How far is Wilmington, NC from Salisbury, NC?

The driving distance from Wilmington, NC to Salisbury, NC is about 205.5 miles (330.8 km), with a travel time of about 04h 22m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 174.6 miles (281 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 08h 44m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
205.55 mi
04h 22m
Flight
174.61 mi
281.01 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
174.61 mi
Kilometers
281.01 km
Flight Time
00h 21m

Driving Distance

Road route
205.55 mi
Kilometers
330.8 km
Drive Time
04h 22m

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 04h 22m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Salisbury
Thu, Apr 23, 10:41 AM EDT
Return by in Wilmington
Thu, Apr 23, 3:04 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Wilmington
2026-04-23T06:19
Arrive Salisbury
Thu, Apr 23, 10:41 AM EDT
Route Timing
04h 22m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:22 AM to 12:22 PM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
8:16 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Wilmington
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

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
East Laurinburg
NC

Human settlement in Scotland County, North Carolina, United States of America

From Wilmington
102.7 mi
02h 11m
To Salisbury
102.8 mi
02h 11m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
82°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 9 mph SW
Destination
82°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph W

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on South 3rd Street

    113 m · 14 sec · South 3rd Street

  2. 2

    Continue on South 3rd Street

    155 m · 23 sec · South 3rd Street

  3. 3

    Turn right

    3.5 mi · 5 min

  4. 4

    Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    60.1 mi · 1 hr 14 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  5. 5

    Continue on American Indian Highway

    33.6 mi · 37 min · American Indian Highway

  6. 6

    Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    20.2 mi · 23 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on G R Kindley Freeway

    14.4 mi · 15 min · G R Kindley Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    11.6 mi · 15 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  9. 9

    Continue on East Caswell Street

    2.4 mi · 5 min · East Caswell Street

  10. 10

    Continue on Salisbury Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · Salisbury Street

  11. 11

    Continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway

    1912 ft · 25 sec · W. Cliff Martin Highway

  12. 12

    Turn right

    28.2 mi · 37 min

  13. 13

    Continue straight

    1.2 mi · 2 min

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Salisbury Avenue

    1.4 km · 2 min · Salisbury Avenue

  15. 15

    Continue on Old Salisbury Road

    7.1 mi · 10 min · Old Salisbury Road

  16. 16

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

    1624 ft · 47 sec · South Main Street

  17. 17

    Turn left onto West Church Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · West Church Street

  18. 18

    Continue on US 52

    4.5 mi · 7 min · US 52

  19. 19

    Turn right onto Liberty Road

    4.3 mi · 6 min · Liberty Road

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Stokes Ferry Road

    8.9 mi · 13 min · Stokes Ferry Road

  21. 21

    Turn slight right onto East Innes Street

    1.6 mi · 5 min · East Innes Street

  22. 22

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Innes Street

Car Route Details

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

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
22 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Andrew Jackson Highway
91.9 mi · 45%
American Indian Highway
33.6 mi · 16%
G R Kindley Freeway
14.4 mi · 7%
Stokes Ferry Road
8.89 mi · 4%
Old Salisbury Road
7.08 mi · 3%
US 52
4.51 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Andrew Jackson Highway

Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

60.1 mi · 01h 14m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
04h 22m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
08h 44m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+30.9 mi
174.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
East Laurinburg
02h 11m from Wilmington
Leave By
8:16 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Wilmington and Sunny near Salisbury.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 205.5 miles (330.8 km) and usually takes 04h 22m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

East Laurinburg is a useful midpoint, sitting about 102.7 miles from Wilmington and 102.8 miles from Salisbury.

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

The direct path is about 174.6 miles (281 km), while the road route adds roughly 30.9 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 8:16 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $28.72 one way or $57.43 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 64.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Wilmington and Sunny near Salisbury.

Stop Ideas Near East Laurinburg

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

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

RAIL

Hamlet

26 mi away
West Main St. and North Bridges St.
RAIL

Dillon

40 mi away
100 North Railroad Avenue
RAIL

Southern Pines

45 mi away
235 Northwest Broad Street
RAIL

Fayetteville

60 mi away
472 Hay Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Wilmington and Salisbury. Straight-line distance: 174.61 mi (281.01 km).

Wilmington

#1 Wilmington

The largest city in the state of North Carolina.

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

#2 Salisbury

City in Rowan County, North Carolina, United States

Population33,821
Coordinates35.6709700, -80.4742300
Altitude234
CountryUnited States
Start: Wilmington (-77.94471, 34.22573)
End: Salisbury (-80.47423, 35.67097)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 331 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 50m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 08m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 06m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 25m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 56m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 33m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.25 gal
27.46 L · about $28.72
Round trip
$57.43
14.5 gal · 54.92 L
Estimated CO2
64.4 kg one way
Round trip: 128.9 kg / 284 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $28.72 $57.43
Mid-grade $4.43 $32.11 $64.22
Premium $4.78 $34.64 $69.28
Diesel $5.62 $40.77 $81.55

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 · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Wilmington and Salisbury. The current time is 06:19:36.

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.