"The Triangle" isn't one city, it's a region of towns connected by a handful of major highways. Here's a general sense of how everything relates.
All drive times on this page are approximate, directional estimates, not live traffic data. Actual travel time varies significantly with traffic, time of day, construction, and your exact starting point. Always sanity-check with a mapping app for your specific route.
The state capital's civic and restaurant/nightlife core, Fayetteville Street, Glenwood South, and Moore Square.
Raleigh-Durham International, sitting almost exactly between Raleigh and Durham, right next to Morrisville.
One of the largest research parks in the country, straddling Durham and Wake counties, a major employment hub.
Anchored by the American Tobacco Campus, DPAC, and the Durham Bulls, a walkable downtown with its own identity.
A major employment and retail center in its own right, home to SAS Institute and bordering RTP directly.
A mixed-use shopping, dining, and office district a few miles north of downtown Raleigh.
| Town | Raleigh | RTP | RDU | Durham | Cary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | You're already here | ~15 to 25 min via I-40 | ~15 to 25 min via I-40 | ~25 to 35 min via I-40 | ~15 to 25 min via I-40/US-1 |
| Wake Forest | ~25 to 40 min via US-1 | ~35 to 45 min, typically via I-540 | ~30 to 45 min | ~35 to 45 min | ~35 to 45 min via I-440/US-1 |
| Rolesville | ~20 to 30 min via US-401 | ~30 to 40 min | ~30 to 40 min | ~35 to 50 min | ~35 to 45 min |
| Knightdale | ~15 to 40 min (shortest of the eastern Wake towns) | ~35 to 75 min, generally not a realistic daily commute | ~30 to 50 min | ~40 to 80 min | ~35 to 55 min (estimate) |
| Wendell | ~25 to 40 min | ~35 to 55+ min | ~35 to 50 min (~33 miles) | ~45 to 65 min, not ideal for a daily commute | ~40 to 55 min (estimate) |
| Zebulon | ~25 to 40 min (~25 miles) | ~35 to 50 min (~30 to 35 miles) | ~40 to 55 min (estimate) | ~40 to 60 min (~40 miles) | ~40 to 55 min (estimate) |
| Clayton | ~25 to 40 min (~16 miles) | ~30 to 45 min via I-40 | ~30 to 45 min via I-40 | ~40 to 55 min via I-40 | ~30 to 45 min via I-40/US-70/I-440 |
| Garner | ~15 to 25 min via I-40 or US-70 | ~25 to 35 min via I-40 | ~25 to 35 min via I-40 | ~35 to 45 min via I-40 | ~20 to 30 min via I-40 |
| Fuquay-Varina | ~30 to 45 min via US-401 (~17 to 20 miles) | ~30 to 45 min, typically via NC-55 or US-1 | ~30 to 40 min via US-401/NC-55 | ~40 to 50 min via NC-55/US-1 toward I-40 | ~20 to 30 min via NC-55 |
| Holly Springs | ~30 to 45 min via NC-55/US-1 | ~25 to 35 min via NC-55 or US-1 | ~25 to 35 min via NC-55/US-1 | ~35 to 45 min via US-1/NC-55 toward I-40 | ~15 to 25 min via NC-55 |
| Apex | ~20 to 30 min via US-1/US-64 | ~15 to 20 min via NC-540/US-64/NC-55, Apex sits just southwest of RTP | ~20 to 25 min via NC-540/I-40 | ~30 to 40 min via NC-540/I-40 | ~10 to 15 min, Apex and Cary are directly adjacent |
| Cary | ~15 to 25 min via I-40/US-1 | ~10 to 15 min via I-40/NC-54, Cary borders RTP directly | ~10 to 20 min, western/northern Cary is especially close | ~20 to 30 min via I-40 | You're already here |
| Morrisville | ~20 to 30 min via I-40 | ~5 to 10 min, directly adjacent to RTP | ~5 to 10 min, RDU's address is Morrisville, NC | ~15 to 20 min via NC-54 or I-40 | ~10 to 15 min, Morrisville borders Cary |
| Durham | ~25 to 35 min via I-40/US-70 (~21 miles) | ~10 to 15 min (~10 miles) | ~15 to 20 min (~12 miles) via I-40 | You're already here | ~20 to 30 min via I-40 |
| Youngsville | ~20 to 30 min under normal traffic (~20 miles) | ~30 to 40 min | ~30 to 40 min (estimate) | ~30 to 40 min (estimate) | ~40 to 50+ min, likely the longest commute on this list |
| Willow Spring | ~30 to 45 min via US-401/NC-42 | ~35 to 50 min (estimate) | ~35 to 50 min (estimate) | ~40 to 55 min, likely the longest commute on this list | ~25 to 35 min via NC-55/US-401 |
