How far is Florence, SC from Charleston, SC?

The driving distance from Florence, SC to Charleston, SC is about 136.4 miles (219.5 km), with a travel time of about 02h 05m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 98.5 miles (158.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 04h 10m 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
136.42 mi
02h 05m
Flight
98.51 mi
158.54 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Florence.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
98.51 mi
Kilometers
158.54 km
Flight Time
00h 11m

Driving Distance

Road route
136.42 mi
Kilometers
219.54 km
Drive Time
02h 05m

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 02h 05m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Charleston
Mon, May 4, 6:58 PM EDT
Return by in Florence
Mon, May 4, 9:03 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Florence
2026-05-04T16:53
Arrive Charleston
Mon, May 4, 6:58 PM EDT
Route Timing
02h 05m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:05 AM to 12:05 PM EDT

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

Leave by
2:20 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Florence
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
Santee
SC

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

From Florence
67.3 mi
01h 02m
To Charleston
69.2 mi
01h 02m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
78°F
Monday

Sunny

Starts
Mon, May 4 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 8 mph SW
Destination
75°F
Monday

Sunny

Starts
Mon, May 4 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Florence and Charleston.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Florence and Charleston.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    15 m · 9 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left

    40 m · 15 sec

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn left onto East Cheves Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · East Cheves Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Warley Street

    644 ft · 18 sec · Warley Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto West Evans Street

    2.4 mi · 5 min · West Evans Street

  6. 6

    Turn right onto West David H McLeod Boulevard

    1.5 mi · 3 min · West David H McLeod Boulevard

  7. 7

    Continue on J Strom Thurmond Freeway

    2811 ft · 54 sec · J Strom Thurmond Freeway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 95 South: Savannah

    1496 ft · 37 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    74.8 mi · 1 hr 20 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward I 26 East: Charleston

    1806 ft · 51 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left

    51.9 mi · 59 min

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight left toward Meeting Street, Visitor Center, Downtown

    1994 ft · 53 sec

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Meeting Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Meeting Street

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Broad Street

    12 m · 1 sec · Broad Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Broad Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Florence and Charleston.

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
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 95 South
75.1 mi · 55%
I 26 East
52.2 mi · 38%
West Evans Street
2.35 mi · 2%
Meeting Street
1.95 mi · 1%
West David H McLeod Boulevard
1.46 mi · 1%
East Cheves Street
0.71 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 95 South

Merge slight left

74.8 mi · 01h 20m

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
02h 05m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
04h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+37.9 mi
98.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Santee
01h 02m from Florence
Leave By
2:20 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Florence and Sunny near Charleston.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Florence to Charleston?

The road trip is about 136.4 miles (219.5 km) and usually takes 02h 05m 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?

Santee is a useful midpoint, sitting about 67.3 miles from Florence and 69.2 miles from Charleston.

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

The direct path is about 98.5 miles (158.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 37.9 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 2:20 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $19.05 one way or $38.10 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 42.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Florence and Sunny near Charleston.

Stop Ideas Near Santee

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

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

RAIL

Denmark

63 mi away
200 West Baruch Street
RAIL

Kingstree

64 mi away
101 East Main St.
RAIL

Columbia

77 mi away
850 Pulaski Street
RAIL

Charleston, South Carolina

81 mi away
4565 Gaynor Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Florence and Charleston. Straight-line distance: 98.51 mi (158.54 km).

Florence

#1 Florence

Civil town in Florence County, Wisconsin

Population38,467
Coordinates34.1954300, -79.7625600
Altitude42
CountryUnited States
Charleston

#2 Charleston

The most populous city in South Carolina.

Population139,714
Coordinates32.7765700, -79.9309200
Altitude6
CountryUnited States
Start: (-79.762378, 34.19544)
End: Broad Street (-79.930909, 32.776494)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 220 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 32m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 24m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 43m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 16m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 56m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 42m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
4.81 gal
18.22 L · about $19.05
Round trip
$38.10
9.62 gal · 36.44 L
Estimated CO2
42.7 kg one way
Round trip: 85.5 kg / 188 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $19.05 $38.10
Mid-grade $4.43 $21.30 $42.61
Premium $4.78 $22.98 $45.96
Diesel $5.62 $27.05 $54.10

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 · May 04, 2026

There is no time difference between Florence and Charleston. The current time is 16:53:02.

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.