Origin
Washington, NC
Afternoon in Washington on Sunday
Local time
4:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Washington, NC to Durham, NC
Drive Time
1h 58m
Distance
130.5 mi
210 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 50m
★
6 AM
1h 59m
8 AM
2h 16m
10 AM
2h 5m
12 PM
2h 3m
3 PM
2h 6m
5 PM
2h 15m
8 PM
1h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Washington, NC
R9 Media Photo Collective
Trip Overview
Traveling from Washington to Durham covers 130.5 miles across the North Carolina interior. You can expect a total drive time of approximately 1 hour and 58 minutes, making this an ideal day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. Your journey will take you primarily along the Pactolus Highway, Martin Luther King Junior Highway, and I-587 West. Budget roughly $20 for fuel to complete the trip comfortably. Since both cities are located within the Southeast region, you will experience a consistent cultural and geographic landscape throughout the drive. It is a straightforward route that connects the coastal plain to the urban center of the Piedmont.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
65.3 miles from Washington, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 59m into the drive .
Drive Character
This trip is defined by a turn-heavy, local-road profile rather than a monotonous interstate grind. You won't find long, uninterrupted stretches here, as the longest segment on the Pactolus Highway offers zero miles of straight-line cruising. With a highway share of 0%, you should prepare for a more engaged driving experience that requires focus on local road patterns. The transition between the Pactolus Highway and Martin Luther King Junior Highway keeps the route dynamic as you head west. Expect a consistent pace that favors local travel over high-speed highway transit.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pactolus Highway 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.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Washington, NC to Durham, NC is easy. At 1h 58m 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 Washington, NC to Durham, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pactolus Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Martin Luther King Junior Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 587 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| John P East Memorial Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Rolesville Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Marks Creek Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Horton Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Buffaloe Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Pactolus Highway
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Washington, NC and Durham, NC.
1
Start on West 5th Street
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
West 5th Street
2
Continue on Pactolus Highway
14 mi
·
18 min
·
Pactolus Highway
3
Turn right onto Martin Luther King Junior Highway
9.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Martin Luther King Junior Highway
4
Take the exit slight right toward I 587 West: Wilson
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
I 587 West: Wilson
5
Merge slight left onto John P East Memorial Highway
33 mi
·
34 min
·
John P East Memorial Highway
6
Merge slight right
30 mi
·
31 min
7
Take the exit slight right toward Rolesville Road
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Rolesville Road
8
Keep slight right to continue on Rolesville Road
308 ft
·
8 sec
·
Rolesville Road
9
Turn right onto Rolesville Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Rolesville Road
10
Turn sharp left onto Marks Creek Road
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Marks Creek Road
11
Turn right onto Horton Road
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Horton Road
12
Turn right onto Buffaloe Road
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Buffaloe Road
13
Take the ramp right
0.4 mi
·
24 sec
14
Merge slight left onto Northern Wake Expressway
15 mi
·
16 min
·
Northern Wake Expressway
15
Take the exit slight right toward US 70 West: Durham
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 70 West: Durham
16
Merge slight left onto Glenwood Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Glenwood Avenue
17
Turn left onto T.W. Alexander Drive
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
T.W. Alexander Drive
18
Take the ramp slight right toward I 885 North: Durham
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 885 North: Durham
19
Merge slight left onto Durham Freeway
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Durham Freeway
20
Keep slight left to continue on Durham Freeway
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Durham Freeway
21
Take the exit slight right toward Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Jackie Robinson Drive, Roxboro Street
22
Continue on Jackie Robinson Drive
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Jackie Robinson Drive
23
Turn right onto South Roxboro Street
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
South Roxboro Street
24
Turn left onto East Main Street
98 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Main Street
25
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Since the drive is under two hours, you have significant flexibility in your departure time to avoid local traffic. You don't need to worry about planning formal stops for such a short duration, but keeping your fuel budget of $20 in mind is a smart move before you leave. Because this route relies entirely on local roads rather than interstates, stay alert for changing speed limits as you navigate the turn-heavy sections. A great way to manage this trip is to check your navigation app for real-time updates on the Pactolus Highway, as local roads can be more sensitive to sudden congestion. Enjoy the simplicity of a one-day trip that gets you from Washington to Durham without the fatigue of a long-haul interstate journey.
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 65.3 miles from Washington, NC, or about 59m 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 80 miles or 1h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 65.3 miles or 59m 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 37m
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 Washington, 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 Washington, NC
This is one driving day of about 130.5 miles and 1h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Washington, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 65.3 mi from Washington, NC · 59m 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 65.3 miles from Washington, 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
$20.89 one way
$41.77 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
46 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $22.76 | $45.51 |
| premium | $4.78 | $24.55 | $49.10 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $28.99 | $57.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 45.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 39.2 | 0 | $13.70 | $6.26 |
| Efficient EV | 32.6 | 0 | $11.42 | $5.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 52.2 | 0 | $18.27 | $8.35 |
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
Afternoon in Durham on Sunday
Local time
4:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 58m 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 Washington, NC to Durham, NC covers 130.5 miles and takes about 1h 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pactolus Highway, Martin Luther King Junior Highway, I 587 West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 65.3 miles from Washington, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.89 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 Washington, NC to Durham, NC is easy. At 1h 58m 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 Washington, NC to Durham, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Washington, NC to Durham, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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