Origin
Arlington, VA
Afternoon in Arlington on Saturday
Local time
3:02 PM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington, VA to Herndon, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
19.2 mi
31 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington, VA
Dominik Gryzbon
Herndon, VA
Eric Joseph
Trip Overview
This short 19.2-mile drive from Arlington, VA to Herndon, VA takes about 31 minutes and is best suited as a single-day trip. With a modest fuel cost of around $3, this route offers a straightforward journey within the Southeast region of Virginia. It's a practical option for a quick transition between these two points, requiring no overnight stops. The drive primarily utilizes toll roads and local parkways, making it an efficient, albeit turn-heavy, local commute.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dulles Toll Road | 11.8 mi | 16m |
| Custis Memorial Parkway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Elden Street | 1.1 mi | 3m |
| Fairfax County Parkway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Wilson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Glebe Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Fairfax Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Spring Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dulles Toll Road
— 11.8 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, VA and Herndon, VA.
1
Start on Wilson Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilson Boulevard
2
Turn slight right onto VA 120
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Glebe Road
Use the right lane.
3
Turn left onto Fairfax Drive
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Fairfax Drive
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Toward I 66 Toll West
5
Merge onto I 66
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Custis Memorial Parkway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 267
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Dulles Toll Road
Exit 67
Toward VA 267 West: Dulles Airport
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 267
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Dulles Toll Road
Toward VA 267 West
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
22 sec
9
Merge onto VA 267
7.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Dulles Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
1 min
Exit 11
Toward VA 286: Fairfax County Parkway
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto VA 286
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Fairfax County Parkway
Use the right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
13
Keep slight left at fork
351 ft
·
11 sec
Toward SR 606 West: Elden Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn straight onto SR 606
1.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Elden Street
Use the left lane.
15
Turn left onto Spring Street
41 ft
·
1 sec
·
Spring Street
Use the left lane.
16
Arrive at destination
Spring Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 4.6 and 18 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
4.6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road toward VA 267 West: Dulles Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 67
Toward VA 267 West: Dulles Airport
7
6.9 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road toward VA 267 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward VA 267 West
7
16.7 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward VA 286: Fairfax County Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 11
Toward VA 286: Fairfax County Parkway
6
17.1 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
VA 286 / Fairfax County Parkway
Turn right onto VA 286 / Fairfax County Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
18 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward SR 606 West: Elden Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward SR 606 West: Elden Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.00 one way
$6.00 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $3.28 | $6.57 |
| premium | $4.70 | $3.55 | $7.11 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.24 | $8.48 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.37
Dulles Toll Road
(11.8 mi)
$2.37
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$2
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.02 | $0.92 |
| Efficient EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.68 | $0.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.69 | $1.23 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Herndon, VA
Afternoon in Herndon on Saturday
Local time
3:02 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
14 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
31m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this 19.2-mile route. Only 21% of this journey is on highways, meaning you'll navigate through a mix of parkways and local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.8 miles on the Dulles Toll Road, offering a brief period of higher-speed travel before transitioning back to more frequent turns. The overall feel is one of navigating through developed areas with regular changes in direction.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.8 mi on Dulles Toll Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.6 miles in near VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road.
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 13 decision points packed into just 19.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.6 miles (VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 19.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.8 miles on Dulles Toll Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.37 in tolls one way, starting with Dulles Toll Road. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Herndon, VA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.6 miles (VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Herndon, VA before heading back.
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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