How far is Princeton, WV from Beckley, WV?

The driving distance from Princeton, WV to Beckley, WV is about 39.7 miles (63.9 km), with a travel time of about 00h 44m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 28.8 miles (46.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 28m 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
39.69 mi
00h 44m
Flight
28.84 mi
46.42 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Princeton.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
28.84 mi
Kilometers
46.42 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
39.69 mi
Kilometers
63.87 km
Drive Time
00h 44m

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 44m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Beckley
Tue, May 5, 1:31 PM EDT
Return by in Princeton
Tue, May 5, 2:15 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Princeton
2026-05-05T12:47
Arrive Beckley
Tue, May 5, 1:31 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 44m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:44 AM to 7:44 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:02 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Princeton
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
Shady Spring
WV

Census-designated place in Raleigh County, West Virginia

From Princeton
19.9 mi
00h 22m
To Beckley
19.8 mi
00h 22m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Tuesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 5 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 13 mph SW
Destination
75°F
Today

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 5 8:00 AM EDT
Wind
8 to 12 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Princeton and Beckley.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Princeton and Beckley.

  1. 1

    Start on North Walker Street

    26 m · 3 sec · North Walker Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto West Main Street

    29 m · 7 sec · West Main Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Scott Street

    119 m · 7 sec · Scott Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Alvis Street

    137 m · 12 sec · Alvis Street

  5. 5

    At the end of the road, turn right onto East Main Street

    1296 ft · 25 sec · East Main Street

  6. 6

    Continue on Ingleside Road

    2486 ft · 52 sec · Ingleside Road

  7. 7

    Continue on Princeton-Ingleside Road

    113 m · 10 sec · Princeton-Ingleside Road

  8. 8

    Turn sharp left onto Big Laurel Highway

    2.9 mi · 4 min · Big Laurel Highway

  9. 9

    Turn left

    2112 ft · 53 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto West Virginia Turnpike

    32.6 mi · 35 min · West Virginia Turnpike

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward WV 16, WV 97: Mabscott

    1441 ft · 35 sec

  12. 12

    Continue on Coalfields Expressway

    849 ft · 10 sec · Coalfields Expressway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on Robert C. Byrd Drive

    1705 ft · 42 sec

  14. 14

    Turn straight onto Robert C. Byrd Drive

    1.7 mi · 3 min · Robert C. Byrd Drive

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Neville Street

    1577 ft · 46 sec · Neville Street

  16. 16

    At the end of the road, turn left onto South Heber Street

    46 m · 7 sec · South Heber Street

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Main Street

    625 ft · 27 sec · Main Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto North Kanawha Street

    37 m · 2 sec · North Kanawha Street

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Kanawha Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Princeton and Beckley.

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
19 steps
12 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
47.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
West Virginia Turnpike
32.6 mi · 82%
Big Laurel Highway
2.9 mi · 7%
Robert C. Byrd Drive
1.99 mi · 5%
Ingleside Road
0.47 mi · 1%
Neville Street
0.3 mi · 1%
WV 16
0.27 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

West Virginia Turnpike

Merge slight left onto West Virginia Turnpike

32.6 mi · 00h 35m

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 44m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 28m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+10.9 mi
28.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Shady Spring
00h 22m from Princeton
Leave By
7:02 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Princeton and Mostly Sunny near Beckley.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Princeton to Beckley?

The road trip is about 39.7 miles (63.9 km) and usually takes 00h 44m 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?

Shady Spring is a useful midpoint, sitting about 19.9 miles from Princeton and 19.8 miles from Beckley.

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

The direct path is about 28.8 miles (46.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 10.9 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:02 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.55 one way or $11.09 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 12.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Princeton and Mostly Sunny near Beckley.

Stop Ideas Near Shady Spring

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

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

RAIL

Prince

17 mi away
Hwy 41 and County Road 25
RAIL

Hinton

19 mi away
Front St. and Fifth Ave.
RAIL

Thurmond

28 mi away
Hwy 25 & Hwy 2
RAIL

Alderson

40 mi away
1 C&O Plaza on Railroad Plaza

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Princeton and Beckley. Straight-line distance: 28.84 mi (46.42 km).

Princeton

#1 Princeton

City in Mercer County, Missouri

Population5,599
Coordinates37.3662300, -81.1025900
Altitude743
CountryUnited States
Beckley

#2 Beckley

City in and county seat of Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States

Population15,805
Coordinates37.7781700, -81.1881600
Altitude738
CountryUnited States
Start: North Walker Street (-81.102739, 37.36627)
End: North Kanawha Street (-81.188043, 37.778209)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 64 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 19m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 59m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 47m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 39m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 34m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 29m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.4 gal
5.3 L · about $5.55
Round trip
$11.09
2.8 gal · 10.6 L
Estimated CO2
12.4 kg one way
Round trip: 24.9 kg / 55 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $5.55 $11.09
Mid-grade $4.43 $6.20 $12.40
Premium $4.78 $6.69 $13.38
Diesel $5.62 $7.87 $15.75

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 West Virginia · May 05, 2026

There is no time difference between Princeton and Beckley. The current time is 12:47:23.

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.