How far is Burlington, NC from Durham, NC?

The driving distance from Burlington, NC to Durham, NC is about 35.5 miles (57.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 39m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 30.9 miles (49.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 18m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
35.51 mi
00h 39m
Flight
30.93 mi
49.78 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Burlington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
30.93 mi
Kilometers
49.78 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
35.51 mi
Kilometers
57.15 km
Drive Time
00h 39m

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 39m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Durham
Wed, Apr 22, 8:16 PM EDT
Return by in Burlington
Wed, Apr 22, 8:55 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Burlington
2026-04-22T19:37
Arrive Durham
Wed, Apr 22, 8:16 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 39m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:39 AM to 7:39 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:12 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Burlington
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

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
Hillsborough
NC

Town in and county seat of Orange County, North Carolina, United States

From Burlington
16.9 mi
00h 19m
To Durham
18.6 mi
00h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
53°F
Tonight

Partly Cloudy

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 PM EDT
Wind
2 to 9 mph W
Destination
83°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 12 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Burlington and Durham.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Burlington and Durham.

  1. 1

    Start on South Church Street

    59 m · 9 sec · South Church Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto West Webb Avenue

    2.1 mi · 3 min · West Webb Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on West Elm Street

    1524 ft · 28 sec · West Elm Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto West Harden Street

    1.4 km · 1 min · West Harden Street

  5. 5

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward East Harden Street

    24 m · 1 sec · East Harden Street

  6. 6

    Exit the roundabout onto East Harden Street

    1.3 km · 2 min · East Harden Street

  7. 7

    Turn left

    1207 ft · 31 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Sam Hunt Freeway

    14.3 mi · 17 min · Sam Hunt Freeway

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on I 85 North: Durham

    9.4 mi · 11 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on Durham Freeway

    5.2 mi · 7 min · Durham Freeway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward Mangum Street, Roxboro Street

    156 m · 13 sec

  12. 12

    Continue on Morehead Avenue

    854 ft · 29 sec · Morehead Avenue

  13. 13

    Turn left onto South Roxboro Street

    1963 ft · 59 sec · South Roxboro Street

  14. 14

    Turn left onto East Main Street

    30 m · 2 sec · East Main Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Burlington and Durham.

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
15 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
42.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Sam Hunt Freeway
14.3 mi · 40%
I 85 North
9.37 mi · 26%
Durham Freeway
5.21 mi · 15%
West Webb Avenue
2.05 mi · 6%
West Harden Street
0.87 mi · 2%
East Harden Street
0.84 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Sam Hunt Freeway

Merge slight left onto Sam Hunt Freeway

14.3 mi · 00h 17m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 39m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.6 mi
30.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hillsborough
00h 19m from Burlington
Leave By
7:12 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Partly Cloudy leaving Burlington and Mostly Sunny near Durham.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Burlington to Durham?

The road trip is about 35.5 miles (57.1 km) and usually takes 00h 39m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Hillsborough is a useful midpoint, sitting about 16.9 miles from Burlington and 18.6 miles from Durham.

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

The direct path is about 30.9 miles (49.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.6 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:12 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.95 one way or $9.90 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 11.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Cloudy around Burlington and Mostly Sunny near Durham.

Stop Ideas Near Hillsborough

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Hillsborough, 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 Hillsborough.

RAIL

Durham

19 mi away
400 W. Chapel Hill Street
RAIL

Burlington

30 mi away
101 North Main Street
RAIL

Cary

43 mi away
211 North Academy Street
RAIL

North Carolina State Fair station

47 mi away
1025 Blue Ridge Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Burlington and Durham. Straight-line distance: 30.93 mi (49.78 km).

Burlington

#1 Burlington

The most populous city in Alamance County, North Carolina.

Population55,599
Coordinates36.0956900, -79.4378000
Altitude198
CountryUnited States
Durham

#2 Durham

The third most populous city in North Carolina and the center of the Durham metropolitan area.

Population285,897
Coordinates35.9940300, -78.8986200
Altitude123
CountryUnited States
Start: South Church Street (-79.437732, 36.095621)
End: (-78.898591, 35.994064)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 57 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 10m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 53m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 42m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 35m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 30m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 26m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.25 gal
4.74 L · about $4.95
Round trip
$9.90
2.5 gal · 9.48 L
Estimated CO2
11.1 kg one way
Round trip: 22.2 kg / 49 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $4.95 $9.90
Mid-grade $4.43 $5.54 $11.07
Premium $4.78 $5.97 $11.94
Diesel $5.62 $7.03 $14.06

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 North Carolina · Apr 22, 2026

There is no time difference between Burlington and Durham. The current time is 19:37:07.

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.