Charlotte, NC to Savannah, GA

A view of River Street in Savannah through reedy grasses.

Savannah is an ideal weekend destination out of Charlotte, located only 250 miles away by road.

The fastest way to get between the cities is to fly, with flight times of a little over an hour. By car, the journey is still a comparatively short 4 hours or so.

If you don't want to drive or fly, the bus is a much more convenient option for travel between Charlotte and Savannah (and vice versa) than the train. Travel time by bus is around 5 hours. By train, due to poor routing and lengthy connection times, journey time is at least 12 hours.

!Please verify all details before planning your trip.

Driving

It is 250 miles from Charlotte to Savannah, a drive of around 4 hours or so. The main route follows the I-77 south out of Charlotte to Columbia, SC. Take the I-26 out of Columbia, and then the I-95 the rest of the way to Savannah. Columbia is probably the best place to stop off along the way, located a little less than half the distance from Charlotte to Savannah.

Flights

American Airlines is currently the only airline offering direct flights between Charlotte and Savannah, with numerous departures daily. Flight time is around an hour or so, with the cheapest economy fares costing from about $300 for a round trip ticket ($350-$400 at short notice).

Various other airlines also provide services between Charlotte and Savannah, but with at least one connection, which usually substantially increases the total travel time and often slightly increases the cost of tickets too.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is 7 miles west of downtown Charlotte and Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport is 12 miles northwest of downtown Savannah, both with connecting transport by taxi, shuttle or ride-share, or public transit.

More about travel between Savannah’s airport and the Historic District plus other area destinations

Charlotte to Savannah By Bus

Bus services between Charlotte and Savannah are provided by Greyhound, and offer an alternative way to get between the two cities if you will not be driving. Due to schedule changes during the coronavirus pandemic, only a single daily bus is currently available in each direction on this route.

Travel time, at around 5 hours, is not too much longer than driving. Economy tickets are around $50-$70 each way depending on the day and direction of travel, with the cheapest tickets usually available midweek. Flexible fares are around $70-$105 each way.

Charlotte to Savannah bus:

9:25pm - 2:30am – 5 hrs 5 mins, connecting in Columbia, SC (56 mins)

Savananh to Charlotte bus:

1:45pm - 6:30pm – 4 hrs 45 mins, connecting in Columbia, SC (35 mins)

Charlotte’s Greyhound station is at 518 West 4th Street (see map), a few blocks from downtown Charlotte. Savannah’s station is likewise conveniently situated, immediately west of downtown at 610 West Oglethorpe Avenue (see map), with multiple connecting public transit services within a few yards in both cases.

Train

Despite Charlotte’s proximity to Savannah, it is neither fast nor convenient to travel between the two cities by train, as Charlotte lies off the main rail line running down the eastern seaboard and through Savannah.

For most people, the train will not be a practical travel option. Total journey times range from 12.5 to 31 hours, with at least one and usually two transfers, some of which involve very lengthy layovers.

If you do choose this option, expect to pay around $115-$125 each way ($230-$250 round trip) for the basic fare. Discounts may sometimes be available on tickets purchased more than 2 weeks ahead of travel.

More about traveling to and from Savannah by train

Charlotte To Savannah

There are several routing options from Charlotte to Savannah, the shortest of which takes 14 hours, riding the Carolinian and then the Palmetto services. The train out of Charlotte leaves at 7am, with eventual arrival in Savannah at 9:04pm. Other, longer routings are also available.

Savannah To Charlotte

In the Savannah to Charlotte direction, the shortest train is again on the Palmetto and Carolinian services. Total travel times is 12.5 hours, but with a comparatively short (1.5 hour) connection in Wilson, NC. The train out of Savannah leaves at 8:20am, with arrival in Charlotte at 8:44pm. Other, longer routings are also available.

Station Addresses & Connecting Transport

Train services between Charlotte and Savannah are from the following rail stations:

Charlotte Amtrak Station at 1914 North Tryon Street, 1.5 miles from downtown Charlotte (see map). Charlotte Area Transit System’s bus route 11 serves the train station, connecting with the city’s downtown Transportation Center.

Savannah Amtrak Station at 2611 Seaboard Coastline Drive, 3 miles west of the Historic District (see map). Taxi and limited bus services are available to and from the station. Read more about transport to and from Savannah’s train station