How far is Wilmington, NC from Dover, DE?

The driving distance from Wilmington, NC to Dover, DE is about 464.7 miles (747.8 km), with a travel time of about 09h 04m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 366.2 miles (589.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 18h 09m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
464.69 mi
09h 04m
Flight
366.19 mi
589.32 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Wilmington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
366.19 mi
Kilometers
589.32 km
Flight Time
00h 44m

Driving Distance

Road route
464.69 mi
Kilometers
747.84 km
Drive Time
09h 04m

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 09h 04m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Dover
Wed, Aug 26, 8:39 AM EDT
Return by in Wilmington
Wed, Aug 26, 5:44 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Wilmington
2026-08-25T23:34
Arrive Dover
Wed, Aug 26, 8:39 AM EDT
Route Timing
09h 04m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
3:05 PM to 4:35 PM EDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
5:50 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Wilmington
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

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
Pocahontas
VA

Town of the United States

From Wilmington
232.5 mi
04h 32m
To Dover
232.2 mi
04h 32m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
72°F
Tonight

Mostly Clear

Starts
Tue, Aug 25 6:00 PM EDT
Wind
1 to 6 mph E
Destination
82°F
This Afternoon

Sunny

Starts
Tue, Aug 25 5:00 PM EDT
Wind
5 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Wilmington and Dover.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington and Dover.

  1. 1

    Start on South 3rd Street

    1.7 mi · 4 min · South 3rd Street

  2. 2

    Keep slight right to continue on Martin Luther King Jr Parkway

    4.7 mi · 7 min · Martin Luther King Jr Parkway

  3. 3

    Turn left onto North College Road

    1.2 mi · 2 min · North College Road

  4. 4

    Continue on Michael Jordan Highway

    64.6 mi · 1 hr 9 min · Michael Jordan Highway

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward NC 403: Faison

    1521 ft · 37 sec

  6. 6

    Turn right onto Faison Highway

    18.4 mi · 24 min · Faison Highway

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    5.3 mi · 6 min

  8. 8

    Continue straight

    24.9 mi · 27 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 95 North

    1.4 km · 2 min

  10. 10

    Merge slight left

    107.9 mi · 1 hr 56 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

    41.9 mi · 45 min · Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight left toward I 95 North: Washington

    2.4 mi · 3 min

  13. 13

    Merge slight right

    45.7 mi · 50 min

  14. 14

    Keep slight right

    1.6 mi · 2 min

  15. 15

    Keep slight left

    1 mi · 1 min

  16. 16

    Merge slight left

    35 mi · 41 min

  17. 17

    Keep slight right to continue on Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway

    1 km · 52 sec · Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway

  18. 18

    Continue on Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway

    10.2 mi · 13 min · Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway

  19. 19

    Continue on Arland D. Williams Junior Memorial Bridge

    2430 ft · 39 sec · Arland D. Williams Junior Memorial Bridge

  20. 20

    Keep slight right to continue on I 395 North: Capitol Hill, Nationals Park, Capital One Arena

    2326 ft · 48 sec

  21. 21

    Keep slight left to continue on Francis Case Memorial Bridge

    880 ft · 19 sec · Francis Case Memorial Bridge

  22. 22

    Continue on Southwest Freeway

    2566 ft · 55 sec · Southwest Freeway

  23. 23

    Keep slight left to continue on Southeast Freeway

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Southeast Freeway

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward DC 295 North

    2829 ft · 1 min

  25. 25

    Merge slight right onto Anacostia Freeway

    2.1 mi · 4 min · Anacostia Freeway

  26. 26

    Continue on Kenilworth Avenue Freeway

    2.2 mi · 3 min · Kenilworth Avenue Freeway

  27. 27

    Take the exit slight right toward US 50 East: Annapolis

    1348 ft · 33 sec

  28. 28

    Merge slight left onto John Hanson Highway

    23.6 mi · 28 min · John Hanson Highway

  29. 29

    Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway

    21.6 mi · 30 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway

  30. 30

    Keep slight left to continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway

    18.2 mi · 25 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway

  31. 31

    Turn right onto Barclay Road

    9.1 mi · 16 min · Barclay Road

  32. 32

    Turn right onto Crown Stone Road

    2.2 mi · 3 min · Crown Stone Road

  33. 33

    Continue on Halltown Road

    6.3 mi · 7 min · Halltown Road

  34. 34

    Continue on Forrest Avenue

    5.7 mi · 7 min · Forrest Avenue

  35. 35

    Continue on Forest Street

    1629 ft · 23 sec · Forest Street

  36. 36

    Continue on West Division Street

    2630 ft · 40 sec · West Division Street

  37. 37

    Turn right onto South Governors Avenue

    1319 ft · 33 sec · South Governors Avenue

  38. 38

    Turn left onto West Loockerman Street

    736 ft · 25 sec · West Loockerman Street

  39. 39

    Turn left onto Kings Highway

    11 m · 2 sec · Kings Highway

  40. 40

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Kings Highway

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Wilmington and Dover.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
40 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
10
5 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 95 North
194 mi · 42%
Michael Jordan Highway
64.6 mi · 14%
Faison Highway
48.7 mi · 10%
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
41.9 mi · 9%
Blue Star Memorial Highway
39.8 mi · 9%
John Hanson Highway
23.6 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

I 95 North

Merge slight left

108 mi · 01h 56m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
09h 04m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
18h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+98.5 mi
366.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Pocahontas
04h 32m from Wilmington
Leave By
5:50 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Clear leaving Wilmington and Sunny near Dover.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Wilmington to Dover?

The road trip is about 464.7 miles (747.8 km) and usually takes 09h 04m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Pocahontas is a useful midpoint, sitting about 232.5 miles from Wilmington and 232.2 miles from Dover.

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

The direct path is about 366.2 miles (589.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 98.5 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $64.96 one way or $129.92 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 145.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Clear around Wilmington and Sunny near Dover.

Stop Ideas Near Pocahontas

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

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

RAIL

Petersburg station

3 mi away
3516 South Street
RAIL

Richmond Main Street Station

33 mi away
1500 East Main Street
RAIL

Richmond Staples Mill Road station

43 mi away
7519 Staples Mill Road
RAIL

Ashland

58 mi away
112 North Railroad Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Wilmington and Dover. Straight-line distance: 366.19 mi (589.32 km).

Wilmington

#1 Wilmington

The largest city in the state of North Carolina.

Population124,794
Coordinates34.2257300, -77.9447100
Altitude9
CountryUnited States
Dover

#2 Dover

City in and county seat of Kent County, Delaware, United States, and capital city of Delaware

Population38,199
Coordinates39.1581700, -75.5243700
Altitude9
CountryUnited States
Start: Wilmington (-77.94471, 34.22573)
End: Dover (-75.52437, 39.15817)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 748 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)15h 28m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)11h 37m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)09h 17m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)07h 44m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 38m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 47m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
16.4 gal
62.07 L · about $64.96
Round trip
$129.92
32.8 gal · 124.14 L
Estimated CO2
145.7 kg one way
Round trip: 291.5 kg / 643 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $64.96 $129.92
Mid-grade $4.43 $72.64 $145.27
Premium $4.78 $78.36 $156.72
Diesel $5.62 $92.23 $184.47

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 · Aug 26, 2026

There is no time difference between Wilmington and Dover. The current time is 23:34:38.

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.