How far is Durham, NC from Burlington, NC?

The driving distance from Durham, NC to Burlington, NC is about 35.2 miles (56.7 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
35.23 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 Durham.

Flight Distance

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

Driving Distance

Road route
35.23 mi
Kilometers
56.7 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 Burlington
Tue, May 12, 7:29 PM EDT
Return by in Durham
Tue, May 12, 8:08 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Durham
2026-05-12T18:50
Arrive Burlington
Tue, May 12, 7:29 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 Durham
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
Hillsborough
NC

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

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

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Tuesday

Areas Of Fog then Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 3 mph E
Destination
74°F
Tuesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 mph NE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on East Main Street

    700 ft · 24 sec · East Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto South Mangum Street

    1691 ft · 48 sec · South Mangum Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Jackie Robinson Drive

    65 m · 7 sec · Jackie Robinson Drive

  4. 4

    Take the ramp straight

    154 m · 13 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Durham Freeway

    5 mi · 7 min · Durham Freeway

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    23.9 mi · 28 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward NC 54: Graham, Chapel Hill

    1360 ft · 37 sec

  8. 8

    Turn right onto East Harden Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · East Harden Street

  9. 9

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward East Harden Street

    30 m · 2 sec · East Harden Street

  10. 10

    Exit the roundabout onto East Harden Street

    1.4 km · 1 min · East Harden Street

  11. 11

    Take the exit straight

    2.3 mi · 3 min

  12. 12

    Turn left onto South Worth Street

    116 m · 22 sec · South Worth Street

  13. 13

    Turn right onto West Front Street

    137 m · 23 sec · West Front Street

  14. 14

    Turn right onto South Church Street

    51 m · 4 sec · South Church Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Church Street

Car Route Details

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

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
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
2 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
42.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Durham Freeway
29 mi · 82%
East Harden Street
3.86 mi · 11%
South Mangum Street
0.32 mi · 1%
NC 54
0.26 mi · 1%
Jackie Robinson Drive
0.14 mi
East Main Street
0.13 mi
Longest Stretch

Durham Freeway

Merge slight left

23.9 mi · 00h 28m

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
+4.3 mi
30.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hillsborough
00h 19m from Durham
Leave By
7:12 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Areas Of Fog then Sunny leaving Durham and Mostly Sunny near Burlington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 35.2 miles (56.7 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 Durham and 18.3 miles from Burlington.

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 4.3 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 $4.91 one way or $9.82 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 11 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Areas Of Fog then Sunny around Durham and Mostly Sunny near Burlington.

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 Durham and Burlington. Straight-line distance: 30.93 mi (49.78 km).

Durham

#1 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
Burlington

#2 Burlington

The most populous city in Alamance County, North Carolina.

Population55,599
Coordinates36.0956900, -79.4378000
Altitude198
CountryUnited States
Start: East Main Street (-78.898716, 35.993926)
End: South Church Street (-79.437732, 36.095621)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 57 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 10m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 52m
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
1.24 gal
4.71 L · about $4.91
Round trip
$9.82
2.48 gal · 9.42 L
Estimated CO2
11 kg one way
Round trip: 22 kg / 49 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $4.91 $9.82
Mid-grade $4.43 $5.49 $10.98
Premium $4.78 $5.92 $11.85
Diesel $5.62 $6.97 $13.95

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 · May 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Durham and Burlington. The current time is 18:50:22.

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.