Origin
Concord, NC
Morning in Concord on Friday
Local time
8:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Concord, NC to Charlotte, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
35m
Distance
22 mi
35 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Concord, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Charlotte, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 22-mile drive from Concord, NC to Charlotte, NC takes about 35 minutes, making it an easy day trip. You'll mainly be on Concord Parkway South and North Tryon Street, with a portion on Jeff Gordon Expressway. With a fuel cost estimated at just $3, this is a budget-friendly journey. The mixed drive profile suggests a blend of road types, so expect some variety. Since it's a short distance, you won't need an overnight stay, offering flexibility in your travel schedule. Both locations are within the Southeast region of North Carolina.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 35m. Total distance: 22 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 (51%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route offers a mixed drive experience, with 51% of it being highway travel. You'll encounter stretches of faster-paced driving, including a continuous 6.7-mile segment on Concord Parkway South. As you transition through the drive, expect the character of the road to change, moving from potentially more suburban or arterial roads to quicker highway sections. The blend means you won't be stuck in a monotonous interstate grind, but rather experience a dynamic shift in driving conditions.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Concord Parkway South is the longest continuous segment at about 6.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Cabarrus Avenue West.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 22 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Cabarrus Avenue West): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.9 miles (West Mallard Creek Church Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Cabarrus Avenue West
Turn left onto Cabarrus Avenue West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
10.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
West Mallard Creek Church Road
Turn right onto West Mallard Creek Church Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
12.1 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Turn left toward I 85 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 85 South
7
16.8 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward Sugar Creek Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 41
Toward Sugar Creek Road
6
17 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
West Sugar Creek Road
Turn left onto West Sugar Creek Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Concord Parkway South | 6.7 mi | 10m |
| North Tryon Street | 5.1 mi | 8m |
| Jeff Gordon Expressway | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| Cabarrus Avenue West | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| West Sugar Creek Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| West Mallard Creek Church Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| North Church Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Spring Street Southwest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Concord Parkway South
— 6.7 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Concord, NC and Charlotte, NC.
1
Start on Spring Street Southwest
409 ft
·
20 sec
·
Spring Street Southwest
2
Turn left onto Cabarrus Avenue West
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Cabarrus Avenue West
Use the left lane.
3
Enter roundabout onto Cabarrus Avenue West
84 ft
·
1 sec
·
Cabarrus Avenue West
4
Continue on Cabarrus Avenue West
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Cabarrus Avenue West
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Turn left onto US 29
6.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Concord Parkway South
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on US 29
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
North Tryon Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on US 29
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Tryon Street
8
Turn right onto West Mallard Creek Church Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
West Mallard Creek Church Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 85 South
Use the left lane.
10
Merge onto I 85
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Jeff Gordon Expressway
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 41
Toward Sugar Creek Road
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn left onto West Sugar Creek Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
West Sugar Creek Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Turn right onto US 29; NC 49
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Tryon Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Continue on US 29; NC 49
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Church Street
15
Continue on US 29; NC 49
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
North Tryon Street
16
Arrive at destination
South Tryon Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.44 one way
$6.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $3.76 | $7.52 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.07 | $8.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.86 | $9.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.31 | $1.06 |
| Efficient EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.08 | $1.41 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Charlotte, NC
Morning in Charlotte on Friday
Local time
8:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
1 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
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 Concord, NC to Charlotte, NC covers 22 miles and takes about 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Concord Parkway South, North Tryon Street, Jeff Gordon Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11 miles from Concord, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.44 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 22 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Cabarrus Avenue West): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.9 miles (West Mallard Creek Church Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Concord, NC to Charlotte, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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