How far is Beckley, WV from Princeton, WV?

The driving distance from Beckley, WV to Princeton, WV is about 39.3 miles (63.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 45m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 28.8 miles (46.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 31m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
39.26 mi
00h 45m
Flight
28.84 mi
46.42 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Beckley.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
28.84 mi
Kilometers
46.42 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
39.26 mi
Kilometers
63.18 km
Drive Time
00h 45m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 45m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Princeton
Tue, May 5, 2:51 PM EDT
Return by in Beckley
Tue, May 5, 3:37 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Beckley
2026-05-05T14:06
Arrive Princeton
Tue, May 5, 2:51 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 45m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:46 AM to 10:46 AM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:58 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Beckley
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Shady Spring
WV

Census-designated place in Raleigh County, West Virginia

From Beckley
19.6 mi
00h 22m
To Princeton
19.6 mi
00h 22m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Today

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 5 8:00 AM EDT
Wind
8 to 12 mph SW
Destination
76°F
Tuesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 5 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 13 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Beckley and Princeton.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Beckley and Princeton.

  1. 1

    Start on North Kanawha Street

    50 m · 11 sec · North Kanawha Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto West Prince Street

    2002 ft · 1 min · West Prince Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Robert C. Byrd Drive

    1.5 mi · 2 min · Robert C. Byrd Drive

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight right

    883 ft · 22 sec

  5. 5

    Continue on Coalfields Expressway

    681 ft · 8 sec · Coalfields Expressway

  6. 6

    Keep slight left

    2304 ft · 56 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto West Virginia Turnpike

    32.7 mi · 35 min · West Virginia Turnpike

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward US 460: Princeton, Pearisburg VA

    2374 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Turn right onto Big Laurel Highway

    2.6 mi · 3 min · Big Laurel Highway

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Princeton-Ingleside Road

    113 m · 8 sec · Princeton-Ingleside Road

  11. 11

    Continue on Ingleside Road

    2486 ft · 52 sec · Ingleside Road

  12. 12

    Continue on East Main Street

    1387 ft · 28 sec · East Main Street

  13. 13

    Turn right onto North Walker Street

    26 m · 2 sec · North Walker Street

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Walker Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Beckley and Princeton.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
14 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
35.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
West Virginia Turnpike
32.7 mi · 83%
Big Laurel Highway
2.64 mi · 7%
Robert C. Byrd Drive
1.71 mi · 4%
Coalfields Expressway
0.57 mi · 1%
Ingleside Road
0.47 mi · 1%
US 460
0.45 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

West Virginia Turnpike

Merge slight left onto West Virginia Turnpike

32.7 mi · 00h 35m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
00h 45m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 32m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+10.5 mi
28.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Shady Spring
00h 22m from Beckley
Leave By
4:58 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Beckley and Mostly Sunny near Princeton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Beckley to Princeton?

The road trip is about 39.3 miles (63.2 km) and usually takes 00h 45m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Shady Spring is a useful midpoint, sitting about 19.6 miles from Beckley and 19.6 miles from Princeton.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 28.8 miles (46.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 10.5 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:58 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.47 one way or $10.93 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 12.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Beckley and Mostly Sunny near Princeton.

Stop Ideas Near Shady Spring

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Shady Spring, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Shady Spring.

RAIL

Prince

17 mi away
Hwy 41 and County Road 25
RAIL

Hinton

19 mi away
Front St. and Fifth Ave.
RAIL

Thurmond

28 mi away
Hwy 25 & Hwy 2
RAIL

Alderson

40 mi away
1 C&O Plaza on Railroad Plaza

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Beckley and Princeton. Straight-line distance: 28.84 mi (46.42 km).

Beckley

#1 Beckley

City in and county seat of Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States

Population15,805
Coordinates37.7781700, -81.1881600
Altitude738
CountryUnited States
Princeton

#2 Princeton

City in Mercer County, Missouri

Population5,599
Coordinates37.3662300, -81.1025900
Altitude743
CountryUnited States
Start: Beckley (-81.18816, 37.77817)
End: Princeton (-81.10259, 37.36623)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 63 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 18m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 58m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 47m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 39m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 33m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 29m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.38 gal
5.24 L · about $5.47
Round trip
$10.93
2.76 gal · 10.48 L
Estimated CO2
12.3 kg one way
Round trip: 24.5 kg / 54 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $5.47 $10.93
Mid-grade $4.43 $6.11 $12.22
Premium $4.78 $6.59 $13.19
Diesel $5.62 $7.76 $15.52

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in West Virginia · May 05, 2026

There is no time difference between Beckley and Princeton. The current time is 14:06:00.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.