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Trip from Charlottesville, VA to Petersburg, VA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 2m

Distance

80.4 mi

129 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
1h 54m ★
6 AM
2h 3m
8 AM
2h 20m
10 AM
2h 9m
12 PM
2h 7m
3 PM
2h 10m
5 PM
2h 19m
8 PM
1h 57m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Charlottesville, VA, VA

Charlottesville, VA

Wikimedia Commons

independent city in Virginia, United States

Petersburg, VA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Charlottesville, VA to Petersburg, VA covers 80.4 miles and takes about 2h 2m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Seminole Trail, Zachary Taylor Highway, F.T. Valley Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.7 miles on Seminole Trail. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.57 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

40.2 miles from Charlottesville, VA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 2m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 2m. Total distance: 80.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (9%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 2m drive with frequent turns across 80.4 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Seminole Trail is the longest continuous segment at about 24.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 250 BUS / East Market Street.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h 2m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 250 BUS / East Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (7th Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (US 250 BUS / East High Street): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 250 BUS / East Market Street

Turn left onto US 250 BUS / East Market Street

Navigation decision point

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | 7th Street Northeast

Turn right onto 7th Street Northeast

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
4
0.2 mi into trip | ~1m in | US 250 BUS / East High Street

Turn left onto US 250 BUS / East High Street

Navigation decision point

5
2.7 mi into trip | ~6m in | SR 743 / Hydraulic Road

Enter roundabout onto SR 743 / Hydraulic Road

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

5
2.9 mi into trip | ~7m in | US 29 / Seminole Trail

Turn right onto US 29 / Seminole Trail

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Seminole Trail 24.7 mi 36m
Zachary Taylor Highway 10.1 mi 14m
F.T. Valley Road 8.2 mi 11m
Lee Highway 8.1 mi 11m
John Marshall Highway 7.3 mi 12m
South F T Valley Road 7.1 mi 10m
North Blue Ridge Turnpike 5.4 mi 7m
Remount Road 4.7 mi 7m
Longest stretch: Seminole Trail — 24.7 mi, about 36m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on this road

233 ft · 22 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto US 250 BUS

180 ft · 9 sec · East Market Street
3

Turn right onto 7th Street Northeast

0.1 mi · 31 sec · 7th Street Northeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Turn left onto US 250 BUS

315 ft · 14 sec · East High Street
5

Turn right onto Park Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · Park Street
6

Turn left

252 ft · 7 sec
7

Take the ramp

141 ft · 3 sec
Toward US 250 West
8

Merge onto US 250

1.5 mi · 2 min · U.S. 250 Bypass
9

Turn right onto SR 743

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Hydraulic Road
10

Enter roundabout onto SR 743

94 ft · 2 sec · Hydraulic Road
11

Continue on SR 743

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Hydraulic Road
12

Turn right onto US 29

25 mi · 36 min · Seminole Trail
Use the straight / right lanes.
13

Turn slight left onto US 29 BUS; VA 231

1.3 mi · 1 min · South Main Street
14

Turn slight left onto VA 231

5.4 mi · 7 min · North Blue Ridge Turnpike
15

Continue on VA 231

7.1 mi · 10 min · South F T Valley Road
16

Continue on VA 231

8.2 mi · 11 min · F.T. Valley Road
17

At end of road, turn left onto US 522

0.7 mi · 1 min · Sperryville Pike
18

Continue on US 522

0.1 mi · 21 sec · Sperryville Pike
19

At end of road, turn right onto US 211; US 522

8.1 mi · 11 min · Lee Highway
20

Turn left onto US 522

10 mi · 14 min · Zachary Taylor Highway
21

Continue on US 522

4.7 mi · 7 min · Remount Road
22

Turn right onto VA 55

7.3 mi · 12 min · John Marshall Highway
23

Arrive at destination

VA 55

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 40.2 miles from Charlottesville, VA, or about 1h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 24.7 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 18 miles or 29m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 40.2 miles or 1h 2m 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 43m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Petersburg, VA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Charlottesville, 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 Charlottesville, VA

This is one driving day of about 80.4 miles and 2h 2m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Charlottesville, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Seminole Trail for about 24.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 40.2 mi from Charlottesville, VA · 1h 2m into the drive

Downtown Brightwood, VA, VA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Brightwood, VA

40 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

Ruckersville, VA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Brightwood, VA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 40.2 miles from Charlottesville, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Petersburg, VA

The final approach into Petersburg, 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 Petersburg, VA.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park

Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley has a long and rich heritage that still inspires today. Native Americans first shaped the land, followed by colonists and settlers. The fertile valley became an important...

10 mi from route ~26 min detour Free near mile 72
View on nps.gov
Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park

National Park

Just 75 miles from the bustle of Washington, D.C., Shenandoah National Park is a land bursting with cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, fields of wildflowers, and quiet wooded hollows. With over...

10 mi from route ~25 min detour $30 near mile 36
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$12.57 one way

$25.15 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 28 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $13.75 $27.49
premium $4.70 $14.88 $29.76
diesel $5.61 $17.75 $35.50

Estimated Tolls: $0.38

North Blue Ridge Turnpike (5.4 mi) $0.38

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Tolls

$0

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 28.1 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 24.1 0 $8.44 $3.86
Efficient EV 20.1 0 $7.04 $3.22
EV Truck/SUV 32.2 0 $11.26 $5.15

Gas CO2

28 kg

EV CO2

9 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Charlottesville, VA

Afternoon in Charlottesville on Friday

Local time

1:53 PM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Petersburg, VA

Afternoon in Petersburg on Friday

Local time

1:53 PM

EDT

Current temp

48°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

26 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 2m 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 Charlottesville, VA to Petersburg, VA covers 80.4 miles and takes about 2h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Seminole Trail, Zachary Taylor Highway, F.T. Valley Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 40.2 miles from Charlottesville, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.57 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 2h 2m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 250 BUS / East Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (7th Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (US 250 BUS / East High Street): Navigation decision point.

The route from Charlottesville, VA to Petersburg, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park and Shenandoah National Park.

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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