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Trip from Rock Hill, SC to Fairfax, SC

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 17m

Distance

102.1 mi

164 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$16

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 28 min
4 AM
2h 8m ★
6 AM
2h 17m
8 AM
2h 36m
10 AM
2h 24m
12 PM
2h 22m
3 PM
2h 25m
5 PM
2h 35m
8 PM
2h 11m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in York County, South Carolina, United States

Rock Hill, SC

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Fairfax, SC, SC

Fairfax, SC

Brett Sayles

Trip Overview

The drive from Rock Hill, SC to Fairfax, SC covers 102.1 miles and takes about 2h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Savannah Highway, Carolina Highway, Monticello Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.7 miles on Savannah Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.97 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

51.1 miles from Rock Hill, SC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 15m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 17m. Total distance: 102.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 17m drive with frequent turns across 102.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Savannah Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 23.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 23.2 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 9 significant decision points across 102.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 23.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.2 miles (I 26): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
23.2 mi into trip | ~38m in

Take the exit toward I 26 East: Charleston

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 64A Toward I 26 East: Charleston
7
24.2 mi into trip | ~40m in | I 26

Keep slight right at fork onto I 26 toward Charleston

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Charleston
8
31.3 mi into trip | ~49m in

Take the exit toward US 21, US 176, US 321: Gaston, Cayce

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 115 Toward US 21, US 176, US 321: Gaston, Cayce
6
31.6 mi into trip | ~50m in

Keep slight right at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane.
4
102 mi into trip | ~2h 16m in | S-3-18 / 7th Street East

Turn right onto S-3-18 / 7th Street East

Navigation decision point

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Rock Hill, SC and Fairfax, SC, road signs point toward Charleston and Cayce.

Charleston

24.2 mi in | ~40m | via I 26

Cayce

31.3 mi in | ~49m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Savannah Highway 23.7 mi 26m
Carolina Highway 19.7 mi 22m
Monticello Road 12.6 mi 22m
Bufords Bridge Highway 9 mi 13m
I 26 7.8 mi 9m
State Highway 215S 6.4 mi 11m
Highway 321 4.8 mi 5m
Southbound Road 4.1 mi 5m
Longest stretch: Savannah Highway — 23.7 mi, about 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rock Hill, SC and Fairfax, SC.

1

Start on SC 215

6.4 mi · 11 min · State Highway 215S
2

Continue on SC 215

13 mi · 22 min · Monticello Road
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 31 sec
4

Merge onto I 20

4.0 mi · 4 min · I 20
5

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Exit 64A Toward I 26 East: Charleston Use the right lane.
6

Merge onto I 26; US 76

0.7 mi · 55 sec · I 26; US 76
7

Keep slight right at fork onto I 26

7.1 mi · 8 min · I 26
Toward Charleston Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Exit 115 Toward US 21, US 176, US 321: Gaston, Cayce Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork

302 ft · 7 sec
Use the slight right lane.
10

Merge onto US 21; US 176; US 321

2.7 mi · 3 min · Charleston Highway
11

Turn slight right onto US 321

4.8 mi · 5 min · Highway 321
12

Continue on US 321

2.1 mi · 2 min · North Main Street
13

Continue on US 321

4.1 mi · 5 min · Southbound Road
14

Continue on US 321

1.3 mi · 2 min · North Church Street
15

Continue on US 321

24 mi · 26 min · Savannah Highway
16

Continue on US 321

20 mi · 22 min · Carolina Highway
17

Merge onto US 301; US 321

1.9 mi · 2 min · Main Highway
18

Continue on US 321

9.0 mi · 13 min · Bufords Bridge Highway
19

Continue on US 321

1.0 mi · 1 min · Hampton Avenue
20

Turn right onto S-3-18

294 ft · 12 sec · 7th Street East
21

Arrive at 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 51.1 miles from Rock Hill, SC, or about 1h 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 23.7 miles.

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 22 miles or 37m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 51.1 miles or 1h 15m 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 52m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fairfax, SC than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Rock Hill, SC 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 Rock Hill, SC

This is one driving day of about 102.1 miles and 2h 17m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Rock Hill, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Savannah Highway for about 23.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 51.1 mi from Rock Hill, SC · 1h 15m into the drive

Downtown Gaston, SC, SC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Gaston, SC

51 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

Saint Andrews, SC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Gaston, SC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 51.1 miles from Rock Hill, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Fairfax, SC

The final approach into Fairfax, SC 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 Fairfax, SC.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.97 one way

$31.93 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 36 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $17.46 $34.91
premium $4.70 $18.90 $37.79
diesel $5.61 $22.54 $45.08

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$16

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$41–$66

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 35.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 30.6 0 $10.72 $4.90
Efficient EV 25.5 0 $8.93 $4.08
EV Truck/SUV 40.8 0 $14.29 $6.53

Gas CO2

36 kg

EV CO2

12 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Rock Hill, SC

Afternoon in Rock Hill on Friday

Local time

12:34 PM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fairfax, SC

Afternoon in Fairfax on Friday

Local time

12:34 PM

EDT

Current temp

48°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

27 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

2h 17m 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 Rock Hill, SC to Fairfax, SC covers 102.1 miles and takes about 2h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Savannah Highway, Carolina Highway, Monticello Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 51.1 miles from Rock Hill, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.97 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 demanding drive. With 9 significant decision points across 102.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

The main spots that need attention: at 23.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.2 miles (I 26): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Rock Hill, SC and Fairfax, SC, road signs point toward Charleston and Cayce.

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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