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How Long Does It Take To Drive 30 Miles?

By Harvey

Thirty miles is a transporting sort of distance.

It can typically get you from one town to the next.

Depending on the time of day for the drive, and whether you have access to a major road, thirty miles can be a pretty quick jaunt or a bit of a commitment.

So, just how long does it take to drive 30 miles?

It really depends on the circumstances of your commute.

How long does it take to drive 30 miles on U.S. interstates?

Speed limits on U.S. interstates are between 55 and 85 mph, with 55 mph being the speed limit in metro areas in many states and 85 mph being the outlier in Texas.

Most sections of the country’s interstates have speed limits between 70 and 75 mph.

  • At 70 mph, it takes 25 minutes and 43 seconds to drive 30 miles.
  • At 75 mph, it takes 24 minutes to drive 30 miles.

How long does it take to drive 30 miles on U.S. highways?

Highways in the U.S. are a bit different than interstates.

They have more accessibility and more crossroads.

Due to this, they also have lower speed limits – 55 to 70 mph being typical (though, there are a few states with highway speeds up to 75 mph).

Highway speed limits may also vary within states, depending on how accessible the highway is.

Highways with limited access (those accessed by ramps or with few intersecting roads) typically have higher speed limits than those with multiple crossroads.

Highways with many crossroads and access to businesses and residences typically have lower speed limits.

This isn’t true of every state, but most states do follow this pattern.

On average, 55 or 65 mph is what you can expect to find on more accessible highways across the country.

  • At 55 mph, it takes 32 minutes and 45 seconds to drive 30 miles.
  • At 65 mph, it takes 27 minutes and 42 seconds to drive 30 miles.

How long does it take to drive 30 miles through cities and towns?

guy driving car

Cities and towns in the U.S. have drastically different speed limits, not just dependent on state and municipality, but also on where you are in the city.

The interconnected streets of downtown might have speed limits as low as 15 or 20 mph, while larger thoroughfares outside the central business district, even those heavily-trafficked, may boast speed limits up to 55 mph.

That’s quite a wide range of speeds you might go through when driving 5 miles across a city. (Not to mention the stoplights and stop signs!)

Generally speaking, though, outside of city centers, speed limits are between 35 and 45 mph, so we’ll use those as our default numbers.

  • At 35 mph, it takes 51 minutes and 26 seconds to drive 30 miles.
  • At 45 mph, it takes 40 minutes to drive 30 miles.

But, when driving through a city or town, you can definitely expect to hit a few red lights and stop signs and should assume a longer drive time.

How Long It Takes To Drive 30 Miles Varies A Lot

The Tesla Model S

As illustrated, how long it takes to drive 30 miles greatly depends on the types of roads you’re on and the speed limits on those roads.

Driving 30 miles down the interstate will take you less than half an hour (most of the time), while driving 30 miles through a city will likely take you twice that long.

So, the answer as to how long it takes to drive 30 miles is that there is no exact answer.

Drive time depends on speed, traffic, and conditions.

But, for your reference, here’s a chart that shows how long it takes to drive 30 miles at common speed limits under perfect (non-stop) conditions:

How Long To Drive 30 Miles
Speed LimitTime
251 hr 12 min
3551 min 30 sec
4540 min
5532 min 45 sec
6030 min
6527 min 45 seconds
7025 min 45 seconds
7524 min