Origin
Hillsborough, NC
Morning in Hillsborough on Saturday
Local time
6:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hillsborough, NC to Raleigh, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
38.4 mi
62 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hillsborough, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Raleigh, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Hillsborough, NC to Raleigh, NC covers 38.4 miles and takes about 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Durham Freeway, I 40, I 85 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.4 miles on Durham Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.99 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 38.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 52m highway drive covering 38.4 miles, with most of the trip on Durham Freeway and I 40. The longest continuous stretch is about 12.4 miles on Durham Freeway.
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.
Durham Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 12.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Durham Freeway and I 40. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 70 Business; NC 86 / South Churton Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 38.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 70 Business; NC 86 / South Churton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (NC 86 / State Highway 86): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.2 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 70 Business; NC 86 / South Churton Street
Turn right onto US 70 Business; NC 86 / South Churton Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
NC 86 / State Highway 86
Turn right onto NC 86 / State Highway 86
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
8.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
NC 147 / Durham Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 147 / Durham Freeway toward NC 147 South: Downtown Durham, Duke University, North Carolina Central University, Research Triangle Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NC 147 South: Downtown Durham, Duke Univ...
8
20.6 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 40 East: RDU Airport, Raleigh
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 5A
Toward I 40 East: RDU Airport, Raleigh
8
30.1 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
SR 1728 / Wade Avenue
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 1728 / Wade Avenue toward Wade Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 289
Toward Wade Avenue
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hillsborough, NC and Raleigh, NC, road signs point toward Duke University, Carolina Central University and Research Triangle Park.
Duke University
8.2 mi in
|
~11m
|
via NC 147
Carolina Central University
8.2 mi in
|
~11m
|
via NC 147
Research Triangle Park
8.2 mi in
|
~11m
|
via NC 147
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Durham Freeway | 12.4 mi | 15m |
| I 40 | 8.7 mi | 10m |
| I 85 | 6.2 mi | 7m |
| Wade Avenue | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Western Boulevard | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| US 70 Business | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| State Highway 86 | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Gorman Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Durham Freeway
— 12.4 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hillsborough, NC and Raleigh, NC.
1
Start on West King Street
96 ft
·
8 sec
·
West King Street
2
Turn right onto US 70 Business; NC 86
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
South Churton Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto US 70 Business; NC 86
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
US 70 Business; NC 86
4
Turn right onto NC 86
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 86
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
6
Merge onto I 85
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 147
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Durham Freeway
Toward NC 147 South: Downtown Durham, Duke University, North Carolina Central University, Research Triangle Park
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 5A
Toward I 40 East: RDU Airport, Raleigh
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
9
Merge onto I 40
8.7 mi
·
10 min
·
I 40
Use the straight lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 1728
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Wade Avenue
Exit 289
Toward Wade Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto Faircloth Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Faircloth Street
12
Continue on Gorman Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Gorman Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto Western Boulevard
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Western Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
15
Turn left onto South Wilmington Street
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
South Wilmington Street
16
Turn left onto East South Street
24 ft
·
0 sec
·
East South Street
17
Arrive at destination
East South Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.2 mi from Hillsborough, NC · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.2 miles from Hillsborough, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Raleigh, NC
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Raleigh, NC if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.99 one way
$11.98 round trip
$3.96/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $6.70 | $13.39 |
| premium | $4.78 | $7.22 | $14.45 |
| diesel | $5.62 | $8.50 | $17.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.38 | $2.46 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Raleigh, NC
Morning in Raleigh on Saturday
Local time
6:16 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
5 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
52m 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 Hillsborough, NC to Raleigh, NC covers 38.4 miles and takes about 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Durham Freeway, I 40, I 85. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.2 miles from Hillsborough, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.99 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 is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 38.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 70 Business; NC 86 / South Churton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (NC 86 / State Highway 86): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.2 miles (NC 147 / Durham Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Hillsborough, NC and Raleigh, NC, road signs point toward Duke University, Carolina Central University and Research Triangle Park.
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. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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