Origin
Charlottesville, VA
Morning in Charlottesville on Friday
Local time
8:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Charlottesville, VA to Salem, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
56.1 mi
90 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Charlottesville, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Salem, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Charlottesville, VA to Salem, VA covers 56.1 miles and takes about 1h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Spotswood Trail, Seminole Trail, 4th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.2 miles on Spotswood Trail. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.77 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 56.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m 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 1h 24m drive with frequent turns across 56.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Spotswood Trail is the longest continuous segment at about 18.2 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 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 250 BUS / East Market Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 56.1 miles you will encounter 15 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: near the start (US 250 BUS / East Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (7th Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (SR 743 / Hydraulic Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese 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.
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
6
56 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
Turn sharp right
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
7
56 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
|
US 211; US 340
Turn uturn onto US 211; US 340
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Spotswood Trail | 18.2 mi | 23m |
| Seminole Trail | 13.6 mi | 21m |
| 4th Street | 11.4 mi | 17m |
| North East Side Highway | 4.3 mi | 6m |
| Stanardsville By-Pass | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| US 211 | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| U.S. 250 Bypass | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| South Stuart Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Spotswood Trail
— 18.2 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charlottesville, VA and Salem, 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
14 mi
·
21 min
·
Seminole Trail
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto US 33
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Spotswood Trail
14
Continue on US 33
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Stanardsville By-Pass
15
Continue on US 33
13 mi
·
16 min
·
Spotswood Trail
16
Take the exit onto US 33 BUS
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
US 33 BUS
Use the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto US 33 BUS
363 ft
·
11 sec
·
US 33 BUS
18
Continue on US 340
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Stuart Avenue
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
19
Continue on US 340
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
North East Side Highway
20
Continue on US 340
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
South Third Street
21
Continue on US 340
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
3rd Street
22
Continue on US 340
11 mi
·
17 min
·
4th Street
23
Turn right onto US 211; US 340
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
US 211; US 340
24
Turn left onto SR 615
204 ft
·
11 sec
·
Egypt Bend Road
25
Turn sharp right
189 ft
·
15 sec
26
Turn uturn onto US 211; US 340
224 ft
·
11 sec
·
US 211; US 340
27
Arrive at destination
US 211; US 340
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28 mi from Charlottesville, VA · 44m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28 miles from Charlottesville, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Salem, VA
The final approach into Salem, 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
$8.77 one way
$17.55 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.59 | $19.18 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.38 | $20.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.39 | $24.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.6 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 | 16.8 | 0 | $5.89 | $2.69 |
| Efficient EV | 14 | 0 | $4.91 | $2.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.4 | 0 | $7.85 | $3.59 |
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.
Destination
Salem, VA
Morning in Salem on Friday
Local time
8:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
35°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Elkton, VA
28 mi in
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
39 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
1h 24m 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 Salem, VA covers 56.1 miles and takes about 1h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Spotswood Trail, Seminole Trail, 4th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28 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 $8.77 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 56.1 miles you will encounter 15 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: near the start (US 250 BUS / East Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (7th Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (SR 743 / Hydraulic Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
The route from Charlottesville, VA to Salem, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Shenandoah National Park and Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park.
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. National park proximity is from the NPS API. 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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