Origin
Alexandria, VA
Morning in Alexandria on Friday
Local time
11:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alexandria, VA to Rosslyn, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
7.5 mi
12 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 17m
8 AM
0h 20m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 18m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 20m
8 PM
0h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alexandria, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Rosslyn, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Alexandria, VA to Rosslyn, VA is 7.5 miles and takes about 16 minutes via George Washington Memorial Parkway, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Virginia and covers a small portion of the Southeast region. Expect a fairly direct drive with limited stops, making it an easy addition to any travel plans in the area. Given its brevity, this route is best suited for those looking for a quick transit between these two points without significant detours.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 7.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 67% of the journey on major roads. You'll experience the George Washington Memorial Parkway for a continuous stretch of 5 miles, offering a consistent driving experience. The route transitions between parkway and city street segments, providing a mix of faster travel and more immediate urban surroundings as you approach your destination. The overall profile suggests a straightforward, relatively quick transit rather than a winding, scenic exploration.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
George Washington Memorial Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on George Washington Memorial Parkway and South Washington Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 7.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 16m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
9
6.1 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Memorial Bridge, Arlington Cemetery
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward Memorial Bridge, Arlington Cemetery
8
6.2 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 395
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 395
8
6.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 50 West: US Marine Corps War Memorial, Netherlands Carillon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 50 West: US Marine Corps War Memorial...
8
6.9 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward Rosslyn, Key Bridge
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 Rosslyn, Key Bridge
8
7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Rosslyn
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward Rosslyn
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Alexandria, VA and Rosslyn, VA, road signs point toward Arlington Cemetery and Netherlands Carillon.
Arlington Cemetery
5.8 mi in
|
~12m
Netherlands Carillon
6.4 mi in
|
~13m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| George Washington Memorial Parkway | 5 mi | 9m |
| South Washington Street | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| North Lynn Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| 19th Street North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Arlington Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Nash Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
George Washington Memorial Parkway
— 5 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alexandria, VA and Rosslyn, VA.
1
Start on VA 400
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
South Washington Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Continue on GWMP
5.0 mi
·
9 min
·
George Washington Memorial Parkway
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward US 50 West: Rosslyn-Key Bridge, Memorial Bridge, Arlington Cemetery
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward Memorial Bridge, Arlington Cemetery
Use the straight lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork
131 ft
·
5 sec
Toward I 395
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Enter roundabout
279 ft
·
16 sec
7
Continue
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 50 West: US Marine Corps War Memorial, Netherlands Carillon
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto US 50
441 ft
·
8 sec
·
Arlington Boulevard
10
Take the exit
366 ft
·
10 sec
Toward Rosslyn, Key Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
325 ft
·
9 sec
Toward Rosslyn
Use the right lane.
12
Merge onto North Lynn Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
North Lynn Street
13
Turn left onto 19th Street North
472 ft
·
16 sec
·
19th Street North
Use the straight / left lanes.
14
Continue on North Nash Street
34 ft
·
0 sec
·
North Nash Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
North Nash Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.17 one way
$2.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $1.28 | $2.56 |
| premium | $4.70 | $1.39 | $2.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.66 | $3.31 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.79 | $0.36 |
| Efficient EV | 1.9 | 0 | $0.66 | $0.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3 | 0 | $1.05 | $0.48 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Rosslyn, VA
Morning in Rosslyn on Friday
Local time
11:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
8 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
16m 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 Rosslyn, VA covers 7.5 miles and takes about 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are George Washington Memorial Parkway, South Washington Street, North Lynn Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 3.7 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 $1.17 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 short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 7.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 16m.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Alexandria, VA and Rosslyn, VA, road signs point toward Arlington Cemetery and Netherlands Carillon.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.
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.
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