Cruise from Charleston SCCharleston to Savannah: The Drive, the Train and a Day Trip That Works
The Charleston to Savannah trip works as a long day trip. The drive covers about 106 to 110 miles via I-95 and takes roughly 2 to 2.5 hours one way, while Amtrak does the same run in about 1 hour 45 minutes with fares from about $28 each way. This page compares the car and the train hour by hour, then maps a full day in Savannah: the 23 squares, Forsyth Park, River Street, the free dot Express shuttle and the Savannah Belles Ferry. For more one-day ideas closer to home, see the day trips from Charleston SC hub, and for time on the water back home, browse cruises from Charleston SC.
Live oaks shade Lafayette Square in Savannah's historic district. Photo: Fuzheado, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Quick answer The short answer
The drive from Charleston to Savannah is about 106 to 110 miles via I-95 and takes roughly 2 to 2.5 hours one way. The train takes about 1 hour 45 minutes with fares from about $28 each way, but only one daily train pair works for a same-day trip: the Silver Meteor out of North Charleston at 4:51 am and back from Savannah at 7:31 pm. Neither I-95 nor US-17 has tolls, and a car lets you pick your own departure time.
Key takeaways
- Compare the car against the Silver Meteor and the Palmetto in the table under Charleston to Savannah by Car or Train.
- Follow the hour-by-hour plan in A Day in Savannah from Charleston.
- Most of Savannah's sights are free: see Savannah for Free.
- The Old Savannah Trolley Tour costs $37 and starts in Savannah, it is not a transfer from Charleston.
Charleston to Savannah by Car or Train
There are two practical ways to cover the Charleston to Savannah distance in a day. Both figures come from published route and schedule data, and both have one serious catch.
The Numbers Side by Side
The car wins on flexibility and the train wins on the clock, but the train's early departure is the deciding detail for a day trip. The table lists the options with published times and costs. The Amtrak fare is a from price per person each way and can change with demand.
| Way | Time | Cost | Leaves | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car via I-95, about 106-110 miles | About 2 to 2.5 hours one way | No tolls on I-95 or US-17 | Whenever you like | Whenever you like |
| Amtrak Silver Meteor | About 1 hour 45 minutes | From about $28 each way | North Charleston 4:51 am southbound | Savannah 7:31 pm northbound |
| Amtrak Palmetto | About 1 hour 45 minutes | From about $28 each way | North Charleston 7:19 pm southbound, arrives 9:04 pm | Savannah 8:20 am northbound, arrives North Charleston 10:00 am |
Why Only One Train Pair Makes a Day Trip
The Silver Meteor runs daily and is the only workable pairing: it leaves North Charleston southbound at 4:51 am, reaches Savannah at 6:34 am, and the return departs Savannah at 7:31 pm, arriving back in North Charleston at 9:17 pm. That makes it a long but same-day trip. The Palmetto cannot help: southbound it leaves North Charleston at 7:19 pm and arrives at 9:04 pm, so it is an evening service, and it runs only three days a week each way.
The Charleston station is North Charleston station at 4565 Gaynor Avenue, about 8 miles from downtown Charleston, and its ticket counter runs 4:00 am to 11:45 am and 4:00 pm to 11:45 pm. Savannah's Amtrak station is at 2611 Seaboard Coastline Drive, 3-4 miles west of the Historic District, so you still need a taxi, rideshare or the $1.50 Chatham Area Transit bus to reach the squares.
The Drive, and Beaufort on the Way
The drive from Charleston to Savannah runs about 106 to 110 miles via I-95, taking roughly 2 to 2.5 hours one way, and neither I-95 nor US-17 has tolls. You choose your own departure and return times. If you want a leg-stretch, Beaufort sits about 70 miles from Charleston via US-17, roughly 1 hour 25 to 40 minutes out, and makes a natural stop.
Its visitor center is in the Historic Arsenal at 713 Craven Street, open Monday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm and Saturday 10 am to 3 pm, and Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park is free with riverside swings. Beaufort belongs to the day trips from Charleston SC hub, so it gets only a line here.
Shore and transit figures: Visit Savannah
A Day in Savannah from Charleston
This plan works for both the car and the 4:51 am Silver Meteor. Times are given only where schedules fix them, and phases fill the rest.
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4:51 am
Depart North Charleston by train
The Silver Meteor leaves North Charleston station at 4:51 am and reaches Savannah at 6:34 am, about 1 hour 45 minutes later, with fares from about $28 each way. Driving instead? Leave by 7 am for the 2 to 2.5 hour run down I-95, no tolls.
