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Trip from Columbus, OH to Sunbury, OH

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

35m

Distance

27.3 mi

44 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 33m ★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 34m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

capital city of Ohio, United States of America

Columbus, OH

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Sunbury, OH, OH

Sunbury, OH

Ollie Craig

Trip Overview

The drive from Columbus, OH to Sunbury, OH covers 27.3 miles and takes about 35m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 71, State Route 37 East, Cherry Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.9 miles on I 71. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.24 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 35m. Total distance: 27.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

35m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 35m highway drive covering 27.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 71 and State Route 37 East. The longest continuous stretch is about 20.9 miles on I 71.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 71 is the longest continuous segment at about 20.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 71 and State Route 37 East. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South High Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 27.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South High Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | South High Street

Turn right onto South High Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
8
1.4 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the ramp toward I 71, I 670 East

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Toward I 71, I 670 East
8
1.4 mi into trip | ~4m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 71 North, I 670 East

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 71 North, I 670 East
7
1.8 mi into trip | ~5m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 71 North: Cleveland

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 71 North: Cleveland
8
23 mi into trip | ~29m in

Take the exit toward US 36, SR 37: Delaware, Sunbury

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 131 Toward US 36, SR 37: Delaware, Sunbury

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 71 20.9 mi 23m
State Route 37 East 2.9 mi 3m
Cherry Street 1.2 mi 1m
East Long Street 0.6 mi 1m
Cleveland Avenue 0.4 mi 1m
South High Street 0.3 mi 1m
East State Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 71 — 20.9 mi, about 23m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Columbus, OH and Sunbury, OH.

1

Start on this road

77 ft · 5 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto East State Street

0.1 mi · 23 sec · East State Street
3

Turn right onto South High Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · South High Street
Use the right lane.
4

Turn right onto US 33

0.6 mi · 1 min · East Long Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Turn left onto SR 3

0.4 mi · 1 min · Cleveland Avenue
Use the left lane.
6

Take the ramp

197 ft · 4 sec
Toward I 71, I 670 East Use the right lane.
7

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Toward I 71 North, I 670 East Use the slight left lane.
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward I 71 North: Cleveland Use the slight left lane.
9

Merge onto I 71

21 mi · 23 min · I 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Exit 131 Toward US 36, SR 37: Delaware, Sunbury Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn right onto US 36; SR 37

2.9 mi · 3 min · State Route 37 East
12

Continue on US 36

1.2 mi · 1 min · Cherry Street
13

Arrive at destination

SR 37

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.24 one way

$8.47 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.38 $4.70 $9.40
premium $4.91 $5.28 $10.55
diesel $5.61 $6.03 $12.05

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 9.6 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 8.2 0 $2.87 $1.31
Efficient EV 6.8 0 $2.39 $1.09
EV Truck/SUV 10.9 0 $3.82 $1.75

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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Columbus, OH

Night in Columbus on Thursday

Local time

11:13 PM

EDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Sunbury, OH

Night in Sunbury on Thursday

Local time

11:13 PM

EDT

Current temp

38°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

28 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

35m 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 Columbus, OH to Sunbury, OH covers 27.3 miles and takes about 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 71, State Route 37 East, Cherry 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 13.7 miles from Columbus, OH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.24 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 10 decision points packed into just 27.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South High Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Columbus, OH to Sunbury, OH does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Sunbury, OH to Columbus, OH

Plan the drive back the other way.

26.8 mi 33m

Explore more options from Columbus, OH or browse trips ending in Sunbury, OH.

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