Origin
Union, SC
Morning in Union on Friday
Local time
8:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Union, SC to Aiken, SC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 30m
Distance
121.9 mi
196 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 20m
★
6 AM
2h 30m
8 AM
2h 51m
10 AM
2h 37m
12 PM
2h 35m
3 PM
2h 38m
5 PM
2h 50m
8 PM
2h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union, SC
Sebastián Casimiro
Aiken, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Union, SC to Aiken, SC covers 121.9 miles and takes about 2h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 20, Kershaw Highway, Kershaw Camden Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 68.9 miles on I 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.06 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
61 miles from Union, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 19m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 30m. Total distance: 121.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
The drive from Union, SC to Aiken, SC covers 121.9 miles and takes about 2h 30m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 68.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 30m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.1 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn sharp left
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Right
Navigation decision point
5
44.5 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
I 20
Merge onto I 20
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
113.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 19m in
Take the exit toward US 1: Aiken
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 22
Toward US 1: Aiken
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Union, SC and Aiken, SC, road signs point toward Columbia and Orangeburg.
Columbia
41.5 mi in
|
~55m
|
via US 601
Orangeburg
41.5 mi in
|
~55m
|
via US 601
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 68.9 mi | 1h 19m |
| Kershaw Highway | 14.4 mi | 16m |
| Kershaw Camden Highway | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| Rocky River Road | 7.7 mi | 13m |
| Columbia Highway North | 6 mi | 6m |
| Highway 601 South | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Springdale Drive | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| York Street Northeast | 2.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 68.9 mi, about 1h 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union, SC and Aiken, SC.
1
Start on this road
225 ft
·
13 sec
·
this road
2
Turn sharp left
248 ft
·
7 sec
3
Enter roundabout
11 ft
·
0 sec
4
Continue
187 ft
·
3 sec
5
Continue on SC 522
7.7 mi
·
13 min
·
Rocky River Road
6
Merge onto US 521; SC 522
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Kershaw Camden Highway
7
Continue on US 521; SC 522
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
8
Turn left onto US 521
0.8 mi
·
54 sec
·
Spring Street
9
Continue on US 521
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Kershaw Camden Highway
10
Turn slight right onto US 521
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Matson Street
11
Continue on US 521; US 601
0.7 mi
·
47 sec
·
South Hampton Street
12
Continue on US 521; US 601
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Kershaw Camden Highway
13
Continue on US 521; US 601
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Kershaw Highway
14
Turn right onto US 521 Truck; US 601 Truck
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Boykin Road
15
Continue on US 521 Truck; US 601 Truck
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Springdale Drive
16
Turn right onto US 1; US 601; SC 34
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West DeKalb Street
17
Continue on US 1; US 601; SC 34
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Main Street
18
Turn slight right onto US 601
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 601 South
Toward Columbia, Orangeburg
19
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 20 West: Columbia
20
Merge onto I 20
69 mi
·
1 hr 19 min
·
I 20
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 22
Toward US 1: Aiken
22
Turn straight onto US 1
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Columbia Highway North
23
Continue on US 1
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
York Street Northeast
24
Turn right onto US 1; US 78
372 ft
·
8 sec
·
Richland Avenue East
25
Turn left onto SC 19
235 ft
·
13 sec
·
Chesterfield Street South
26
Arrive at destination
SC 19
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 61 miles from Union, SC, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 68.9 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 27 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 61 miles or 1h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Aiken, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Union, 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 Union, SC
This is one driving day of about 121.9 miles and 2h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Union, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 20 for about 68.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 61 mi from Union, SC · 1h 19m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
61 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 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 61 miles from Union, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 20 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 68.9 miles.
Arriving in Aiken, SC
The final approach into Aiken, 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 Aiken, 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
$19.06 one way
$38.12 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
43 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $20.84 | $41.69 |
| premium | $4.70 | $22.56 | $45.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $26.91 | $53.83 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 36.6 | 0 | $12.80 | $5.85 |
| Efficient EV | 30.5 | 0 | $10.67 | $4.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 48.8 | 0 | $17.07 | $7.80 |
Gas CO2
43 kg
EV CO2
14 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
Aiken, SC
Morning in Aiken on Friday
Local time
8:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°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
28 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 30m 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 Union, SC to Aiken, SC covers 121.9 miles and takes about 2h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 20, Kershaw Highway, Kershaw Camden Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 61 miles from Union, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.06 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 2h 30m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.1 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point.
Between Union, SC and Aiken, SC, road signs point toward Columbia and Orangeburg.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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