How far is Morehead City, NC from Raleigh, NC?

The driving distance from Morehead City, NC to Raleigh, NC is about 148.3 miles (238.7 km), with a travel time of about 02h 37m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 130 miles (209.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 15m 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
148.3 mi
02h 37m
Flight
130 mi
209.22 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Morehead City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
130 mi
Kilometers
209.22 km
Flight Time
00h 15m

Driving Distance

Road route
148.3 mi
Kilometers
238.67 km
Drive Time
02h 37m

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 37m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Raleigh
Sun, May 31, 8:17 AM EDT
Return by in Morehead City
Sun, May 31, 10:55 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Morehead City
2026-05-31T05:40
Arrive Raleigh
Sun, May 31, 8:17 AM EDT
Route Timing
02h 37m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:38 AM to 12:38 PM EDT

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

Leave by
1:14 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Morehead City
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
Kinston
NC

City in North Carolina, United States of America

From Morehead City
74.2 mi
01h 18m
To Raleigh
74.1 mi
01h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
Morehead City Weather
NC
Live fallback forecast
76°F
Sunday
Using Washington as the closest live forecast in the North Carolina weather hub.

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 mph E
Destination
81°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Morehead City and Raleigh.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Morehead City and Raleigh.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    75 m · 23 sec

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn left onto North 18th Street

    38 m · 6 sec · North 18th Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Arendell Street

    69.2 mi · 1 hr 27 min · Arendell Street

  4. 4

    Continue on West New Bern Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · West New Bern Road

  5. 5

    Keep slight right to continue on West New Bern Road

    2.1 mi · 3 min · West New Bern Road

  6. 6

    Continue on West Vernon Avenue

    1.6 mi · 2 min · West Vernon Avenue

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    9.6 mi · 11 min

  8. 8

    Continue on Goldsboro Bypass

    20.2 mi · 22 min · Goldsboro Bypass

  9. 9

    Continue straight

    1.2 mi · 2 min

  10. 10

    Continue straight

    10.4 mi · 14 min

  11. 11

    Continue straight

    2 mi · 3 min

  12. 12

    Keep slight left

    10.1 mi · 13 min

  13. 13

    Continue on Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway

    10 mi · 11 min · Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway

  14. 14

    Merge slight left

    8.6 mi · 10 min

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward Rock Quarry Rd North

    1718 ft · 37 sec

  16. 16

    Turn straight onto Rock Quarry Road

    2190 ft · 49 sec · Rock Quarry Road

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Rock Quarry Road

    1488 ft · 41 sec · Rock Quarry Road

  18. 18

    Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard

    1.2 mi · 3 min · Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard

  19. 19

    Turn right onto South Wilmington Street

    987 ft · 41 sec · South Wilmington Street

  20. 20

    Turn left onto East South Street

    7 m · 1 sec · East South Street

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East South Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Morehead City and Raleigh.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
21 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
14.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Arendell Street
69.2 mi · 47%
Goldsboro Bypass
43.8 mi · 30%
Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway
18.5 mi · 12%
West Vernon Avenue
11.2 mi · 8%
West New Bern Road
3.25 mi · 2%
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
1.24 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Arendell Street

Turn right onto Arendell Street

69.2 mi · 01h 27m

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 37m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
05h 16m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+18.3 mi
130 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Kinston
01h 18m from Morehead City
Leave By
1:14 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Morehead City and Mostly Sunny near Raleigh.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Morehead City to Raleigh?

The road trip is about 148.3 miles (238.7 km) and usually takes 02h 37m 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?

Kinston is a useful midpoint, sitting about 74.2 miles from Morehead City and 74.1 miles from Raleigh.

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

The direct path is about 130 miles (209.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 18.3 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 1:14 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $20.72 one way or $41.43 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 46.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Morehead City and Mostly Sunny near Raleigh.

Stop Ideas Near Kinston

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

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

BUS

Kinston, NC

2 mi away
101 East New Bern Road
BUS

Goldsboro, NC

38 mi away
1615 East Beech Street
BUS

Greenville, NC

43 mi away
Second and Reade Streets
BUS

New Bern, NC

53 mi away
203 South Front Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Morehead City and Raleigh. Straight-line distance: 130 mi (209.22 km).

Morehead City

#1 Morehead City

City in North Carolina, United States

Population9,669
Coordinates34.7229400, -76.7260400
Altitude5
CountryUnited States
Raleigh

#2 Raleigh

The capital of North Carolina, Raleigh is a major center for business, government, and education.

Population474,414
Coordinates35.7721000, -78.6386100
Altitude96
CountryUnited States
Start: Bridges Street (-76.725995, 34.72332)
End: East South Street (-78.638606, 35.772148)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 239 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 56m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 42m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 57m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 28m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 07m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 51m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
5.23 gal
19.81 L · about $20.72
Round trip
$41.43
10.46 gal · 39.62 L
Estimated CO2
46.5 kg one way
Round trip: 93 kg / 205 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $20.72 $41.43
Mid-grade $4.43 $23.16 $46.33
Premium $4.78 $24.99 $49.98
Diesel $5.62 $29.41 $58.83

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 31, 2026

There is no time difference between Morehead City and Raleigh. The current time is 05:40:12.

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.