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Arrival
Get from the station or your parking spot to the Historic District
Savannah's Amtrak station is 3-4 miles west of the Historic District, so budget a short taxi or rideshare ride or the $1.50 Chatham Area Transit bus fare. Drivers should head for the Visitor Center lot at 301 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, which has 298 spaces, the first hour free then $1 per hour, open Monday to Saturday 8:00 am to 6:30 pm with no overnight parking. City garages mostly charge about $1 per hour, and parking is free all day Sunday in most city lots and street spaces.
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Morning
Start at the Savannah Visitor Center
The Savannah Visitor Center at 301 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd is open 9 am to 4 pm and hands out maps for the squares and the riverfront. From here the free dot Express shuttle runs through the Historic District.
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Morning
Ride the Old Savannah Trolley Tour
The Old Savannah Trolley Tour costs $37, lasts 75 minutes and is a fully narrated open-air ride through Savannah's historic districts. It starts at the Old Savannah Tours Welcome Center at 217 W. Boundary Street, not from Charleston, so book it for the morning of your day in town. Tips and hotel pickup are not included, and the operator notes it is likely to sell out.
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Midday
Walk the squares
Savannah keeps 23 of its original 24 squares, with Yamacraw Square restored as the 23rd. Johnson Square was the first, and Wright and Reynolds Squares date to 1733. Chippewa Square holds the Oglethorpe statue and was the Forrest Gump bench location, Lafayette Square has the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, and Monterey Square has the Pulaski monument. All squares and parks are free to visit.
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Early afternoon
Forsyth Park
Forsyth Park covers 30 acres with a one-mile perimeter and a cast-iron fountain erected in 1858 and modelled on Place de la Concorde. It is free, and the dot Express has a dedicated Forsyth Park route if you would rather ride than walk from the northern squares.
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Afternoon
Lunch break
Lunch is paid separately. Plan your meal before or after the riverfront walk.
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Late afternoon
River Street and the Savannah Belles Ferry
River Street is the cobblestone riverfront strip along the Savannah River, free to walk. From the Riverwalk you can hop the free Savannah Belles Ferry across to Hutchinson Island, which runs every 20 to 30 minutes, for a river-level view of the skyline on the way back.
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7:31 pm
Return on the Silver Meteor
The northbound Silver Meteor departs Savannah at 7:31 pm and reaches North Charleston at 9:17 pm.
Savannah for Free
Once you are in Savannah, the best of the city costs nothing. The squares, the big park, the riverfront, the dot Express shuttle and the ferry are free, and the figures below come from the city and transit operators.
The Free List
Savannah is unusual in that its headline sights have no gates. The 23 remaining squares, the 30-acre Forsyth Park, River Street and the Bonaventure Cemetery all cost nothing to enter, and the dot Express shuttle and the Savannah Belles Ferry both carry riders at zero fare. The table sums up what is free and the one detail worth knowing about each.
| Sight | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| The 23 squares | Free | Of the original 24, 23 remain, with Yamacraw restored as the 23rd. Johnson was the first, dating to 1733 along with Wright and Reynolds |
| Forsyth Park | Free | 30 acres, one-mile perimeter, cast-iron fountain erected in 1858 |
| River Street | Free | Cobblestone riverfront strip along the Savannah River |
| dot Express Shuttle | Free | Every 15-20 minutes, 7 am to 10 pm daily, about 20 stops in the Historic District |
| Savannah Belles Ferry | Free | Riverwalk to Hutchinson Island crossing, every 20-30 minutes |
| Bonaventure Cemetery | Free | 330 Bonaventure Road, open 8 am to 5 pm daily, free guided tours on the second Sunday of each month at 2, 2:30 and 3 pm |
Getting Around on the Dot and the Ferry
The dot Express Shuttle is free, runs every 15 to 20 minutes from 7 am to 10 pm daily, and serves about 20 stops in the Historic District on a Downtown route and a Forsyth Park route, connecting parking garages to the ferry landings. On holidays such as Memorial Day and Labor Day it runs a shorter 10 am to 6:30 pm day, and it does not run at all on Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Day. The Savannah Belles Ferry crosses the Savannah River between the Riverwalk and Hutchinson Island every 20 to 30 minutes, also free.
If you need a regular bus, the standard Chatham Area Transit cash fare is $1.50. Between the shuttle, the ferry and your own feet, a day-tripper who parks once can spend nothing further on transport.
