This 106.3-mile journey from Andrews to Columbia, South Carolina, is a manageable drive that can easily be completed in a single day, taking approximately 2 hours and 12 minutes. With a fuel cost estimated at $17, it's an economical option for a quick trip within the Southeast region. The route primarily utilizes US 76, US Highway 521, and North Brooks Street, offering a mixed driving experience. Given its relatively short duration and straightforward path, this trip is well-suited for a day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your schedule without the need for an overnight stay. You'll find it to be a practical and efficient way to travel between these two South Carolina locations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53.1 miles from Andrews, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 1m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 12m. Total distance: 106.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Andrews to Columbia presents a mixed bag of road types, with 58% of the route being highway driving. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 34.2 miles on US 76, which likely provides a more consistent pace. The overall profile suggests a blend of faster-paced highway sections and potentially more local road segments as you approach your destination. This variety means you won't be stuck on a single type of road for the entire trip, keeping the experience engaging. Expect the character of the drive to evolve, transitioning between more open highway and potentially more town-influenced driving.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 76 is the longest continuous segment at about 34.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 40.7 miles in.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 12m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 40.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 40.9 miles (US 521; SC 261 / Greeleyville Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 43.7 miles (US 521 / North Church Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
40.7 mi into trip|~46m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
3
40.9 mi into trip|~46m in|US 521; SC 261 / Greeleyville Highway
Merge onto US 521; SC 261 / Greeleyville Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
3
43.7 mi into trip|~50m in|US 521 / North Church Street
Turn right onto US 521 / North Church Street
Navigation decision point
5
59.5 mi into trip|~1h 8m in|US 521 / South Guignard Parkway
Turn left onto US 521 / South Guignard Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
64.9 mi into trip|~1h 15m in|US 521; US 76 Business / Broad Street
Turn left onto US 521; US 76 Business / Broad Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 76
34.2 mi
42m
US Highway 521
26.8 mi
30m
North Brooks Street
15.1 mi
17m
C E Murray Boulevard
11.5 mi
13m
South Guignard Drive
3.6 mi
4m
Broad Street
3.3 mi
5m
Greeleyville Highway
2.4 mi
2m
Gervais Street
1.4 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
US 76
— 34.2 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Andrews, SC and Columbia, SC.
1
Start on US 521 Bus
1.0 mi·1 min·East Main Street
2
Continue on US 521
27 mi·30 min·US Highway 521
3
Continue on US 521
0.8 mi·53 sec·Society Street
4
Continue on US 521
0.5 mi·36 sec·Society Street
5
Continue on US 521
12 mi·13 min·C E Murray Boulevard
6
Turn slight right
336 ft·4 sec
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·15 sec
8
Merge onto US 521; SC 261
2.4 mi·2 min·Greeleyville Highway
9
Continue on US 521; SC 261
0.4 mi·58 sec·East Boyce Street
10
Turn right onto US 521
0.7 mi·49 sec·North Church Street
11
Continue on US 301; US 521
15 mi·17 min·North Brooks Street
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto US 521
1.1 mi·1 min·South Guignard Parkway
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on US 521
3.6 mi·4 min·South Guignard Drive
14
Continue on US 521
0.7 mi·1 min·Bultman Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto US 521; US 76 Business
3.3 mi·5 min·Broad Street
Use the left lane.
16
Continue on US 76; US 378
34 mi·42 min·US 76; US 378
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Continue on US 76; US 378
1.1 mi·2 min·Devine Street
18
Turn slight right onto US 76; US 378
1.4 mi·3 min·Millwood Avenue
19
Turn left onto US 1; US 76; US 378
1.3 mi·3 min·Gervais Street
20
Continue on Gervais Street
234 ft·22 sec·Gervais Street
21
Arrive at destination
Gervais Street
Trip Plan
For this 2-hour, 12-minute drive covering 106.3 miles, planning your departure time can help you avoid any potential local traffic, especially as you near Columbia. With a fuel cost around $17, it’s a good idea to ensure your tank is full before you leave Andrews to maximize your convenience. Since this is a single-day trip with no designated stops, you have the flexibility to pull over when you need a break or if you spot something interesting. Keep an eye out for the transition onto US Highway 521 and North Brooks Street as these indicate you're getting closer to your destination in Columbia. Enjoy the straightforward journey!
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 53.1 miles from Andrews, SC, or about 1h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 34.2 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 23 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.1 miles or 1h 1m 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 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Columbia, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Andrews, SC 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 Andrews, SC
This is one driving day of about 106.3 miles and 2h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Andrews, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 76 for about 34.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 53.1 mi from Andrews, SC
· 1h 1m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Congaree National Park
National Park
Astonishing biodiversity exists in Congaree National Park, the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Waters from the Congaree and...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.62 one way
$33.25 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$18.18
$36.35
premium
$4.70
$19.67
$39.35
diesel
$5.61
$23.47
$46.94
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
31.9
0
$11.16
$5.10
Efficient EV
26.6
0
$9.30
$4.25
EV Truck/SUV
42.5
0
$14.88
$6.80
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (68% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Andrews, SC
Night
in Andrews on Friday
Local time
10:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Columbia, SC
Night
in Columbia on Friday
Local time
10:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
36 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
2h 12m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Andrews, SC to Columbia, SC covers 106.3 miles and takes about 2h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 76, US Highway 521, North Brooks Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 53.1 miles from Andrews, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.62 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 2h 12m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 40.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 40.9 miles (US 521; SC 261 / Greeleyville Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 43.7 miles (US 521 / North Church Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Andrews, SC to Columbia, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Congaree National Park.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
