Origin
Charlottesville, VA
Afternoon in Charlottesville on Friday
Local time
1:26 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Charlottesville, VA to Buena Vista, 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
73.7 mi
119 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Charlottesville, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Buena Vista, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Charlottesville, VA to Buena Vista, VA covers 73.7 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 I 64, East Midland Trail, I 81 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 64.4 miles on I 64. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.53 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: 73.7 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.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 24m highway drive covering 73.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 64 and East Midland Trail. The longest continuous stretch is about 64.4 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 17 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 64.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 64 and East Midland Trail. You will hit about 9 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
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 73.7 miles you will encounter 9 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 (VA 20 / 9th Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (VA 20 / Monticello Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 250 BUS / East Market Street
Turn right onto US 250 BUS / East Market Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
VA 20 / 9th Street Northeast
Turn right onto VA 20 / 9th Street Northeast
Navigation decision point
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
VA 20 / Monticello Avenue
Turn left onto VA 20 / Monticello Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
66.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
I 81
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
73.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
|
West 21st Street
Turn left onto West 21st Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 64 | 64.4 mi | 1h 10m |
| East Midland Trail | 3 mi | 3m |
| I 81 | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| Monticello Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| 29th Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Beech Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Avon Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 9th Street Southeast | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 64
— 64.4 mi, about 1h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charlottesville, VA and Buena Vista, VA.
1
Start on this road
233 ft
·
18 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto US 250 BUS
246 ft
·
14 sec
·
East Market Street
3
Turn right onto VA 20
180 ft
·
6 sec
·
9th Street Northeast
4
Continue on VA 20
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
9th Street Southeast
5
Continue on VA 20
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
Avon Street
6
Turn left onto VA 20
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Monticello Avenue
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
8
Merge onto I 64
64 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
I 64
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
I 81
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward US 60 East: Buena Vista
11
Continue on US 60
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
East Midland Trail
12
Continue on US 60
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
·
29th Street
13
Take the exit
302 ft
·
8 sec
14
Merge onto US 501
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
·
Beech Avenue
15
Continue on US 501
483 ft
·
13 sec
·
Sycamore Avenue
16
Turn left onto West 21st Street
444 ft
·
19 sec
·
West 21st Street
17
Arrive at destination
East 21st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 36.9 mi from Charlottesville, VA · 43m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
37 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 36.9 miles from Charlottesville, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 64 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 64.4 miles.
Arriving in Buena Vista, VA
The final approach into Buena Vista, 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
$11.53 one way
$23.05 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $12.60 | $25.20 |
| premium | $4.70 | $13.64 | $27.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.27 | $32.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.1 | 0 | $7.74 | $3.54 |
| Efficient EV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.45 | $2.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.5 | 0 | $10.32 | $4.72 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Buena Vista, VA
Afternoon in Buena Vista on Friday
Local time
1:26 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°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 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 Buena Vista, VA covers 73.7 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 I 64, East Midland Trail, I 81. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 36.9 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 $11.53 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 73.7 miles you will encounter 9 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 (VA 20 / 9th Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (VA 20 / Monticello Avenue): Navigation decision point.
The route from Charlottesville, VA to Buena Vista, 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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