How far is Summerville, SC from Charleston, SC?

The driving distance from Summerville, SC to Charleston, SC is about 25.5 miles (41.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 34m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 21.9 miles (35.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 08m 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
25.51 mi
00h 34m
Flight
21.93 mi
35.3 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Summerville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
21.93 mi
Kilometers
35.3 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
25.51 mi
Kilometers
41.05 km
Drive Time
00h 34m

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 34m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Charleston
Sat, May 30, 4:05 PM EDT
Return by in Summerville
Sat, May 30, 4:39 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Summerville
2026-05-30T15:31
Arrive Charleston
Sat, May 30, 4:05 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 34m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:34 AM to 7:34 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:22 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Summerville
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
Hanahan
SC

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

From Summerville
12.7 mi
00h 17m
To Charleston
12.7 mi
00h 17m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
82°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, May 30 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph NW
Destination
83°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sat, May 30 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 8 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    28 m · 12 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto East Richardson Avenue

    35 m · 7 sec · East Richardson Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto North Main Street

    2 mi · 3 min · North Main Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight right toward I-26 East

    1900 ft · 46 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    21.2 mi · 26 min

  6. 6

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

    1994 ft · 53 sec

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Meeting Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Meeting Street

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Broad Street

    12 m · 1 sec · Broad Street

  9. 9

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Broad Street

Car Route Details

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

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
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
35.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I-26 East
21.5 mi · 84%
North Main Street
1.96 mi · 8%
Meeting Street
1.95 mi · 8%
East Richardson Avenue
0.02 mi
Broad Street
0.01 mi
Longest Stretch

I-26 East

Merge slight left

21.2 mi · 00h 26m

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 34m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 08m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.6 mi
21.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hanahan
00h 17m from Summerville
Leave By
7:22 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Summerville and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Charleston.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 25.5 miles (41.1 km) and usually takes 00h 34m 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?

Hanahan is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12.7 miles from Summerville and 12.7 miles from Charleston.

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

The direct path is about 21.9 miles (35.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.6 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 7:22 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.56 one way or $7.13 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Summerville and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Charleston.

Stop Ideas Near Hanahan

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

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Hanahan and the surrounding midpoint area.
Historic Charleston City Market
Scenic stop 11.5 mi away

Historic Charleston City Market

Charleston , SC
188 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401, United States
Rating 4.5/5 18,143 reviews Tourist attraction,Historical landmark,Market
The City of Goose Creek
Meeting point 7.4 mi away

The City of Goose Creek

Goose Creek , SC
519 N Goose Creek Blvd, Goose Creek, SC 29445
Rating 4.3/5 47 reviews City Hall
American Red Cross
Nearby stop 3.5 mi away

American Red Cross

North Charleston , SC
2424- A, City Hall Ln, North Charleston, SC 29406
Rating 4.4/5 21 reviews Non-profit organization,Charity,Volunteer organization
Charleston County Parking Garage
Scenic stop 11.6 mi away

Charleston County Parking Garage

Charleston , SC
85 Queen St, Charleston, SC 29401
Rating 4.3/5 78 reviews Parking garage

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Hanahan.

RAIL

Charleston, South Carolina

5 mi away
4565 Gaynor Avenue
RAIL

Yemassee

81 mi away
9 Main Street
RAIL

Kingstree

85 mi away
101 East Main St.
RAIL

Denmark

114 mi away
200 West Baruch Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Summerville and Charleston. Straight-line distance: 21.93 mi (35.3 km).

Summerville

#1 Summerville

Town in South Carolina, United States

Population53,301
Coordinates33.0185000, -80.1756500
Altitude27
CountryUnited States
Charleston

#2 Charleston

The most populous city in South Carolina.

Population139,714
Coordinates32.7765700, -79.9309200
Altitude6
CountryUnited States
Start: East Richardson Avenue (-80.1755, 33.018698)
End: Broad Street (-79.930909, 32.776494)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 41 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 50m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 38m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 30m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 25m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 21m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 19m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.9 gal
3.41 L · about $3.56
Round trip
$7.13
1.8 gal · 6.82 L
Estimated CO2
8 kg one way
Round trip: 16 kg / 35 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $3.56 $7.13
Mid-grade $4.43 $3.99 $7.97
Premium $4.78 $4.30 $8.60
Diesel $5.62 $5.06 $10.12

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 30, 2026

There is no time difference between Summerville and Charleston. The current time is 15:31:54.

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.