The drive from Charlottesville, VA to Martinsville, VA covers 145.2 miles and takes about 3h 16m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 29, Wards Road, Chatham Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 62.3 miles on US 29.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.71 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
72.6 miles from Charlottesville, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 31m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 16m. Total distance: 145.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Charlottesville, VA to Martinsville, VA covers 145.2 miles and takes about 3h 16m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 29 is the longest continuous segment at about 62.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near VA 20 / 9th Street Northeast.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 145.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (VA 20 / 9th Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 64.8 miles (US 29): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 102.9 miles (US 29): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|VA 20 / 9th Street Northeast
Turn right onto VA 20 / 9th Street Northeast
Navigation decision point
6
64.8 mi into trip|~1h 21m in|US 29
Keep slight right at fork onto US 29 toward US 29 South, US 460 West: Lynchburg, Danville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 29 South, US 460 West: Lynchburg, Dan...
5
102.9 mi into trip|~2h 10m in|US 29
Keep slight right at fork onto US 29 toward US 29 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 29 South
5
117.4 mi into trip|~2h 33m in|VA 57 / Callands Road
At end of road, turn right onto VA 57 / Callands Road
Navigation decision point
5
145 mi into trip|~3h 15m in|Liberty Street
Turn sharp left onto Liberty Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Charlottesville, VA to Martinsville, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Danville along the way.
Danville
64.8 mi in|~1h 21m|via US 29
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 29
62.3 mi
1h 16m
Wards Road
30.7 mi
38m
Chatham Road
12.9 mi
19m
Callands Road
12.1 mi
17m
Richmond Highway
6.4 mi
8m
Climax Road
6.1 mi
10m
Piney Road
4.4 mi
7m
I 64
3.4 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
US 29
— 62.3 mi, about 1h 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charlottesville, VA and Martinsville, 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
3.4 mi·3 min·I 64
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward US 29 South
10
Merge onto US 29
59 mi·1 hr 12 min·US 29
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 29
0.6 mi·1 min·US 29
Toward US 29 South, US 460 West: Lynchburg, Danville
12
Merge onto US 29; US 460
6.4 mi·8 min·Richmond Highway
13
Take the exit onto US 29
0.4 mi·46 sec·US 29
Toward US 29 South
14
Merge onto US 29
31 mi·38 min·Wards Road
15
Keep slight right at fork onto US 29
2.1 mi·2 min·US 29
Toward US 29 South
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward VA 40
17
Turn right onto VA 40
1.8 mi·2 min·West Gretna Road
18
Turn left onto SR 790
4.4 mi·7 min·Piney Road
19
Continue on SR 799
6.1 mi·10 min·Climax Road
20
At end of road, turn right onto VA 57
12 mi·17 min·Callands Road
21
Continue on VA 57
13 mi·19 min·Chatham Road
22
Turn right onto US 58 BUS; VA 57
0.5 mi·52 sec·A L Philpott Highway
23
Continue on US 58 BUS; VA 57
0.9 mi·1 min·East Church Street
24
Turn right onto Hooker Street
0.3 mi·45 sec·Hooker Street
25
Turn right onto Fairy Street
116 ft·4 sec·Fairy Street
26
Turn left onto VA 457
0.9 mi·1 min·Commonwealth Boulevard East
27
Turn sharp left onto Liberty Street
0.2 mi·30 sec·Liberty Street
28
Turn right onto Franklin Street
0.1 mi·16 sec·Franklin Street
29
Arrive at destination
Walnut Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 72.6 miles from Charlottesville, VA, or about 1h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 62.3 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 32 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 72.6 miles or 1h 31m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Martinsville, 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 145.2 miles and 3h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from Charlottesville, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 29 for about 62.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 72.6 mi from Charlottesville, VA
· 1h 31m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
National Historical Park
On April 9, 1865, the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia in the McLean House in the village of Appomattox Court House, Virginia signaled the effective end of the nation's largest war. Question...
16 mi from route
~40 min detour
Free
near mile 65.1
Booker T. Washington was born a slave in April 1856 on the 207-acre farm of James Burroughs. After the Civil War, Washington became the first principal of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial School. Later...
21 mi from route
~52 min detour
Free
near mile 110.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.71 one way
$45.41 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg51 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$24.83
$49.65
premium
$4.70
$26.87
$53.75
diesel
$5.61
$32.06
$64.12
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
43.6
0
$15.25
$6.97
Efficient EV
36.3
0
$12.70
$5.81
EV Truck/SUV
58.1
0
$20.33
$9.29
Gas CO2
51 kg
EV CO2
17 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Charlottesville, VA
Afternoon
in Charlottesville on Friday
Local time
4:39 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Martinsville, VA
Afternoon
in Martinsville on Friday
Local time
4:39 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
27 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
3h 16m 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 Martinsville, VA covers 145.2 miles and takes about 3h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 29, Wards Road, Chatham Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 72.6 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 $22.71 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 145.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (VA 20 / 9th Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 64.8 miles (US 29): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 102.9 miles (US 29): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Charlottesville, VA to Martinsville, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Danville along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Appomattox Court House National Historical Park and Booker T Washington National Monument.
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.
