Origin
Ashburn, VA
Late night in Ashburn on Friday
Local time
2:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ashburn, VA to Alexandria, VA
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
58m
Distance
40.8 mi
66 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ashburn, VA
Curtis Adams
Alexandria, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Ashburn, VA to Alexandria, VA covers 40.8 miles and takes about 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Capital Beltway, Dulles Toll Road, Dulles Greenway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.4 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.38 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 40.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 58m drive with frequent turns across 40.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Capital Beltway is the longest continuous segment at about 15.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 2.5 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 14 decision points packed into just 40.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 19.8 miles (VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Turn left toward VA 267 Toll East: Washington
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward VA 267 Toll East: Washington
6
19.8 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
21 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward I 495 South: Richmond
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 18A
Toward I 495 South: Richmond
8
37.2 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway (Local)
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway (Local) toward I 95, I 495: Alexandria
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95, I 495: Alexandria
8
39.2 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Take the exit toward US 1: Alexandria, Fort Belvoir
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 177A-B
Toward US 1: Alexandria, Fort Belvoir
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 15.4 mi | 19m |
| Dulles Toll Road | 11 mi | 14m |
| Dulles Greenway | 7.1 mi | 9m |
| Capital Beltway (Local) | 2 mi | 2m |
| Claiborne Parkway | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Hay Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South Washington Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Patrick Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 15.4 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ashburn, VA and Alexandria, VA.
1
Start on SR 641
59 ft
·
6 sec
·
Ashburn Road
2
Turn right onto SR 642
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Hay Road
3
Turn left onto SR 901
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Claiborne Parkway
4
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward VA 267 Toll East: Washington
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto VA 267
7.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Dulles Greenway
6
Merge onto VA 267
9.8 mi
·
13 min
·
Dulles Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 267
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Dulles Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 18A
Toward I 495 South: Richmond
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 18A
Toward I 495 South: Richmond
10
Merge onto I 495
15 mi
·
19 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95; I 495
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Capital Beltway (Local)
Toward I 95, I 495: Alexandria
Use the slight right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 177A-B
Toward US 1: Alexandria, Fort Belvoir
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 177B
Toward US 1 North: Alexandria
14
Merge onto US 1
440 ft
·
8 sec
·
Richmond Highway
15
Continue on US 1
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
South Patrick Street
16
Turn right onto Franklin Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Franklin Street
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto VA 400
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Washington Street
Use the left lane.
18
Arrive at destination
VA 400
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.4 mi from Ashburn, VA · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 40.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.4 miles from Ashburn, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Alexandria, VA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Alexandria, VA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.38 one way
$12.76 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.98 | $13.95 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.55 | $15.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.01 | $18.02 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.98
Dulles Toll Road
(11 mi)
$2.20
Dulles Greenway
(7.1 mi)
$1.78
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$4
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.28 | $1.96 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.71 | $2.61 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Alexandria, VA
Late night in Alexandria on Friday
Local time
2:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Mostly Cloudy then Scattered Rain Showers
NW 6 to 13 mph
33% chance
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
1 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
58m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Ashburn, VA to Alexandria, VA covers 40.8 miles and takes about 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Capital Beltway, Dulles Toll Road, Dulles Greenway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.4 miles from Ashburn, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.38 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 14 decision points packed into just 40.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 19.8 miles (VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Ashburn, VA to Alexandria, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.
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