How far is Columbia, SC from Lexington, SC?

The driving distance from Columbia, SC to Lexington, SC is about 12.8 miles (20.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 20m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 11.6 miles (18.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 40m 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
12.81 mi
00h 20m
Flight
11.61 mi
18.69 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Columbia.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
11.61 mi
Kilometers
18.69 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
12.81 mi
Kilometers
20.61 km
Drive Time
00h 20m

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 20m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lexington
Wed, Apr 29, 4:32 PM EDT
Return by in Columbia
Wed, Apr 29, 4:53 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Columbia
2026-04-29T16:12
Arrive Lexington
Wed, Apr 29, 4:32 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 20m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:20 AM to 7:20 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:50 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Columbia
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Springdale
SC

City in Lexington County, South Carolina, United States of America

From Columbia
6.4 mi
00h 10m
To Lexington
6.4 mi
00h 10m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
61°F
Overnight

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 29 4:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 mph S
Destination
60°F
Overnight

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 29 4:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Columbia and Lexington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Columbia and Lexington.

  1. 1

    Start on Gervais Street

    132 m · 18 sec · Gervais Street

  2. 2

    Continue on Gervais Street

    1.1 km · 2 min · Gervais Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Huger Street

    2055 ft · 48 sec · Huger Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Taylor Street

    913 ft · 23 sec · Taylor Street

  5. 5

    Continue on Hampton Street

    1826 ft · 26 sec · Hampton Street

  6. 6

    Continue on Jarvis Klapman Boulevard

    2.6 mi · 3 min · Jarvis Klapman Boulevard

  7. 7

    Continue on Augusta Road

    7.7 mi · 12 min · Augusta Road

  8. 8

    Continue on East Main Street

    1.3 km · 2 min · East Main Street

  9. 9

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Columbia and Lexington.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
9 steps
2 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
70.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Augusta Road
7.69 mi · 60%
Jarvis Klapman Boulevard
2.63 mi · 21%
East Main Street
0.8 mi · 6%
Gervais Street
0.78 mi · 6%
Huger Street
0.39 mi · 3%
Hampton Street
0.35 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Augusta Road

Continue on Augusta Road

7.69 mi · 00h 12m

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 20m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.2 mi
11.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Springdale
00h 10m from Columbia
Leave By
7:50 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Columbia and Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Lexington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Columbia to Lexington?

The road trip is about 12.8 miles (20.6 km) and usually takes 00h 20m 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?

Springdale is a useful midpoint, sitting about 6.4 miles from Columbia and 6.4 miles from Lexington.

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

The direct path is about 11.6 miles (18.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.2 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 7:50 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.78 one way or $3.56 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Columbia and Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Lexington.

Stop Ideas Near Springdale

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

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

RAIL

Columbia

7 mi away
850 Pulaski Street
RAIL

Camden

55 mi away
1060 West Dekalb Street
RAIL

Denmark

70 mi away
200 West Baruch Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Columbia and Lexington. Straight-line distance: 11.61 mi (18.69 km).

Columbia

#1 Columbia

The most populous city in South Carolina.

Population132,130
Coordinates34.0007100, -81.0348100
Altitude89
CountryUnited States
Lexington

#2 Lexington

Town in Lexington County, South Carolina, United States

Population22,716
Coordinates33.9815400, -81.2362100
Altitude120
CountryUnited States
Start: Columbia (-81.03481, 34.00071)
End: Lexington (-81.23621, 33.98154)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 21 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 25m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 19m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 15m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 12m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 10m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.45 gal
1.71 L · about $1.78
Round trip
$3.56
0.9 gal · 3.42 L
Estimated CO2
4 kg one way
Round trip: 8 kg / 18 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $1.78 $3.56
Mid-grade $4.43 $1.99 $3.99
Premium $4.78 $2.15 $4.30
Diesel $5.62 $2.53 $5.06

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 South Carolina · Apr 29, 2026

There is no time difference between Columbia and Lexington. The current time is 16:12:16.

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.