Origin
Buena Vista, VA
Morning in Buena Vista on Friday
Local time
8:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buena Vista, 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
1h 23m
Distance
72.3 mi
116 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buena Vista, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Charlottesville, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Buena Vista, VA to Charlottesville, VA covers 72.3 miles and takes about 1h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 64, I 81, East Midland Trail for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 32.6 miles on I 64. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.31 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 72.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 23m highway drive covering 72.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 64 and I 81. The longest continuous stretch is about 32.6 miles on I 64.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 64 is the longest continuous segment at about 32.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 64 and I 81. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 501 / Sycamore Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 23m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 501 / Sycamore Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 60 / West 29th Street): Navigation decision point; at 36.7 miles (I 64): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 501 / Sycamore Avenue
Turn right onto US 501 / Sycamore Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 60 / West 29th Street
Turn left onto US 60 / West 29th Street
Navigation decision point
5
36.7 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
I 64
Keep slight right at fork onto I 64 toward I 64 East: Richmond
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 64 East: Richmond
4
69.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward VA 631: Charlottesville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward VA 631: Charlottesville
5
71.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
|
2nd Street Southwest
Turn left onto 2nd Street Southwest
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 64 | 32.6 mi | 35m |
| I 81 | 32.4 mi | 34m |
| East Midland Trail | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| 5th Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| West 29th Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Beech Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Ridge Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| West Market Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 64
— 32.6 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buena Vista, VA and Charlottesville, VA.
1
Start on East 21st Street
444 ft
·
23 sec
·
East 21st Street
2
Turn right onto US 501
483 ft
·
6 sec
·
Sycamore Avenue
3
Turn straight onto US 501
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Beech Avenue
4
Turn left onto US 60
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
West 29th Street
5
Continue on US 60
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
East Midland Trail
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
7
Merge onto I 81
32 mi
·
34 min
·
I 81
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 64
33 mi
·
35 min
·
I 64
Toward I 64 East: Richmond
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward VA 631: Charlottesville
10
Turn left onto SR 631
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
5th Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on Ridge Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Ridge Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
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
·
28 sec
·
2nd Street Southwest
14
Turn right onto US 250 BUS
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
·
West Market Street
15
Turn right onto 7th Street Northeast
286 ft
·
15 sec
·
7th Street Northeast
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 36.1 mi from Buena Vista, VA · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.1 miles from Buena Vista, 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
$11.31 one way
$22.61 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $12.36 | $24.72 |
| premium | $4.70 | $13.38 | $26.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.96 | $31.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.7 | 0 | $7.59 | $3.47 |
| Efficient EV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.33 | $2.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.9 | 0 | $10.12 | $4.63 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
8:29 AM
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
28 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 23m 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 Buena Vista, VA to Charlottesville, VA covers 72.3 miles and takes about 1h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 64, I 81, East Midland Trail. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 36.1 miles from Buena Vista, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.31 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 straightforward 1h 23m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 501 / Sycamore Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 60 / West 29th Street): Navigation decision point; at 36.7 miles (I 64): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Buena Vista, VA to Charlottesville, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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