Origin
Parkersburg, WV
Late night in Parkersburg on Saturday
Local time
2:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Parkersburg, WV to Charleston, WV
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
78.2 mi
126 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Parkersburg, WV
Wikimedia Commons
Charleston, WV
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Parkersburg, WV to Charleston, WV covers 78.2 miles and takes about 1h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 6th Street, Green Street, 5th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.23 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 78.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 13m drive with frequent turns across 78.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
6th Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Parkersburg, WV to Charleston, WV is easy. At 1h 13m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Parkersburg, WV to Charleston, WV is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 6th Street | — | — |
| Green Street | — | — |
| 5th Street | — | — |
| Camden Avenue | — | — |
| Route 95 | — | — |
| I 77 | — | — |
| Leon Sullivan Way | — | — |
| Washington Street East | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
6th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Parkersburg, WV and Charleston, WV.
1
Start on Juliana Street
449 ft
·
22 sec
·
Juliana Street
2
Turn right onto 6th Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
6th Street
3
At the end of the road, turn right onto Green Street
364 ft
·
20 sec
·
Green Street
4
Turn left onto 5th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Street
5
Turn left onto Camden Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Camden Avenue
6
Continue on West Virginia Route 95
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
West Virginia Route 95
7
Take the ramp straight toward I 77, WV 2: Charleston
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
I 77, WV 2: Charleston
8
Merge slight left
73 mi
·
1 hr 18 min
9
Take the exit slight right toward Leon Sullivan Way, Capitol Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Leon Sullivan Way, Capitol Street
10
Keep slight left to continue on Leon Sullivan Way
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Leon Sullivan Way
11
Turn right onto Washington Street East
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Washington Street East
12
Turn left onto Dickinson Street
413 ft
·
11 sec
·
Dickinson Street
13
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 39.1 mi from Parkersburg, WV · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 39.1 miles from Parkersburg, WV, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Charleston, WV
The final approach into Charleston, WV 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
$12.23 one way
$24.46 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $13.37 | $26.74 |
| premium | $4.70 | $14.47 | $28.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.27 | $34.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.5 | 0 | $8.21 | $3.75 |
| Efficient EV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.84 | $3.13 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31.3 | 0 | $10.95 | $5.00 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Charleston, WV
Late night in Charleston on Saturday
Local time
2:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
2 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 13m 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 Parkersburg, WV to Charleston, WV covers 78.2 miles and takes about 1h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 6th Street, Green Street, 5th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 39.1 miles from Parkersburg, WV. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.23 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 Parkersburg, WV to Charleston, WV is easy. At 1h 13m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Parkersburg, WV to Charleston, WV is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Parkersburg, WV to Charleston, WV 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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