Origin
Clayton, NC
Late night in Clayton on Friday
Local time
3:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clayton, NC to Apex, NC
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
38m
Distance
27.8 mi
45 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clayton, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Apex, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 27.8-mile drive from Clayton, NC, to Apex, NC, is a quick one, typically taking around 38 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You'll primarily be on the Triangle Expressway and Veterans Parkway, with a portion of the Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway. Expect a fuel cost of about $4 for this journey. Since both the origin and destination are within the Southeast region and North Carolina, you'll experience a consistent regional feel throughout the drive. This route is designed for efficiency, getting you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 27.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 78% of the journey on faster roads. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 15.9 miles on the Triangle Expressway, allowing for steady progress. The road's personality leans towards efficient travel, transitioning smoothly between sections of the Triangle Expressway and Veterans Parkway. While not overly technical, the highway-centric nature means you'll be navigating typical expressway conditions for the majority of your trip. Expect a smooth, consistent driving experience designed for covering ground.
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.
Triangle Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 15.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Triangle Expressway and Veterans Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 27.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
6.9 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward I 40 East, NC 540 Toll West: Wilmington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 318
Toward I 40 East, NC 540 Toll West: Wilmington
6
24 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward NC 55: Apex
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NC 55: Apex
8
24.3 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NC 55 West: Apex
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward NC 55 West: Apex
6
27.3 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
South Hughes Street
Turn right onto South Hughes Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
27.8 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
North Salem Street
At end of road, turn right onto North Salem Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Triangle Expressway | 15.9 mi | 16m |
| Veterans Parkway | 3 mi | 5m |
| Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway | 3 mi | 3m |
| NC 55 | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| North Lombard Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Hughes Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Center Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Salem Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Triangle Expressway
— 15.9 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clayton, NC and Apex, NC.
1
Start on North Lombard Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Lombard Street
2
Continue on Veterans Parkway
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Veterans Parkway
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
4
Merge onto I 42
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 318
Toward I 40 East, NC 540 Toll West: Wilmington
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward NC 540 Toll West
7
Merge onto NC 540 Toll
16 mi
·
16 min
·
Triangle Expressway
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward NC 55: Apex
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
212 ft
·
7 sec
Toward NC 55 West: Apex
Use the right lane.
10
Merge onto NC 55
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
NC 55
Use the right lane.
11
Turn right onto South Hughes Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
South Hughes Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn left onto SR 1010
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Center Street
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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.35 one way
$8.69 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $4.75 | $9.51 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.15 | $10.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.14 | $12.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.92 | $1.33 |
| Efficient EV | 7 | 0 | $2.43 | $1.11 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.89 | $1.78 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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 Friday
Local time
3:02 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
25 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
38m 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 Clayton, NC to Apex, NC covers 27.8 miles and takes about 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Triangle Expressway, Veterans Parkway, Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13.9 miles from Clayton, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.35 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 short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 27.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Clayton, NC to Apex, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.
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