Trip from Edenton, NC to Raleigh, NC

Drive Time

2h 43m

Distance

138.3 mi

222 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$22

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min
4 AM
2h 32m ★
6 AM
2h 43m
8 AM
3h 4m
10 AM
2h 51m
12 PM
2h 48m
3 PM
2h 52m
5 PM
3h 3m
8 PM
2h 37m

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

Downtown Edenton, NC, NC

Edenton, NC

Michael Ken

Downtown Raleigh, NC, NC

Raleigh, NC

Evgeniia Belman

Trip Overview

Traveling from Edenton to Raleigh covers 138.6 miles and takes approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes of driving time. Because the trip is relatively short, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion. You should budget about $22 for fuel to complete the journey between these two Southeast locations. Navigating this route involves a series of local thoroughfares rather than major interstates, which gives the trip a more grounded, community-focused feel. It is a straightforward trip that fits easily into a weekend schedule without the need for an overnight stop.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

69.1 miles from Edenton, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 24m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel for the entire 138.6-mile duration. Unlike a standard interstate cruise, this route relies on navigating through East Queen Street, Broad Street, and West Albemarle Street. Because there is zero highway share on this path, you will experience a constant change of pace as you transition between local roads. You won't find any long, monotonous stretches here, as the nature of the road requires your full attention. The personality of this drive is defined by its local character, making it a distinct alternative to high-speed transit.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 13 is the longest continuous segment at about 56.5 miles.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

319 ft 0 ft

Total Climb

541 ft

Total Descent

227 ft

Highest Point

319 ft

~109.5 mi in

Elevation Range

319 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 13 and US 64 Bypass. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Queen Street.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 2h 43m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Queen Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 17 Business / Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (US 17 / Ocean Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

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

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | East Queen Street

Turn left onto East Queen Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 17 Business / Broad Street

Turn right onto US 17 Business / Broad Street

Navigation decision point

5
2.1 mi into trip | ~5m in | US 17 / Ocean Highway

Merge onto US 17 / Ocean Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
135.8 mi into trip | ~2h 37m in

Take the exit toward Rock Quarry Rd North

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Rock Quarry Rd North
6
138.1 mi into trip | ~2h 42m in | South Wilmington Street

Turn right onto South Wilmington Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 13 56.5 mi 1h 1m
US 64 Bypass 38.9 mi 41m
Ocean Highway 35.2 mi 44m
I 87 2.7 mi 3m
West Albemarle Street 1.5 mi 3m
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard 1.2 mi 2m
Rock Quarry Road 0.7 mi 1m
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 13 — 56.5 mi, about 1h 1m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Edenton, NC and Raleigh, NC.

1

Start on Court Street

0.1 mi · 33 sec · Court Street
2

Turn left onto East Queen Street

429 ft · 22 sec · East Queen Street
3

Turn right onto US 17 Business

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Broad Street
4

Turn left onto West Albemarle Street

1.5 mi · 3 min · West Albemarle Street
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec
6

Merge onto US 17

35 mi · 44 min · Ocean Highway
Use the straight lane.
7

Continue on US 13; US 64

57 mi · 1 hr 1 min · US 13; US 64
8

Continue on US 64 Bypass

39 mi · 41 min · US 64 Bypass
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto I 87; I 440; US 64

2.7 mi · 3 min · I 87; I 440; US 64
10

Merge onto I 40; US 64

0.4 mi · 29 sec · Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward Rock Quarry Rd North Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Turn straight onto Rock Quarry Road

0.4 mi · 49 sec · Rock Quarry Road
13

Turn left onto Rock Quarry Road

0.3 mi · 41 sec · Rock Quarry Road
14

Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard

1.2 mi · 2 min · Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
15

Turn right onto South Wilmington Street

0.2 mi · 41 sec · South Wilmington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16

Turn left onto East South Street

24 ft · 0 sec · East South Street
17

Arrive at destination

East South Street

Trip Plan

Since you have a 2-hour and 10-minute drive ahead of you, aim to depart during off-peak hours to avoid potential congestion on local streets. With no mandatory stops required for a trip of this length, you have the flexibility to power through or pull over whenever it suits your schedule. Keep your $22 fuel budget in mind when planning your departure, and ensure your tank is topped off before leaving Edenton. Pay close attention to navigation while transitioning through the specific turns on Broad and West Albemarle streets. By staying alert on these local roads, you can make the transition between these two North Carolina cities a smooth and efficient experience.

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 69.1 miles from Edenton, NC, or about 1h 24m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 56.5 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 80 miles or 1h 36m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 69.1 miles or 1h 24m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 12m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Raleigh, NC than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Edenton, 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 Edenton, NC

This is one driving day of about 138.3 miles and 2h 43m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Edenton, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 13 for about 56.5 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 69.1 mi from Edenton, NC · 1h 24m into the drive

Downtown Rocky Mount, NC, NC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Rocky Mount, NC

69 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

Rocky Mount, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Rocky Mount, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 69.1 miles from Edenton, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Raleigh, NC

The final approach into Raleigh, 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 Raleigh, 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

$22.13 one way

$44.27 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 48 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $24.12 $48.23
premium $4.78 $26.02 $52.03
diesel $5.64 $30.73 $61.45

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$22

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$47–$72

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 48.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 41.5 0 $14.52 $6.64
Efficient EV 34.6 0 $12.10 $5.53
EV Truck/SUV 55.3 0 $19.36 $8.85

Gas CO2

48 kg

EV CO2

16 kg (67% 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Edenton, NC

Afternoon in Edenton on Sunday

Local time

4:05 PM

EDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Raleigh, NC

Afternoon in Raleigh on Sunday

Local time

4:05 PM

EDT

Current temp

66°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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

2h 43m 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 Edenton, NC to Raleigh, NC covers 138.3 miles and takes about 2h 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 13, US 64 Bypass, Ocean Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 69.1 miles from Edenton, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $22.13 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 2h 43m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Queen Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 17 Business / Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (US 17 / Ocean Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Edenton, NC to Raleigh, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 0 ft to 319 ft elevation with about 541 ft of total climbing.

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