How far is Chapel Hill, NC from Selma, NC?

The driving distance from Chapel Hill, NC to Selma, NC is about 312.2 miles (502.5 km), with a travel time of about 06h 25m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 249.7 miles (401.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 51m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
312.25 mi
06h 25m
Flight
249.69 mi
401.83 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Chapel Hill.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
249.69 mi
Kilometers
401.83 km
Flight Time
00h 30m

Driving Distance

Road route
312.25 mi
Kilometers
502.52 km
Drive Time
06h 25m

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 06h 25m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Selma
Mon, Apr 20, 9:22 PM EDT
Return by in Chapel Hill
Tue, Apr 21, 3:47 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Chapel Hill
2026-04-20T14:56
Arrive Selma
Mon, Apr 20, 9:22 PM EDT
Route Timing
06h 25m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:26 PM to 1:56 PM EDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
11:08 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Chapel Hill
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

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
Mocksville
NC

City in Davie County, North Carolina, United States of America

From Chapel Hill
156 mi
03h 12m
To Selma
156.3 mi
03h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
39°F
Overnight

Mostly Clear

Starts
Mon, Apr 20 12:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 mph NW
Destination
38°F
Overnight

Mostly Clear

Starts
Mon, Apr 20 5:00 AM EDT
Wind
1 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Chapel Hill and Selma.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chapel Hill and Selma.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    8 m · 5 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Chapel Hill Road

    1.6 mi · 6 min · Chapel Hill Road

  3. 3

    Continue on Guntertown Road

    2.2 mi · 5 min · Guntertown Road

  4. 4

    At the end of the road, turn left

    3.5 mi · 6 min

  5. 5

    Continue straight

    20.9 mi · 32 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right

    3.9 mi · 5 min

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    4.2 mi · 5 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight left

    1145 ft · 19 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight right

    1142 ft · 20 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight right onto Billy Graham Freeway

    4.5 mi · 6 min · Billy Graham Freeway

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Billy Graham Freeway

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Billy Graham Freeway

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    157.8 mi · 3 hr

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on I 73 South, US 421 South: Asheboro, Durham

    12.2 mi · 13 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward US 421: Sanford

    1133 ft · 28 sec

  15. 15

    Keep slight right to continue on US 421 South: Sanford

    26.3 mi · 32 min

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward US 64: Siler City, Pittsboro

    1413 ft · 42 sec

  17. 17

    Turn left

    10.9 mi · 15 min

  18. 18

    Keep slight left

    21 mi · 27 min

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight right toward NC 540 Toll South

    2827 ft · 1 min

  20. 20

    Merge slight left onto Triangle Expressway

    22 mi · 24 min · Triangle Expressway

  21. 21

    Keep slight left

    1648 ft · 40 sec

  22. 22

    Keep slight right to continue on I 42 East: Smithfield

    2526 ft · 1 min

  23. 23

    Merge slight left onto Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway

    8.7 mi · 9 min · Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway

  24. 24

    Continue straight

    7.1 mi · 9 min

  25. 25

    Take the exit slight right toward Bufflalo Road

    926 ft · 24 sec

  26. 26

    Turn right onto Buffalo Road

    1804 ft · 35 sec · Buffalo Road

  27. 27

    Turn right onto West Noble Street

    1.4 mi · 3 min · West Noble Street

  28. 28

    Turn left onto South Pollock Street

    931 ft · 25 sec · South Pollock Street

  29. 29

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Pollock Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Chapel Hill and Selma.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
29 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
4 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Billy Graham Freeway
163 mi · 52%
Guntertown Road
31.6 mi · 10%
US 421 South
26.3 mi · 8%
Triangle Expressway
22.3 mi · 7%
US 64
21.3 mi · 7%
Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway
15.7 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Billy Graham Freeway

Merge slight left

158 mi · 03h 00m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 25m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+62.5 mi
249.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Mocksville
03h 12m from Chapel Hill
Leave By
11:08 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Clear leaving Chapel Hill and Mostly Clear near Selma.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Chapel Hill to Selma?

The road trip is about 312.2 miles (502.5 km) and usually takes 06h 25m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Mocksville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 156 miles from Chapel Hill and 156.3 miles from Selma.

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

The direct path is about 249.7 miles (401.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 62.5 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $43.65 one way or $87.30 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 97.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Clear around Chapel Hill and Mostly Clear near Selma.

Stop Ideas Near Mocksville

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

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

RAIL

Salisbury

26 mi away
Depot and Liberty Sts.
RAIL

Lexington

29 mi away
Center St. and railroad tracks
BUS

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

36 mi away
100 West 5th Street
BUS

Winston-Salem State Univ, Winston-Salem, North Car

37 mi away
601 South Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Chapel Hill and Selma. Straight-line distance: 249.69 mi (401.83 km).

Chapel Hill

#1 Chapel Hill

Town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States

Population63,705
Coordinates35.9428800, -82.7087500
Altitude658
CountryUnited States
Selma

#2 Selma

Town of the United States

Population7,323
Coordinates35.5365500, -78.2844400
Altitude53
CountryUnited States
Start: Chapel Hill (-82.70875, 35.94288)
End: Selma (-78.28444, 35.53655)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 503 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 24m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 48m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 14m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 12m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 27m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 53m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.02 gal
41.71 L · about $43.65
Round trip
$87.30
22.04 gal · 83.42 L
Estimated CO2
97.9 kg one way
Round trip: 195.9 kg / 432 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $43.65 $87.30
Mid-grade $4.43 $48.81 $97.62
Premium $4.78 $52.65 $105.31
Diesel $5.62 $61.98 $123.95

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 20, 2026

There is no time difference between Chapel Hill and Selma. The current time is 14:56:16.

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.