Origin
Buckhall, VA
Morning in Buckhall on Friday
Local time
9:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buckhall, VA to Charlottesville, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 9m
Distance
87 mi
140 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 0m
★
6 AM
2h 9m
8 AM
2h 27m
10 AM
2h 15m
12 PM
2h 14m
3 PM
2h 16m
5 PM
2h 26m
8 PM
2h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buckhall, VA
Eric Joseph
Charlottesville, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Buckhall, VA to Charlottesville, VA covers 87 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 North Seminole Trail, James Madison Highway, Catlett Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 33.8 miles on North Seminole Trail. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.60 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
43.5 miles from Buckhall, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 5m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 9m. Total distance: 87 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 (9%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 9m drive with frequent turns across 87 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Seminole Trail is the longest continuous segment at about 33.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near VA 294 / Prince William Parkway.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 87 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (VA 294 / Prince William Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 27.8 miles (US 15; US 29 / James Madison Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 84.1 miles (SR 743 / Hydraulic Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
VA 294 / Prince William Parkway
Turn left onto VA 294 / Prince William Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
27.8 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
US 15; US 29 / James Madison Highway
Merge onto US 15; US 29 / James Madison Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
84.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 2m in
|
SR 743 / Hydraulic Road
Turn left onto SR 743 / Hydraulic Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
84.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 2m in
|
SR 743 / Hydraulic Road
Enter roundabout onto SR 743 / Hydraulic Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
86 mi into trip
|
~2h 6m in
Take the exit toward Park Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Park Street
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Seminole Trail | 33.8 mi | 47m |
| James Madison Highway | 14.6 mi | 18m |
| Catlett Road | 13.9 mi | 23m |
| James Monroe Highway | 7.8 mi | 9m |
| Nokesville Road | 6.6 mi | 10m |
| Prince William Parkway | 6.5 mi | 9m |
| U.S. 250 Bypass | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Park Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
North Seminole Trail
— 33.8 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buckhall, VA and Charlottesville, VA.
1
Start on SR 662
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
Moore Drive
2
Turn left onto VA 294
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Prince William Parkway
3
Turn left onto VA 294
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Prince William Parkway
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
this road
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on VA 234
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Prince William Parkway
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
7
Merge onto VA 28
6.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Nokesville Road
8
Continue on VA 28
14 mi
·
23 min
·
Catlett Road
9
Merge onto US 15; US 29
15 mi
·
18 min
·
James Madison Highway
10
Continue on US 29
7.8 mi
·
9 min
·
James Monroe Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on US 29
34 mi
·
47 min
·
North Seminole Trail
12
Turn left onto SR 743
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Hydraulic Road
Use the left lane.
13
Enter roundabout onto SR 743
96 ft
·
2 sec
·
Hydraulic Road
14
Continue on SR 743
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Hydraulic Road
15
Turn left onto US 250
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
U.S. 250 Bypass
16
Take the exit
482 ft
·
20 sec
Toward Park Street
17
Turn right onto Park Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Park Street
18
Turn left onto US 250 BUS
315 ft
·
12 sec
·
East High Street
19
Turn right onto 7th Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
7th Street Northeast
20
Arrive at destination
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 43.5 miles from Buckhall, VA, or about 1h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 33.8 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 19 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.5 miles or 1h 5m 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 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Charlottesville, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Buckhall, 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 Buckhall, VA
This is one driving day of about 87 miles and 2h 9m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Buckhall, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on North Seminole Trail for about 33.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 43.5 mi from Buckhall, VA · 1h 5m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
44 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 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 43.5 miles from Buckhall, 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.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Charlottesville, VA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.60 one way
$27.21 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
30 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $14.88 | $29.75 |
| premium | $4.70 | $16.10 | $32.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $19.21 | $38.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 26.1 | 0 | $9.13 | $4.18 |
| Efficient EV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.61 | $3.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 34.8 | 0 | $12.18 | $5.57 |
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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
Charlottesville, VA
Morning in Charlottesville on Friday
Local time
9:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
4 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
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 Buckhall, VA to Charlottesville, VA covers 87 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 North Seminole Trail, James Madison Highway, Catlett Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 43.5 miles from Buckhall, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.60 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 87 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (VA 294 / Prince William Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 27.8 miles (US 15; US 29 / James Madison Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 84.1 miles (SR 743 / Hydraulic Road): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Buckhall, VA to Charlottesville, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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