How far is Winston-Salem, NC from Lexington, NC?

The driving distance from Winston-Salem, NC to Lexington, NC is about 21.1 miles (33.9 km), with a travel time of about 00h 28m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 19.1 miles (30.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 57m 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
21.05 mi
00h 28m
Flight
19.06 mi
30.68 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Winston-Salem.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
19.06 mi
Kilometers
30.68 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
21.05 mi
Kilometers
33.87 km
Drive Time
00h 28m

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 28m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lexington
Sun, May 31, 6:21 AM EDT
Return by in Winston-Salem
Sun, May 31, 6:50 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Winston-Salem
2026-05-31T05:52
Arrive Lexington
Sun, May 31, 6:21 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 28m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:29 AM to 7:29 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:32 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Winston-Salem
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

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
Midway
NC

Incorporated town in Davidson County

From Winston-Salem
10.6 mi
00h 14m
To Lexington
10.5 mi
00h 14m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
78°F
Sunday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph SE
Destination
79°F
Sunday

Partly 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 Winston-Salem and Lexington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Winston-Salem and Lexington.

  1. 1

    Start on North Main Street

    2610 ft · 59 sec · North Main Street

  2. 2

    Take the ramp sharp left toward US 158 East, US 421 South, NC 150 East

    917 ft · 22 sec

  3. 3

    Merge slight left onto Salem Parkway

    1415 ft · 22 sec · Salem Parkway

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right toward US 52 South: Lexington

    1258 ft · 32 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto John Gold Memorial Expressway

    15.8 mi · 18 min · John Gold Memorial Expressway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward NC 8: Lexington

    1768 ft · 45 sec

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Old US Hwy 52

    2.1 mi · 3 min · Old US Hwy 52

  8. 8

    Continue on Winston Road

    1.2 km · 2 min · Winston Road

  9. 9

    Continue on Salem Street

    2562 ft · 1 min · Salem Street

  10. 10

    Turn left onto West 3rd Street

    887 ft · 45 sec · West 3rd Street

  11. 11

    Turn right onto North Main Street

    943 ft · 46 sec · North Main Street

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Winston-Salem and Lexington.

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
12 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
57.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
John Gold Memorial Expressway
15.8 mi · 75%
Old US Hwy 52
2.12 mi · 10%
Winston Road
0.76 mi · 4%
North Main Street
0.67 mi · 3%
Salem Street
0.49 mi · 2%
NC 8
0.33 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

John Gold Memorial Expressway

Merge slight left onto John Gold Memorial Expressway

15.8 mi · 00h 18m

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 28m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 58m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2 mi
19.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Midway
00h 14m from Winston-Salem
Leave By
7:32 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Winston-Salem and Partly Sunny near Lexington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Winston-Salem to Lexington?

The road trip is about 21.1 miles (33.9 km) and usually takes 00h 28m 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?

Midway is a useful midpoint, sitting about 10.6 miles from Winston-Salem and 10.5 miles from Lexington.

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

The direct path is about 19.1 miles (30.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 2 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 7:32 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.93 one way or $5.86 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 6.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Winston-Salem and Partly Sunny near Lexington.

Stop Ideas Near Midway

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

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

RAIL

Lexington

15 mi away
Center St. and railroad tracks
BUS

Winston-Salem State Univ, Winston-Salem, North Car

15 mi away
601 South Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr
BUS

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

16 mi away
100 West 5th Street
RAIL

High Point

19 mi away
100 West High St

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Winston-Salem and Lexington. Straight-line distance: 19.06 mi (30.68 km).

Winston-Salem

#1 Winston-Salem

The fifth most populous city in North Carolina.

Population248,112
Coordinates36.0998600, -80.2442200
Altitude293
CountryUnited States
Lexington

#2 Lexington

City in and county seat of Davidson County, North Carolina, United States

Population19,141
Coordinates35.8240300, -80.2533800
Altitude258
CountryUnited States
Start: Winston-Salem (-80.24422, 36.09986)
End: Lexington (-80.25338, 35.82403)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 34 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 42m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 31m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 25m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 21m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 18m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 15m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.74 gal
2.81 L · about $2.93
Round trip
$5.86
1.48 gal · 5.62 L
Estimated CO2
6.6 kg one way
Round trip: 13.2 kg / 29 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $2.93 $5.86
Mid-grade $4.43 $3.28 $6.55
Premium $4.78 $3.54 $7.07
Diesel $5.62 $4.16 $8.32

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 Winston-Salem and Lexington. The current time is 05:52:42.

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.