The drive from Alexandria, VA to Bon Air, VA covers 107.1 miles and takes about 2h 9m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 95, Capital Beltway (Local), Powhite Parkway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 92 miles on I 95.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.75 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53.5 miles from Alexandria, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 6m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 9m. Total distance: 107.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 9m highway drive covering 107.1 miles, with most of the trip on I 95 and Capital Beltway (Local). The longest continuous stretch is about 92 miles on I 95.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 95 is the longest continuous segment at about 92 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Capital Beltway (Local). This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 107.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 98.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
0.9 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, I 495 West, I 95 North, I 495 East: Richmond, Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, I 495 West, I 95 North, I 49...
8
1 mi into trip|~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 South, I 495 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95 South, I 495 West
8
98.6 mi into trip|~1h 56m in
Take the exit toward I 195 South, I 64 West: Charlottesville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 79
Toward I 195 South, I 64 West: Charlottesville
7
98.8 mi into trip|~1h 56m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 195 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 195 South
8
101.3 mi into trip|~1h 59m in|VA 76 / Powhite Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto VA 76 / Powhite Parkway toward SR 160, US 60, US 360: Powhite Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward SR 160, US 60, US 360: Powhite Parkway
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 95
92 mi
1h 44m
Capital Beltway (Local)
5 mi
6m
Powhite Parkway
2.9 mi
4m
Beltline Expressway
2.1 mi
2m
Jahnke Road
1 mi
2m
E-ZPass Only (Powhite Parkway)
1 mi
1m
Buford Road
0.6 mi
1m
South Washington Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 92 mi, about 1h 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alexandria, VA and Bon Air, VA.
1
Start on VA 400
75 ft·6 sec·South Washington Street
2
Turn right onto King Street
314 ft·14 sec·King Street
3
Turn right onto South Saint Asaph Street
0.2 mi·41 sec·South Saint Asaph Street
4
Turn right onto Duke Street
334 ft·18 sec·Duke Street
5
Turn left onto VA 400
0.2 mi·50 sec·South Washington Street
6
Turn right onto Gibbon Street
0.2 mi·37 sec·Gibbon Street
7
Turn left onto US 1
0.2 mi·34 sec·South Patrick Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
438 ft·10 sec
Toward I 95 South, I 495 West, I 95 North, I 495 East: Richmond, BaltimoreUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 95 South, I 495 WestUse the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 95; I 495
5.0 mi·6 min·Capital Beltway (Local)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
37 mi·43 min·I 95
Use the slight left lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
55 mi·1 hr·I 95
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·18 sec
Exit 79Toward I 195 South, I 64 West: CharlottesvilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·33 sec
Toward I 195 SouthUse the slight left lane.
15
Continue on I 195
2.1 mi·2 min·Beltline Expressway
Use the straight lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto VA 76
2.2 mi·3 min·Powhite Parkway
Toward SR 160, US 60, US 360: Powhite ParkwayUse the straight lane.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto VA 76
1.0 mi·1 min·E-ZPass Only (Powhite Parkway)
18
Merge onto VA 76
0.7 mi·1 min·Powhite Parkway
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward SR 686 West: Jahnke RoadUse the slight right lane.
20
Turn straight onto SR 686
1.0 mi·2 min·Jahnke Road
21
Turn sharp right onto SR 678
0.6 mi·1 min·Buford Road
22
Turn left onto SR 718
14 ft·0 sec·Rockaway Road
23
Arrive at destination
SR 718
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 53.5 miles from Alexandria, VA, or about 1h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 92 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 24 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.5 miles or 1h 6m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bon Air, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Alexandria, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Alexandria, VA
This is one driving day of about 107.1 miles and 2h 9m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Alexandria, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 95 for about 92 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 53.5 mi from Alexandria, VA
· 1h 6m into the drive
The midpoint is around 53.5 miles from Alexandria, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before I 95 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 92 miles.
Arriving in Bon Air, VA
The final approach into Bon Air, VA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Bon Air, VA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Petersburg National Battlefield
National Battlefield
Two hundred ninety-two days, eight offensives, over 70,000 casualties, U. S. Colored Troops, and the decline of Gen. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia all describe the Siege of Petersburg. U.S. forces c...
23 mi from route
~59 min detour
Free
near mile 107.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.75 one way
$33.50 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg38 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$18.31
$36.62
premium
$4.70
$19.82
$39.64
diesel
$5.61
$23.65
$47.29
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32.1
0
$11.25
$5.14
Efficient EV
26.8
0
$9.37
$4.28
EV Truck/SUV
42.8
0
$14.99
$6.85
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (65% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Alexandria, VA
Afternoon
in Alexandria on Friday
Local time
4:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Bon Air, VA
Afternoon
in Bon Air on Friday
Local time
4:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Stafford, VA
54 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
11 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 9m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Alexandria, VA to Bon Air, VA covers 107.1 miles and takes about 2h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 95, Capital Beltway (Local), Powhite Parkway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 53.5 miles from Alexandria, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.75 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 107.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 98.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Alexandria, VA to Bon Air, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Petersburg National Battlefield.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
