Origin
Pembroke, NC
Evening in Pembroke on Thursday
Local time
5:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pembroke, NC to Durham, NC
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
2h 7m
Distance
130.1 mi
209 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$20
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 58m
★
6 AM
2h 7m
8 AM
2h 25m
10 AM
2h 14m
12 PM
2h 12m
3 PM
2h 15m
5 PM
2h 25m
8 PM
2h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pembroke, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
The drive from Pembroke, NC to Durham, NC covers 130.1 miles and takes about 2h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West 3rd Street, Deep Branch Road, Recreation Center Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.34 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
65 miles from Pembroke, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 3m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 7m. Total distance: 130.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 7m drive with frequent turns across 130.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West 3rd 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 Pembroke, NC to Durham, NC is easy. At 2h 7m 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 Pembroke, NC to Durham, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West 3rd Street | — | — |
| Deep Branch Road | — | — |
| Recreation Center Road | — | — |
| Andrew Jackson Highway | — | — |
| I 74 West | — | — |
| American Indian Highway | — | — |
| US 74 | — | — |
| Highland Road | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West 3rd Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pembroke, NC and Durham, NC.
1
Start on Vance Street
121 ft
·
13 sec
·
Vance Street
2
Turn left onto West 3rd Street
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
West 3rd Street
3
Continue straight
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
4
Continue on Deep Branch Road
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Deep Branch Road
5
Turn left onto Recreation Center Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Recreation Center Road
6
Turn right onto Andrew Jackson Highway
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
7
Take the ramp straight toward I 74 West, US 74 West
0.5 mi
·
34 sec
·
I 74 West, US 74 West
8
Merge slight left onto American Indian Highway
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
American Indian Highway
9
Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
10
Take the exit slight right toward US 74 Business: East Laurinburg
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
US 74 Business: East Laurinburg
11
Turn left onto Andrew Jackson Highway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
12
Turn right onto Highland Road
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Highland Road
13
Continue on McFarland Road
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
McFarland Road
14
Turn slight right onto Aberdeen Road
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Aberdeen Road
15
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Aberdeen Road
177 ft
·
3 sec
·
Aberdeen Road
16
Exit the roundabout onto Aberdeen Road
14 mi
·
19 min
·
Aberdeen Road
17
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward US 15:US501
131 ft
·
2 sec
·
US 15:US501
18
Exit the roundabout onto US 15:US501
318 ft
·
5 sec
·
US 15:US501
19
Continue straight
5.5 mi
·
7 min
20
At the end of the road, turn right onto South Sandhills Boulevard
18 mi
·
23 min
·
South Sandhills Boulevard
21
Take the exit slight right
0.6 mi
·
43 sec
22
Merge slight left
37 mi
·
41 min
23
Take the exit slight right toward NC 540 Toll
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
NC 540 Toll
24
Keep slight left to continue on NC 540 Toll North: RDU Airport, Durham
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
NC 540 Toll North: RDU Airport, Durham
25
Merge slight left onto Triangle Expressway
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Triangle Expressway
26
Take the exit slight right toward NC 885 Toll North: Durham
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
NC 885 Toll North: Durham
27
Continue on Triangle Expressway
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Triangle Expressway
28
Continue on Durham Freeway
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Durham Freeway
29
Keep slight left to continue on Durham Freeway
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Durham Freeway
30
Take the exit slight right toward Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street
31
Continue on Jackie Robinson Drive
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Jackie Robinson Drive
32
Turn right onto South Roxboro Street
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
South Roxboro Street
33
Turn left onto East Main Street
98 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Main Street
34
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 65 miles from Pembroke, NC, or about 1h 3m into the drive.
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 29 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 65 miles or 1h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Durham, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Pembroke, 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 Pembroke, NC
This is one driving day of about 130.1 miles and 2h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Pembroke, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 65 mi from Pembroke, NC · 1h 3m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
65 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 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 65 miles from Pembroke, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Durham, NC
The final approach into Durham, 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 Durham, 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
$20.34 one way
$40.69 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
46 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $22.25 | $44.49 |
| premium | $4.70 | $24.08 | $48.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $28.72 | $57.45 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 45.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 39 | 0 | $13.66 | $6.24 |
| Efficient EV | 32.5 | 0 | $11.38 | $5.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 52 | 0 | $18.21 | $8.33 |
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
15 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
Durham, NC
Evening in Durham on Thursday
Local time
5:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
1 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
2h 7m 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 Pembroke, NC to Durham, NC covers 130.1 miles and takes about 2h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West 3rd Street, Deep Branch Road, Recreation Center Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 65 miles from Pembroke, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.34 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 Pembroke, NC to Durham, NC is easy. At 2h 7m 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 Pembroke, NC to Durham, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Pembroke, NC to Durham, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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