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Trip from Fairplains, NC to Winston-Salem, NC

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 10m

Distance

56.6 mi

91 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 5m ★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Fairplains, NC, NC

Fairplains, NC

Mark Stebnicki

Trip Overview

The drive from Fairplains, NC to Winston-Salem, NC covers 56.6 miles and takes about 1h 10m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 421 Business, Statesville Road, Sparta Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 50.2 miles on US 421 Business. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.85 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 56.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (89%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 10m highway drive covering 56.6 miles, with most of the trip on US 421 Business and Statesville Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 50.2 miles on US 421 Business.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 421 Business is the longest continuous segment at about 50.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 421 Business and Statesville Road. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 5.5 miles in near US 421 Business.

Driving Effort 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Fairplains, NC to Winston-Salem, NC is easy. At 1h 10m with 89% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 5.5 miles (US 421 Business): Lane positioning matters here; at 55.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55.9 miles (Cherry Street South): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 6 key points

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

6
5.5 mi into trip | ~10m in | US 421 Business

Take the ramp onto US 421 Business toward US 421 South: Winston-Salem

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes. Toward US 421 South: Winston-Salem
8
55.7 mi into trip | ~1h 8m in

Take the exit toward Marshall Street, TO Cherry Street

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 233B Toward Marshall Street, TO Cherry Street
5
55.9 mi into trip | ~1h 9m in | Cherry Street South

Turn left onto Cherry Street South

Navigation decision point

7
56.2 mi into trip | ~1h 9m in | West 2nd Street

Turn right onto West 2nd Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
7
56.3 mi into trip | ~1h 10m in | North Main Street

Turn left onto North Main Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 421 Business 50.2 mi 58m
Statesville Road 3 mi 5m
Sparta Road 1.5 mi 2m
2nd Street 1 mi 1m
North Main Street 0.2 mi <1m
Cherry Street South 0.2 mi <1m
West 2nd Street 0.2 mi <1m
High Street Southwest <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 421 Business — 50.2 mi, about 58m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fairplains, NC and Winston-Salem, NC.

1

Start on NC 18

1.5 mi · 2 min · Sparta Road
2

Continue on NC 18

1.0 mi · 1 min · 2nd Street
3

Turn left onto US 421 Business; NC 115

3.0 mi · 5 min · Statesville Road
4

Take the ramp onto US 421 Business

50 mi · 58 min · US 421 Business
Toward US 421 South: Winston-Salem Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 14 sec
Exit 233B Toward Marshall Street, TO Cherry Street Use the slight right lane.
6

Continue on High Street Southwest

459 ft · 15 sec · High Street Southwest
7

Turn left onto Cherry Street South

0.2 mi · 26 sec · Cherry Street South
8

Turn right onto West 2nd Street

0.2 mi · 24 sec · West 2nd Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
9

Turn left onto North Main Street

0.2 mi · 26 sec · North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
10

Arrive at destination

North Main Street

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 28.3 mi from Fairplains, NC · 36m into the drive

town in North Carolina, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Yadkinville, NC

28 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.

Popular next leg

Yadkinville, NC to Winston-Salem, NC

26.2 mi · 33m

Pacing Suggestions

North Wilkesboro, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Yadkinville, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.3 miles from Fairplains, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Winston-Salem, NC

The final approach into Winston-Salem, 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

$8.85 one way

$17.70 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $9.68 $19.36
premium $4.70 $10.48 $20.95
diesel $5.61 $12.50 $24.99

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17 0 $5.94 $2.72
Efficient EV 14.2 0 $4.95 $2.26
EV Truck/SUV 22.6 0 $7.92 $3.62

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (65% 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 17, 2026

Origin

Fairplains, NC

Evening in Fairplains on Friday

Local time

6:01 PM

EDT

Current temp

84°F

Mostly Sunny

NW 7 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued April 17 at 11:32AM EDT until April 17 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

Destination

Winston-Salem, NC

Evening in Winston-Salem on Friday

Local time

6:01 PM

EDT

Current temp

42°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

42 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 10m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Fairplains, NC to Winston-Salem, NC covers 56.6 miles and takes about 1h 10m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 421 Business, Statesville Road, Sparta Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 28.3 miles from Fairplains, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.85 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.

The drive from Fairplains, NC to Winston-Salem, NC is easy. At 1h 10m with 89% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

The main spots that need attention: at 5.5 miles (US 421 Business): Lane positioning matters here; at 55.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55.9 miles (Cherry Street South): Navigation decision point.

The route from Fairplains, NC to Winston-Salem, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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