Origin
Carrboro, NC
Evening in Carrboro on Friday
Local time
8:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carrboro, NC to Burlington, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
26.1 mi
42 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carrboro, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Burlington, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Carrboro, NC to Burlington, NC covers 26.1 miles and takes about 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NC 54, NC 87, West Main Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.5 miles on NC 54. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.08 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 26.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 39m highway drive covering 26.1 miles, with most of the trip on NC 54 and NC 87. The longest continuous stretch is about 21.5 miles on NC 54.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NC 54 is the longest continuous segment at about 21.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NC 54 and NC 87. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near NC 54.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Carrboro, NC to Burlington, NC is easy. At 39m with 91% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (NC 54): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.7 miles (NC 49; NC 54 / East Harden Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 23.6 miles (NC 87): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
NC 54
Turn right onto NC 54
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
22.7 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
NC 49; NC 54 / East Harden Street
Enter roundabout onto NC 49; NC 54 / East Harden Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
3
23.6 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
NC 87
Take the exit onto NC 87
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
4
25.9 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
West Front Street
Turn right onto West Front Street
Navigation decision point
4
26 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
US 70; NC 62 / South Church Street
Turn right onto US 70; NC 62 / South Church Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NC 54 | 21.5 mi | 31m |
| NC 87 | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| West Main Street | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| East Harden Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West Front Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Worth Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Church Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NC 54
— 21.5 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carrboro, NC and Burlington, NC.
1
Start on West Main Street
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
West Main Street
2
Turn right onto NC 54
289 ft
·
5 sec
·
NC 54
Use the right lane.
3
Continue on NC 54
21 mi
·
31 min
·
NC 54
Use the straight lane.
4
Enter roundabout onto NC 49; NC 54
98 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Harden Street
5
Continue on NC 49; NC 54
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Harden Street
6
Take the exit onto NC 87
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
NC 87
7
Turn left onto South Worth Street
381 ft
·
21 sec
·
South Worth Street
8
Turn right onto West Front Street
449 ft
·
23 sec
·
West Front Street
9
Turn right onto US 70; NC 62
166 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Church Street
10
Arrive at destination
US 70; NC 62
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.08 one way
$8.16 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $4.46 | $8.93 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.83 | $9.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.76 | $11.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
| Efficient EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.65 | $1.67 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% 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
Burlington, NC
Evening in Burlington on Friday
Local time
8:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
39m 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 Carrboro, NC to Burlington, NC covers 26.1 miles and takes about 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NC 54, NC 87, West Main Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13 miles from Carrboro, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.08 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.
The drive from Carrboro, NC to Burlington, NC is easy. At 39m with 91% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (NC 54): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.7 miles (NC 49; NC 54 / East Harden Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 23.6 miles (NC 87): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Carrboro, NC to Burlington, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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