| Chapel Hill | ~30 to 40 min via I-40 | ~10 to 15 min via I-40 | ~20 to 25 min via I-40 | ~15 to 20 min via 15-501/I-40 | ~20 to 30 min via I-40 |
| Carrboro | ~35 to 45 min via I-40 | ~15 to 20 min via I-40 | ~25 to 30 min via I-40 | ~20 to 25 min via 15-501/I-40 | ~25 to 35 min via I-40 |
| Hillsborough | ~40 to 50 min via I-40/I-85 | ~20 to 25 min via I-40 | ~25 to 30 min via I-40 | ~15 to 20 min via I-85/I-40 | ~35 to 40 min via I-40 |
| Smithfield | ~40 to 45 min via US-70/I-40 | ~35 to 40 min via I-40 | ~45 to 50 min via I-40 | ~50 to 55 min via I-40 | ~35 to 40 min via I-40 |
| Selma | ~35 to 40 min via US-70/I-40 | ~35 to 40 min via I-40 | ~45 to 50 min via I-40 | ~48 to 55 min via I-40 | ~35 to 40 min via I-40 |
| Benson | ~35 to 40 min via I-40 | ~28 to 33 min via I-40 | ~38 to 43 min via I-40 | ~40 to 45 min via I-40 | ~28 to 33 min via I-40 |
| Four Oaks | ~40 to 45 min via I-95/I-40 | ~35 to 40 min via I-40 | ~45 to 50 min via I-40 | ~48 to 53 min via I-40 | ~35 to 40 min via I-40 |
| Princeton | ~50 to 55 min via US-70 | ~45 to 50 min via US-70/I-40 | ~55 to 60 min via US-70/I-40 | ~55 to 65 min via US-70/I-40 | ~45 to 50 min via US-70/I-40 |
| Archer Lodge | ~25 to 35 min via US-64 | ~35 to 45 min via I-540/I-40 | ~35 to 45 min via I-540/I-40 | ~45 to 55 min via US-64/I-540 | ~35 to 45 min via US-64/I-540 |
| Pine Level | ~40 to 50 min via I-40/US-70 | ~45 to 55 min via I-40 | ~45 to 55 min via I-40 | ~55 to 65 min via I-40 | ~45 to 55 min via I-40 |
| Kenly | ~45 to 55 min via I-95/I-40 | ~50 to 60 min via I-95/I-40 | ~50 to 60 min via I-95/I-40 | ~60 to 70 min via I-95/I-40 | ~50 to 60 min via I-95/I-40 |
| Micro | ~40 to 50 min via I-95/I-40 | ~45 to 55 min via I-95/I-40 | ~45 to 55 min via I-95/I-40 | ~55 to 65 min via I-95/I-40 | ~45 to 55 min via I-95/I-40 |
| Wilson's Mills | ~35 to 45 min via US-70/I-40 | ~40 to 50 min via US-70/I-40 | ~40 to 50 min via US-70/I-40 | ~50 to 60 min via US-70/I-40 | ~40 to 50 min via US-70/I-40 |
| Louisburg | ~40 to 50 min via US-401 | ~50 to 60 min | ~50 to 60 min | ~45 to 55 min | ~55 to 65 min |
| Franklinton | ~35 to 45 min via US-1 | ~30 to 40 min | ~35 to 45 min | ~35 to 45 min via NC-98/NC-56 | ~45 to 55 min |
| Bunn | ~40 to 50 min via NC-39/US-401 | ~50 to 60 min | ~50 to 60 min | ~55 to 65 min | ~55 to 65 min |
| Lillington | ~40 to 50 min via US-401 | ~50 to 60 min via NC-55/US-1 | ~45 to 55 min via US-401/I-40 | ~55 to 65 min via US-421/NC-55 | ~40 to 50 min via NC-55/US-401 |
| Dunn | ~40 to 45 min via I-95/US-421 | ~55 to 65 min via I-95/NC-55 | ~50 to 60 min via I-95/I-40 | ~60 to 70 min via I-95/NC-55 | ~45 to 55 min via I-95/US-401 |
| Angier | ~35 to 50 min via NC-55 | ~45 to 55 min via NC-55/US-1 | ~40 to 50 min via NC-55/I-40 | ~50 to 60 min via NC-55 | ~30 to 40 min via NC-55 |
| Coats | ~45 to 55 min via NC-55 | ~55 to 65 min via NC-55/US-1 | ~50 to 60 min via NC-55/I-40 | ~60 to 70 min via NC-55/US-421 | ~40 to 50 min via NC-55 |
| Erwin | ~45 to 55 min via I-95/US-421 | ~60 to 70 min via I-95/NC-55 | ~55 to 65 min via I-95/I-40 | ~65 to 75 min via I-95/NC-55 | ~50 to 60 min via I-95/US-401 |
| Pittsboro | ~40 to 50 min via US-64/US-1 | ~25 to 35 min via US-64/NC-54 | ~30 to 40 min via US-64/NC-54 | ~30 to 40 min via US-15-501 | ~30 to 40 min via US-64/US-1 |
| Siler City | ~55 to 65 min via US-64/US-1 | ~40 to 50 min via US-64/NC-54 | ~45 to 55 min via US-64 | ~45 to 55 min via US-64/NC-751 | ~45 to 55 min via US-64/US-1 |
| Goldston | ~55 to 70 min via US-421/US-64 | ~45 to 55 min via US-421/US-64 | ~50 to 60 min via US-421/US-64 | ~50 to 60 min via US-421/NC-751 | ~50 to 60 min via US-421/US-1 |
| Sanford | ~40 to 55 min via US-1 | ~35 to 50 min via US-1/NC-540 | ~40 to 55 min via US-1 | ~40 to 55 min via US-15-501/NC-751 | ~30 to 40 min via US-1 |
| Broadway | ~50 to 65 min via US-421/NC-42 | ~45 to 55 min via US-421/US-1 | ~50 to 60 min via US-421/US-1 | ~50 to 60 min via US-421/NC-751 | ~40 to 50 min via US-421/US-1 |