Drive time

Can you drive from Washington to Charleston in one day?

Yes. It is about 8.5 hours of pure driving on I-95 and I-26, and roughly 11 h door to door once you add real breaks and a meal. Start early and you arrive with daylight to spare.

Distance

530 miles

Driving only

8 h 30 min

Breaks and meals

2 h 30 min

Door to door

11 h

How we count the time

A 15-minute stop every two hours for fuel, restrooms and a stretch, plus a 45-minute sit-down meal every four hours. Traffic, weather and construction come on top, so check the live route before you leave.

If you want to break it up

Florence sits 417 miles in, about 6 h 41 min from Washington, leaving 113 miles for the next morning. It is the most even split on the route and has plenty of hotels near the highway.

More on this drive

• Full drive guide
• Best places to stop
• Gas cost
• Driving it in an EV