Durham

Introduction

Durham sits in the east-central Piedmont region of North Carolina, stretched along the Eno River. It serves as the seat of Durham County, and the city limits spill over into neighbouring Orange and Wake counties. The wider metropolitan area, which also takes in Chapel Hill, forms part of the Research Triangle region.

Getting around

Durham is served by GoDurham, a bus network running more than twenty routes across the city, and every route converges on Durham Station, the central hub. That makes Durham Station your anchor point: because all local buses stop there, it is the simplest place to transfer between routes. All local buses offer free Wi-Fi, and youth riders aged 13–18 can ride GoDurham or GoTriangle buses free, normally via a Youth GoPass. Fares have been suspended at times, so check the current fare policy before you travel. For planning, use the free myStop app for real-time bus tracking, the TransLoc Rider app, or the online trip planner. GoDurham ACCESS provides curb-to-curb ADA paratransit for qualifying riders across the City of Durham and Durham County. There is no metro or tram system; regional rail connections come through the broader intercity and commuter network, with Durham Station again the key transfer point.

• For door-to-door trips, taxis and ride-hailing are options, and carsharing is available: ZipCar and Enterprise CarShare rent by the hour or day, with parking, gas, and insurance included.
• Central Durham is reasonably walkable, and the city is well set up for cycling, with over 50 miles of bike lanes plus numerous walking trails; a Durham Bike & Hike map helps you find routes.
• Arriving by air, reach the city by taxi, ride-hailing, or carsharing, then rely on the GoDurham network once you are in town.

Three days in Durham

Day one: Start in Central Durham, the walkable heart of the city, and get your bearings on foot before branching out. Durham sits in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, within Durham County and close to Orange and Wake counties, so it makes a natural base for exploring the wider Research Triangle. If you arrive by bus, Durham Station is the downtown hub, and GoDurham and GoTriangle services connect the city with Chapel Hill and the rest of the Triangle. Fares, passes such as the Youth GoPass, and tools like TransLoc Rider can help you plan; GoDurham ACCESS covers ADA trips, and ZipCar and Enterprise CarShare are options if you want a car for part of the day.

• Get oriented in Central Durham on foot.
• Use Durham Station as your downtown starting point.
• Look into GoDurham, GoTriangle, and TransLoc Rider for getting around.

Day two: Turn your attention to the outdoors and the Eno River, a defining natural feature of the area. Durham Bike and Hike is the kind of resource to check before setting out, whether you plan to cycle or walk. Keep the day flexible and let the river set the pace rather than packing in too much.

• Spend the day around the Eno River.
• Check Durham Bike and Hike for routes and ideas.

Day three: Use Durham as a launch point for the wider region. Chapel Hill and the Research Triangle are within reach, and the GoTriangle network links the communities of the Triangle together. If you are arriving or leaving by bus, Durham Station keeps the connections simple, and the same fare and pass options from earlier in your trip still apply.

• Head out to Chapel Hill or elsewhere in the Research Triangle.
• Rely on GoTriangle for regional connections.
• Return to Durham Station for onward travel.