Bonaventure Cemetery, a Short Drive Out
Bonaventure Cemetery at 330 Bonaventure Road is open 8 am to 5 pm daily and is free. The Bonaventure Historical Society runs free guided tours on the second Sunday of each month at 2, 2:30 and 3 pm. If you only have the one day, the squares, Forsyth Park and River Street fill it well, and Bonaventure is the reason to come back.
The Trolley Tour or Your Own Feet
The dot Express shuttle and the ferry are free, so a paid tour has to earn its $37. Here is the honest comparison.
What $37 Buys on the Trolley
The Old Savannah Trolley Tour costs $37, runs 75 minutes non-stop, and is a fully narrated open-air sightseeing tour of Savannah's historic districts operated by Historic Tours of America. It starts at the Old Savannah Tours Welcome Center at 217 W. Boundary Street, which is in Savannah, so it is something you do once you arrive, never a transfer from Charleston, and hotel pickup is not part of it. Tips are not included.
The rating stands at 4.7 from 1,022 reviews, and the operator warns it is likely to sell out, so book ahead if you want a set departure on a day trip.
What the Free Shuttle and Your Feet Cover
The dot Express Shuttle costs nothing, runs every 15 to 20 minutes from 7 am to 10 pm and reaches about 20 stops across the Historic District, including the Forsyth Park route. The squares themselves are free to visit. If you are happy reading a map and moving at your own pace, you can see the 23 squares, the Forsyth fountain and River Street for the cost of your parking or your $1.50 bus fare.
The trolley is for travelers who want the narration and a seated ride.
Drive or Train for the Day
The train is faster at about 1 hour 45 minutes versus 2 to 2.5 hours driving. But the schedule is rigid: the only same-day pair is the 4:51 am departure and the 7:31 pm return, and Savannah's station sits 3-4 miles west of the Historic District. For the car, the Visitor Center lot runs $1 per hour after a free first hour and private garages charge $10 to $20 a day, but it lets you leave when you choose, add Beaufort on the way, and reach Bonaventure Cemetery.
One more honest note for context: this site is mainly about cruises from Charleston SC, and while American Cruise Lines' 8-night Southeast Sea Islands cruise calls at Savannah, it is a multi-day voyage, not a day trip option.
Cobblestones and converted cotton warehouses line River Street along the Savannah River. Photo: Seasider53, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Charleston to Savannah: Questions
Can you do a day trip to Savannah from Charleston?
Yes. The drive is about 106 to 110 miles and 2 to 2.5 hours each way via I-95 with no tolls, and by train the Silver Meteor leaves North Charleston at 4:51 am, arrives at 6:34 am, and the 7:31 pm return reaches North Charleston at 9:17 pm. See the full plan in A Day in Savannah from Charleston.
Can you take a train from Charleston to Savannah?
Yes. Amtrak runs from North Charleston station at 4565 Gaynor Avenue to Savannah in about 1 hour 45 minutes with fares from about $28 each way, but only the Silver Meteor pair, out at 4:51 am and back at 7:31 pm, works for a same-day trip. The details are in Charleston to Savannah by Car or Train.
How far is the drive from Charleston to Savannah?
The drive from Charleston to Savannah is about 106 to 110 miles via I-95 and takes roughly 2 to 2.5 hours one way, with no tolls on I-95 or US-17. Beaufort, about 70 miles from Charleston, makes a natural stop, and other stops are listed under day trips from Charleston SC.
Where do you park in Savannah for a day trip?
The Visitor Center lot at 301 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd has 298 spaces with the first hour free then $1 per hour, open Monday to Saturday 8:00 am to 6:30 pm with no overnight parking, and a one-day Visitor Parking Pass costs $15 from 100 East Bryan Street. City garages mostly charge about $1 per hour, and parking is free all day Sunday in most city lots and street spaces. From the lot you can walk or ride the free dot Express Shuttle.
Is the Savannah trolley tour a transfer from Charleston?
No. The Old Savannah Trolley Tour costs $37, lasts 75 minutes, and starts at the Old Savannah Tours Welcome Center at 217 W. Boundary Street in Savannah, so you still need the drive or the train to get there. It is a sightseeing loop, not transportation, and you can read about it in The Trolley Tour or Your Own Feet.
What is free to do in Savannah in one day?
The 23 squares, Forsyth Park with its 1858 fountain, River Street and Bonaventure Cemetery are all free, and so are the dot Express Shuttle, running 7 am to 10 pm every 15 to 20 minutes, and the Savannah Belles Ferry every 20 to 30 minutes. The full list with hours is in Savannah for Free.