Origin
Lincolnton, NC
Morning in Lincolnton on Friday
Local time
10:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lincolnton, NC to Concord, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
43 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lincolnton, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Concord, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Lincolnton, NC to Concord, NC covers 43 miles and takes about 1h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NC 73, East Main Street, Church Street North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 32.4 miles on NC 73. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.72 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 43 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 9m highway drive covering 43 miles, with most of the trip on NC 73 and East Main Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 32.4 miles on NC 73.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NC 73 is the longest continuous segment at about 32.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NC 73 and East Main Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near North Laurel Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.2 miles (North Laurel Street): Navigation decision point; at 39.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Laurel Street
Turn right onto North Laurel Street
Navigation decision point
8
39.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward US 29, US 601 South: Kannapolis, Concord, Downtown
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 58
Toward US 29, US 601 South: Kannapolis, Concord...
8
39.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 29 South, US 601 South: Concord, Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward US 29 South, US 601 South: Concord, Down...
6
42.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
Cabarrus Avenue West
Turn right onto Cabarrus Avenue West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
42.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
Spring Street Southwest
Turn left onto Spring Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Lincolnton, NC to Concord, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown along the way.
Downtown
39.4 mi in
|
~1h 1m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NC 73 | 32.4 mi | 49m |
| East Main Street | 4.4 mi | 8m |
| Church Street North | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| I 85 | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Concord Parkway North | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Cabarrus Avenue West | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Pine Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Laurel Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NC 73
— 32.4 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lincolnton, NC and Concord, NC.
1
Start on East Pine Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
East Pine Street
2
Turn right onto North Laurel Street
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
North Laurel Street
3
Turn left onto NC 27
4.4 mi
·
8 min
·
East Main Street
4
Turn left onto NC 73
32 mi
·
49 min
·
NC 73
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 85 North: Salisbury
6
Merge onto I 85
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
I 85
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 58
Toward US 29, US 601 South: Kannapolis, Concord, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward US 29 South, US 601 South: Concord, Downtown
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto US 29; US 601
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
·
Concord Parkway North
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn straight onto Church Street North
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Church Street North
Use the straight / left lanes.
11
Turn right onto Cabarrus Avenue West
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Cabarrus Avenue West
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn left onto Spring Street Southwest
409 ft
·
11 sec
·
Spring Street Southwest
Use the left lane.
13
Arrive at destination
Spring Street Southwest
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.5 mi from Lincolnton, NC · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from Lincolnton, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Concord, NC
The final approach into Concord, 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
$6.72 one way
$13.45 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.35 | $14.70 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.96 | $15.92 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.49 | $18.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.02 | $2.75 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Concord, NC
Morning in Concord on Friday
Local time
10:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
4 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 9m 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 Lincolnton, NC to Concord, NC covers 43 miles and takes about 1h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NC 73, East Main Street, Church Street North. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.5 miles from Lincolnton, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.72 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 43 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.2 miles (North Laurel Street): Navigation decision point; at 39.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Lincolnton, NC to Concord, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown along the way.
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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