Origin
Durham, NC
Evening in Durham on Thursday
Local time
7:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Durham, NC to King, NC
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 53m
Distance
92.5 mi
149 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 45m
★
6 AM
1h 53m
8 AM
2h 10m
10 AM
1h 59m
12 PM
1h 57m
3 PM
2h 0m
5 PM
2h 9m
8 PM
1h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
King, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 92.5-mile drive from Durham, NC to King, NC is a straightforward, highway-focused journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 53 minutes, making it ideal for a single-day trip. Your estimated fuel cost for this route is around $14, which is quite economical. The primary roads you'll be using include I-85, I-40, and the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway, offering a largely uninterrupted travel experience. Given its relatively short duration and highway-centric profile, this route is well-suited for those looking for an efficient transfer between points within North Carolina's Southeast region. You won't need to worry about overnight stays, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
46.3 miles from Durham, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 55m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 53m. Total distance: 92.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience on this 92.5-mile route, with 85% of your travel occurring on major interstates. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 40.6 miles on I-85, providing a good opportunity to maintain a steady pace. You'll navigate using I-85, I-40, and the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway, which are all designed for efficient travel. This road profile suggests a drive characterized by speed and directness rather than winding scenic byways, allowing you to cover ground quickly and with minimal distractions from local traffic.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 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 40.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 85 and I 40. 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 US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Mangum Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 92.5 miles you will encounter 12 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 (US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Mangum Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 46.2 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 66.5 miles (US 421 / Salem Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Mangum Street
Turn left onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Mangum Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
46.2 mi into trip
|
~55m 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
66.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
|
US 421 / Salem Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 421 / Salem Parkway toward US 421 North: Kernersville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Exit 206
Toward US 421 North: Kernersville
7
73 mi into trip
|
~1h 27m in
Take the exit toward NC 74 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 227
Toward NC 74 West
7
85 mi into trip
|
~1h 42m in
|
NC 74
Keep slight left at fork onto NC 74 toward US 52 North: Mount Airy
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 52 North: Mount Airy
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 85 | 40.6 mi | 46m |
| I 40 | 20.3 mi | 24m |
| Winston-Salem Northern Beltway | 11.1 mi | 12m |
| Salem Parkway | 6.5 mi | 7m |
| Durham Freeway | 5 mi | 6m |
| John Gold Memorial Expressway | 4 mi | 4m |
| NC 74 | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| South Main Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
I 85
— 40.6 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Durham, NC and King, NC.
1
Start on East Main Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 15 Business; US 501 Business
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
South Mangum Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Turn right onto Jackie Robinson Drive
214 ft
·
7 sec
·
Jackie Robinson Drive
4
Take the ramp
505 ft
·
12 sec
5
Merge onto NC 147
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Durham Freeway
Use the straight lane.
6
Merge onto I 85; US 70
41 mi
·
46 min
·
I 85; US 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
7.7 mi
·
9 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40; US 220
13 mi
·
15 min
·
I 40; US 220
Use the straight lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 421
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Salem Parkway
Exit 206
Toward US 421 North: Kernersville
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 227
Toward NC 74 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on NC 74
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Winston-Salem Northern Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto NC 74
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
NC 74
Toward US 52 North: Mount Airy
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto US 52
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
John Gold Memorial Expressway
Use the straight lane.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward King, Tobaccoville
15
Turn right onto South Main Street
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
16
Arrive at destination
North Main Street
Trip Plan
For this 1 hour and 53-minute drive, departing in the morning or mid-afternoon can help you avoid the heaviest traffic. With only 92.5 miles and a $14 fuel cost, you have the flexibility to depart when it's most convenient. While there are no designated stops included in this route data, you can easily pull over for a quick break on I-85 or I-40 as needed, as the longest stretch is over 40 miles. A practical tip for this route: keep an eye on your GPS for any potential construction delays on the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway, as this can sometimes impact travel times.
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 46.3 miles from Durham, NC, or about 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 40.6 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 20 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 46.3 miles or 55m 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 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near King, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Durham, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Durham, NC
This is one driving day of about 92.5 miles and 1h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Durham, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 85 for about 40.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 46.3 mi from Durham, NC · 55m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
46 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 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 46.3 miles from Durham, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in King, NC
The final approach into King, NC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.46 one way
$28.93 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
32 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $15.82 | $31.63 |
| premium | $4.70 | $17.12 | $34.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $20.42 | $40.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 27.8 | 0 | $9.71 | $4.44 |
| Efficient EV | 23.1 | 0 | $8.09 | $3.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 37 | 0 | $12.95 | $5.92 |
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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
King, NC
Evening in King on Thursday
Local time
7:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°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
4 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
1h 53m 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 Durham, NC to King, NC covers 92.5 miles and takes about 1h 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 85, I 40, Winston-Salem Northern Beltway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 46.3 miles from Durham, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.46 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 92.5 miles you will encounter 12 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 (US 15 Business; US 501 Business / South Mangum Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 46.2 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 66.5 miles (US 421 / Salem Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Durham, NC to King, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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