Origin
Carrboro, NC
Evening in Carrboro on Friday
Local time
8:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carrboro, NC to Concord, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 19m
Distance
115.2 mi
185 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$18
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 10m
★
6 AM
2h 20m
8 AM
2h 39m
10 AM
2h 26m
12 PM
2h 24m
3 PM
2h 27m
5 PM
2h 38m
8 PM
2h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carrboro, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Concord, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Carrboro, NC to Concord, NC covers 115.2 miles and takes about 2h 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 85, NC 54, Sam Hunt Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 60.2 miles on I 85. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.01 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
57.6 miles from Carrboro, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 14m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 19m. Total distance: 115.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 19m highway drive covering 115.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 85 and NC 54. The longest continuous stretch is about 60.2 miles on I 85.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 85 is the longest continuous segment at about 60.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 85 and NC 54. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 38.4 miles in near I 40.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 115.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 38.4 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.1 miles (US 29): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 111.7 miles (US 601): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
38.4 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
46.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
US 29
Keep slight left at fork onto US 29 toward I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70 West: Charlotte
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70...
8
111.7 mi into trip
|
~2h 12m in
|
US 601
Take the exit onto US 601 toward US 29, US 601 South: Kannapolis, Concord Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 58
Toward US 29, US 601 South: Kannapolis, Concord...
8
111.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 12m in
|
US 601
Keep slight left at fork onto US 601 toward US 29 South, US 601 South: Concord Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward US 29 South, US 601 South: Concord Downt...
7
115.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 19m in
|
Spring Street Southwest
Turn left onto Spring Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 85 | 60.2 mi | 1h 4m |
| NC 54 | 20.8 mi | 29m |
| Sam Hunt Freeway | 16.2 mi | 18m |
| I 40 | 7.7 mi | 9m |
| US 29 | 5.4 mi | 5m |
| Church Street North | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| West Main Street | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| US 601 | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 85
— 60.2 mi, about 1h 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carrboro, NC and Concord, 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
·
29 min
·
NC 54
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
5
Merge onto I 40; I 85
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Sam Hunt Freeway
Use the straight lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
7.7 mi
·
9 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 29
5.4 mi
·
5 min
·
US 29
Toward I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70 West: Charlotte
Use the left lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85
60 mi
·
1 hr 4 min
·
I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto US 601
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
US 601
Exit 58
Toward US 29, US 601 South: Kannapolis, Concord Downtown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto US 601
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
US 601
Toward US 29 South, US 601 South: Concord Downtown
Use the left lane.
11
Turn straight onto Church Street North
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Church Street North
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Turn right onto Cabarrus Avenue West
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Cabarrus Avenue West
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto Spring Street Southwest
409 ft
·
11 sec
·
Spring Street Southwest
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
Spring Street Southwest
Trip Plan
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 57.6 miles from Carrboro, NC, or about 1h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 60.2 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 25 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.6 miles or 1h 14m 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 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Concord, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Carrboro, NC 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 Carrboro, NC
This is one driving day of about 115.2 miles and 2h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Carrboro, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 85 for about 60.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 57.6 mi from Carrboro, NC · 1h 14m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
58 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 25 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 57.6 miles from Carrboro, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 85 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 60.2 miles.
Arriving in Concord, NC
The final approach into Concord, NC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Concord, NC.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.01 one way
$36.03 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
40 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $19.70 | $39.39 |
| premium | $4.70 | $21.32 | $42.64 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $25.43 | $50.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 34.6 | 0 | $12.10 | $5.53 |
| Efficient EV | 28.8 | 0 | $10.08 | $4.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 46.1 | 0 | $16.13 | $7.37 |
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 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.
Destination
Concord, NC
Evening in Concord on Friday
Local time
8:50 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
21 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 19m 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 Concord, NC covers 115.2 miles and takes about 2h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 85, NC 54, Sam Hunt Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 57.6 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 $18.01 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 demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 115.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 38.4 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.1 miles (US 29): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 111.7 miles (US 601): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Carrboro, NC to Concord, 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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