Origin
Pumpkin Center, NC
Late night in Pumpkin Center on Friday
Local time
12:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pumpkin Center, NC to Charlotte, NC
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
44m
Distance
30.3 mi
49 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pumpkin Center, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Charlotte, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 30.3-mile drive from Pumpkin Center, NC, to Charlotte, NC, will take about 44 minutes, making it an ideal one-day trip. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 71% of the journey on faster roads. You can expect a fuel cost of around $5 for this short hop through the Southeast region. Given the brief duration and distance, this trip is perfect for a quick excursion without needing an overnight stay. It's a convenient way to connect these two North Carolina locations.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 30.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route leans heavily into a highway-focused profile, with a significant 71% of the drive utilizing faster roads. You'll experience stretches of consistent speed, including a longest uninterrupted segment of 12.6 miles on NC 16. The primary roads guiding you are NC 16, NC 73, and Brookshire Boulevard, suggesting a mix of state highways and potentially a major boulevard as you approach Charlotte. Expect a driving experience that prioritizes getting you to your destination efficiently.
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 16 is the longest continuous segment at about 12.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NC 16 and NC 73. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near NC 150.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 30.3 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (NC 150): Navigation decision point; at 4.3 miles (NC 73): Navigation decision point; at 10.9 miles (NC 16): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NC 150
Turn right onto NC 150
Navigation decision point
4
4.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
NC 73
Turn left onto NC 73
Navigation decision point
5
10.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
NC 16
Merge onto NC 16
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
23.5 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
NC 16 / Brookshire Boulevard
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 16 / Brookshire Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
29.5 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward Eleventh Street, Church Street, Tryon 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 3B
Toward Eleventh Street, Church Street, Tryon St...
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NC 16 | 12.6 mi | 16m |
| NC 73 | 6.2 mi | 9m |
| Brookshire Boulevard | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Amity Church Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| Brookshire Freeway | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| King Wilkinson Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Tryon Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| NC 150 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NC 16
— 12.6 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pumpkin Center, NC and Charlotte, NC.
1
Start on Jenkins Road
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Jenkins Road
2
Turn right onto NC 150
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
NC 150
3
Turn right onto King Wilkinson Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
King Wilkinson Road
4
Turn right onto Amity Church Road
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Amity Church Road
5
Turn left onto NC 73
6.2 mi
·
9 min
·
NC 73
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
7
Merge onto NC 16
13 mi
·
16 min
·
NC 16
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 16
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Brookshire Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on NC 16
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Brookshire Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 3B
Toward Eleventh Street, Church Street, Tryon Street
Use the slight right lane.
11
Continue on West 11th Street
459 ft
·
13 sec
·
West 11th Street
12
Turn right onto North Tryon Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Tryon Street
13
Arrive at destination
South Tryon Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.74 one way
$9.48 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.18 | $10.36 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.61 | $11.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.69 | $13.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.45 |
| Efficient EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.65 | $1.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.24 | $1.94 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Charlotte, NC
Late night in Charlotte on Friday
Local time
12:13 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
41 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
44m 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 Pumpkin Center, NC to Charlotte, NC covers 30.3 miles and takes about 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NC 16, NC 73, Brookshire Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.1 miles from Pumpkin Center, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.74 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 30.3 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (NC 150): Navigation decision point; at 4.3 miles (NC 73): Navigation decision point; at 10.9 miles (NC 16): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Pumpkin Center, NC to Charlotte, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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