Origin
Elizabeth City, NC
Afternoon in Elizabeth City on Monday
Local time
3:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elizabeth City, NC to Burlington, NC
Drive Time
4h 19m
Distance
215.7 mi
347 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$35
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 6m
★
6 AM
4h 19m
8 AM
4h 46m
10 AM
4h 29m
12 PM
4h 26m
3 PM
4h 30m
5 PM
4h 45m
8 PM
4h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elizabeth City, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Burlington, NC
Troy Tumbin
Trip Overview
The drive from Elizabeth City, NC to Burlington, NC covers 215.7 miles and takes about 4h 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Hughes Boulevard, US 13, US 64 Bypass for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 63.9 miles on South Hughes Boulevard. At current regular gas prices, budget about $34.52 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
107.9 miles from Elizabeth City, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 9m into the drive .
Drive Character
The drive from Elizabeth City, NC to Burlington, NC covers 215.7 miles and takes about 4h 19m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Hughes Boulevard is the longest continuous segment at about 63.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 17 / South Hughes Boulevard.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 215.7 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 17 / South Hughes Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 148.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 171.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 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 17 / South Hughes Boulevard
Turn right onto US 17 / South Hughes Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
148.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 53m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Rolesville Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 14
Toward Rolesville Road
6
171.5 mi into trip
|
~3h 23m in
Take the exit toward US 70 West: Durham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 70 West: Durham
6
185.7 mi into trip
|
~3h 42m in
|
I 85; US 70
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85; US 70
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
211.4 mi into trip
|
~4h 12m in
Take the exit toward NC 54: Graham, Chapel Hill
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 148
Toward NC 54: Graham, Chapel Hill
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Hughes Boulevard | 63.9 mi | 1h 21m |
| US 13 | 56.5 mi | 1h 1m |
| US 64 Bypass | 27.8 mi | 29m |
| I 85 | 25.7 mi | 29m |
| Northern Wake Expressway | 15.4 mi | 16m |
| South Miami Boulevard | 9.3 mi | 12m |
| Buffaloe Road | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| New Raleigh Highway | 2.5 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
South Hughes Boulevard
— 63.9 mi, about 1h 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elizabeth City, NC and Burlington, NC.
1
Start on Providence Road
0.1 mi
·
36 sec
·
Providence Road
2
Turn right onto US 17
64 mi
·
1 hr 21 min
·
South Hughes Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
3
Continue on US 13; US 64
57 mi
·
1 hr 1 min
·
US 13; US 64
4
Continue on US 64 Bypass
28 mi
·
29 min
·
US 64 Bypass
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 14
Toward Rolesville Road
6
Keep slight right at fork
309 ft
·
7 sec
Exit 14
Toward Rolesville Road
7
Turn right onto Rolesville Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Rolesville Road
8
Turn sharp left onto Marks Creek Road
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Marks Creek Road
9
Turn right onto Horton Road
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
Horton Road
10
Turn right onto Buffaloe Road
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Buffaloe Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
23 sec
12
Merge onto I 540
15 mi
·
16 min
·
Northern Wake Expressway
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 70 West: Durham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto US 70
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Glenwood Avenue
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on US 70
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
New Raleigh Highway
16
Continue on US 70
9.3 mi
·
12 min
·
South Miami Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85; US 70
26 mi
·
29 min
·
I 85; US 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 148
Toward NC 54: Graham, Chapel Hill
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn right onto NC 54
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Harden Street
20
Enter roundabout onto NC 49; NC 54
98 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Harden Street
21
Continue on NC 49; NC 54
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Harden Street
22
Take the exit onto NC 87
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
NC 87
23
Turn left onto South Worth Street
381 ft
·
21 sec
·
South Worth Street
24
Turn right onto West Front Street
449 ft
·
23 sec
·
West Front Street
25
Turn right onto US 70; NC 62
166 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Church Street
26
Arrive at destination
US 70; NC 62
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 107.9 miles from Elizabeth City, NC, or about 2h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.9 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 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 107.9 miles or 2h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Burlington, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Elizabeth City, 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 Elizabeth City, NC
This is one driving day of about 215.7 miles and 4h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Elizabeth City, 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 South Hughes Boulevard for about 63.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 107.9 mi from Elizabeth City, NC · 2h 9m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
108 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 107.9 miles from Elizabeth City, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before South Hughes Boulevard if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63.9 miles.
Arriving in Burlington, NC
The final approach into Burlington, 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 Burlington, 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
$34.52 one way
$69.04 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
76 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $37.61 | $75.22 |
| premium | $4.78 | $40.58 | $81.15 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $47.92 | $95.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 75.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 64.7 | 0 | $22.65 | $10.35 |
| Efficient EV | 53.9 | 0 | $18.87 | $8.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 86.3 | 1 | $30.20 | $13.80 |
Gas CO2
75 kg
EV CO2
25 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.
Destination
Burlington, NC
Afternoon in Burlington on Monday
Local time
3:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°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
25 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
4h 19m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Elizabeth City, NC to Burlington, NC covers 215.7 miles and takes about 4h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Hughes Boulevard, US 13, US 64 Bypass. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 107.9 miles from Elizabeth City, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $34.52 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 215.7 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 17 / South Hughes Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 148.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 171.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Elizabeth City, NC to Burlington, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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