown, Fairmont
12
Turn left onto WV 273
0.8 mi·1 min·Fairmont Gateway Connector
13
Enter roundabout onto WV 273
122 ft·2 sec·Fairmont Gateway Connector
14
Continue on WV 273
0.2 mi·23 sec·Fairmont Gateway Connector
15
Enter roundabout onto WV 273
128 ft·3 sec·Fairmont Gateway Connector
16
Continue on WV 273
0.2 mi·24 sec·Fairmont Gateway Connector
17
Continue on Jefferson Street
0.3 mi·57 sec·Jefferson Street
18
Arrive at destination
Jefferson Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule. You will not need to worry about planning for major stops, as the 1 hour and 41-minute duration is manageable in one go. If you are sensitive to winding roads, consider leaving during daylight hours to ensure better visibility on the turns. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge before you head out, as the $16 estimate is based on typical conditions and local road consumption. Because there are no designated stops on this itinerary, ensure your vehicle is prepped and your refreshments are packed before you leave Williamstown.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 50.7 miles from Williamstown, WV, or about 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 72.2 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 22 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 50.7 miles or 59m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fairmont, WV than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Williamstown, 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 Williamstown, WV
This is one driving day of about 101.4 miles and 2h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Williamstown, WV.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Corridor D for about 72.2 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 0 and 100.9 — 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|WV 14 / Highland Avenue
Turn left onto WV 14 / Highland Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1 mi into trip|~1m in|WV 14
Enter roundabout onto WV 14
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
1.1 mi into trip|~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 77: Parkersburg
Navigation decision point
Toward I 77: Parkersburg
5
99.5 mi into trip|~1h 56m in
Take the exit toward WV 273 North: Downtown, Fairmont
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward WV 273 North: Downtown, Fairmont
5
100.9 mi into trip|~1h 59m in|WV 273 / Fairmont Gateway Connector
Enter roundabout onto WV 273 / Fairmont Gateway Connector
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.86 one way
$31.71 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg36 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$17.34
$34.68
premium
$4.70
$18.77
$37.53
diesel
$5.61
$22.39
$44.78
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 35.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
30.4
0
$10.65
$4.87
Efficient EV
25.4
0
$8.87
$4.06
EV Truck/SUV
40.6
0
$14.20
$6.49
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026
Origin
Williamstown, WV
Late night
in Williamstown on Tuesday
Local time
4:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Fairmont, WV
Late night
in Fairmont on Tuesday
Local time
4:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live 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
19 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
2h 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise on this trek. While you will utilize Highland Avenue and I-77, the route avoids a heavy highway bias, featuring 0% highway share as you navigate the local terrain. This layout keeps you engaged behind the wheel, requiring more focus than a simple highway sprint. You should be prepared for a series of winding segments that characterize the regional landscape. It is a practical route that favors local roads over high-speed corridors, so plan for a more tactical driving experience.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 72.2 mi on Corridor D.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near WV 14 / Highland Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (WV 14 / Highland Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (WV 14): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point.
Fairmont, nicknamed the "Friendly City", is a city of 18,313 people (as of 2020) in West Virginia, and the county seat of Marion County (pop. 56,000). It was established in 1820 as Middletown, and changed in 1843 to Fairmont, short for "Fair Mountain". The city is located on the Monongahela River at its origin at the confluence of the Tygart Valley River flowing northwest from Grafton, and the West Fork River flowing north from Clarksburg. Fairmont claims to be the origin of the Pepperoni Roll, West Virginia's official state food. Mary Lou Retton — a gold-medalist gymnast in the 1984 Olympics, who was highly popular around the country and particularly in West Virginia — came from Fairmont.
Top landmarks
•Fairmont Senior High School — high school in West Virginia, United States
•Robert H. Mollohan-Jefferson Street Bridge — bridge in Fairmont, West Virginia, United States
•Masonic Temple — commercial building in Fairmont, United States of America
The longest stretch is about 72.2 miles on Corridor D. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (WV 14 / Highland Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (WV 14): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fairmont, WV before heading back.
