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Trip from Bridgewater, VA to Charlottesville, VA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h

Distance

57.9 mi

93 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 56m ★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 57m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States

Bridgewater, VA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Charlottesville, VA, VA

Charlottesville, VA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Bridgewater, VA to Charlottesville, VA covers 57.9 miles and takes about 1h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on North Main Street, Dinkel Avenue, Friedens Church Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.05 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 57.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h drive with frequent turns across 57.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Bridgewater, VA to Charlottesville, VA is easy. At 1h with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Bridgewater, VA to Charlottesville, VA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Main Street
Dinkel Avenue
Friedens Church Road
I 64 East
VA 631
5th Street
Ridge Street
Water Street West

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: North Main Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bridgewater, VA and Charlottesville, VA.

1

Start on East College Street

20 ft · 5 sec · East College Street
2

Turn right onto North Main Street

0.2 mi · 33 sec · North Main Street
3

Turn right onto Dinkel Avenue

2.6 mi · 5 min · Dinkel Avenue
4

Continue on Friedens Church Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · Friedens Church Road
5

Take the ramp right

0.2 mi · 29 sec
6

Merge slight left

18 mi · 19 min
7

Take the exit slight right toward I 64 East: Richmond

0.6 mi · 54 sec · I 64 East: Richmond
8

Merge slight right

32 mi · 35 min
9

Take the exit slight right toward VA 631: Charlottesville

0.2 mi · 28 sec · VA 631: Charlottesville
10

Turn left onto 5th Street

1.7 mi · 3 min · 5th Street
11

Continue on Ridge Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Ridge Street
12

Turn slight right onto Water Street West

0.1 mi · 32 sec · Water Street West
13

Turn left onto 2nd Street Southwest

0.1 mi · 29 sec · 2nd Street Southwest
14

Turn right onto West Market Street

0.3 mi · 59 sec · West Market Street
15

Turn right onto 7th Street Northeast

285 ft · 16 sec · 7th Street Northeast
16

Arrive at your destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 29 mi from Bridgewater, VA · 30m into the drive

Downtown Waynesboro, VA, VA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Waynesboro, VA

29 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.

Popular next leg

Waynesboro, VA to Charlottesville, VA

28.4 mi · 32m

Pacing Suggestions

Verona, VA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Waynesboro, VA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29 miles from Bridgewater, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Charlottesville, VA

The final approach into Charlottesville, VA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.05 one way

$18.11 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $9.90 $19.80
premium $4.70 $10.72 $21.43
diesel $5.61 $12.78 $25.57

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.4 0 $6.08 $2.78
Efficient EV 14.5 0 $5.07 $2.32
EV Truck/SUV 23.2 0 $8.11 $3.71

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 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

Bridgewater, VA

Afternoon in Bridgewater on Thursday

Local time

12:50 PM

EDT

Current temp

71°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Charlottesville, VA

Afternoon in Charlottesville on Thursday

Local time

12:50 PM

EDT

Current temp

74°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

3 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

1h 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 Bridgewater, VA to Charlottesville, VA covers 57.9 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Main Street, Dinkel Avenue, Friedens Church Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 29 miles from Bridgewater, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.05 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.
The drive from Bridgewater, VA to Charlottesville, VA is easy. At 1h with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Bridgewater, VA to Charlottesville, VA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Bridgewater, VA to Charlottesville, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore more options from Bridgewater, VA or browse trips ending in Charlottesville, VA.

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