Trip from Chesapeake, VA to Amherst, VA

Drive Time

4h 13m

Distance

191.9 mi

309 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$31

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
4h 1m ★
6 AM
4h 14m
8 AM
4h 40m
10 AM
4h 23m
12 PM
4h 20m
3 PM
4h 24m
5 PM
4h 39m
8 PM
4h 6m

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

Downtown Chesapeake, VA, VA

Chesapeake, VA

Willians Huerta

Downtown Amherst, VA, VA

Amherst, VA

Photography Maghradze PH

Trip Overview

The drive from Chesapeake, VA to Amherst, VA covers 191.9 miles and takes about 4h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Poindexter Street, I 464 North, I 264 West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.71 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

96 miles from Chesapeake, VA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 6m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 4h 13m drive with frequent turns across 191.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 38 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Poindexter Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Navigation is easy, but the length (4h 13m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Chesapeake, VA to Amherst, VA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Poindexter Street Unavailable Refreshing
I 464 North Unavailable Refreshing
I 264 West Unavailable Refreshing
VA 164 West Unavailable Refreshing
Martin Luther King Jr Freeway Unavailable Refreshing
Martin Luther King Freeway Unavailable Refreshing
Western Freeway Unavailable Refreshing
Bridge Road Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Poindexter Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chesapeake, VA and Amherst, VA.

1

Start on D Street

413 ft · 21 sec · D Street
2

At the end of the road, turn right onto Poindexter Street

0.3 mi · 29 sec · Poindexter Street
3

Take the ramp straight toward I 464 North

0.2 mi · 18 sec · I 464 North
4

Merge slight left

1.2 mi · 1 min
5

Keep slight right to continue on I 264 West Toll: Downtown Tunnel, Portsmouth

0.1 mi · 14 sec · I 264 West Toll: Downtown Tunnel, Portsmouth
6

Keep slight left to continue on I 264 West Toll: Tunnel

0.5 mi · 1 min · I 264 West Toll: Tunnel
7

Merge slight left

1.9 mi · 3 min
8

Take the exit slight right toward VA 164 West: Martin Luther King Jr Expressway, Norfolk

0.4 mi · 38 sec · VA 164 West: Martin Luther King Jr Expressway, Norfolk
9

Continue on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway

0.5 mi · 48 sec · Martin Luther King Jr Freeway
10

Continue on Martin Luther King Freeway

0.6 mi · 56 sec · Martin Luther King Freeway
11

Continue on Western Freeway

7.4 mi · 9 min · Western Freeway
12

Continue on Bridge Road

6.5 mi · 11 min · Bridge Road
13

Continue on Carrollton Boulevard

2.4 mi · 3 min · Carrollton Boulevard
14

Turn left onto Brewers Neck Boulevard

2.9 mi · 4 min · Brewers Neck Boulevard
15

Merge slight left onto Benns Church Boulevard

12 mi · 15 min · Benns Church Boulevard
16

Continue on Colonial Trail East

9.9 mi · 11 min · Colonial Trail East
17

Turn left onto Rolfe Highway

1.0 mi · 1 min · Rolfe Highway
18

Turn right onto Colonial Trail West

13 mi · 15 min · Colonial Trail West
19

Continue on James River Drive

15 mi · 19 min · James River Drive
20

Continue on East Randolph Road

2.9 mi · 4 min · East Randolph Road
21

Continue on East Hundred Road

6.6 mi · 9 min · East Hundred Road
22

Take the exit slight right toward I 95 North: Richmond

0.3 mi · 43 sec · I 95 North: Richmond
23

Merge slight left onto Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike

1.1 mi · 1 min · Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
24

Take the exit slight right toward VA 288 North: Chesterfield

0.7 mi · 1 min · VA 288 North: Chesterfield
25

Continue on World War II Veterans Memorial Highway

20 mi · 22 min · World War II Veterans Memorial Highway
26

Take the exit slight right toward US 60: Midlothian, Powhatan

0.3 mi · 37 sec · US 60: Midlothian, Powhatan
27

Keep slight left to continue on US 60: Powhatan

0.3 mi · 40 sec · US 60: Powhatan
28

Keep slight right to continue on US 60 West: Powhatan

0.3 mi · 43 sec · US 60 West: Powhatan
29

Merge slight left onto Midlothian Turnpike

2.8 mi · 3 min · Midlothian Turnpike
30

Continue on Anderson Highway

37 mi · 48 min · Anderson Highway
31

Continue on East James Anderson Highway

8.1 mi · 9 min · East James Anderson Highway
32

Continue on West James Anderson Highway

17 mi · 22 min · West James Anderson Highway
33

Continue on Anderson Highway

4.1 mi · 5 min · Anderson Highway
34

Continue on Richmond Highway

15 mi · 20 min · Richmond Highway
35

Turn sharp left onto Washington Street

433 ft · 14 sec · Washington Street
36

Turn right onto 2nd Street

0.2 mi · 36 sec · 2nd Street
37

Turn right onto Goodwin Street

144 ft · 6 sec · Goodwin Street
38

Arrive at your destination

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 96 miles from Chesapeake, VA, or about 2h 6m into the drive.

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 80 miles or 1h 45m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 96 miles or 2h 6m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 28m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Chesapeake, 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 Chesapeake, VA

This is one driving day of about 191.9 miles and 4h 13m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Chesapeake, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 96 mi from Chesapeake, VA · 2h 6m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Middletown, MD

96 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

Middletown, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Middletown, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 96 miles from Chesapeake, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Amherst, VA

The final approach into Amherst, 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 Amherst, VA.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$30.71 one way

$61.42 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 67 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $33.46 $66.92
premium $4.78 $36.10 $72.20
diesel $5.64 $42.63 $85.27

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$31

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$56–$81

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 67.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 57.6 0 $20.15 $9.21
Efficient EV 48 0 $16.79 $7.68
EV Truck/SUV 76.8 0 $26.87 $12.28

Gas CO2

67 kg

EV CO2

22 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Chesapeake, VA

Evening in Chesapeake on Sunday

Local time

6:24 PM

EDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Amherst, VA

Evening in Amherst on Sunday

Local time

6:24 PM

EDT

Current temp

65°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

86°F

Middletown, MD

96 mi in

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

2 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

4h 13m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Chesapeake, VA to Amherst, VA covers 191.9 miles and takes about 4h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Poindexter Street, I 464 North, I 264 West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 96 miles from Chesapeake, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $30.71 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Navigation is easy, but the length (4h 13m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Chesapeake, VA to Amherst, VA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Chesapeake, VA to Amherst, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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