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Trip from Harrisonburg, VA to Newington, VA

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

Drive Time

2h 30m

Distance

126.6 mi

204 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$20

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 21m ★
6 AM
2h 31m
8 AM
2h 51m
10 AM
2h 38m
12 PM
2h 36m
3 PM
2h 39m
5 PM
2h 50m
8 PM
2h 25m

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

independent city in Virginia, United States

Harrisonburg, VA

Wikimedia Commons

census designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States

Newington, VA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Harrisonburg, VA to Newington, VA covers 126.6 miles and takes about 2h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 66, I 81, Fairfax County Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54 miles on I 66. At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.80 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

63.3 miles from Harrisonburg, VA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 11m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 30m. Total distance: 126.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 2h 30m highway drive covering 126.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 66 and I 81. The longest continuous stretch is about 54 miles on I 66.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 66 is the longest continuous segment at about 54 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 66 and I 81. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 97.9 miles in near I 66.

Driving Effort 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 126.6 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 97.9 miles (I 66): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 109.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 110.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

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

6
97.9 mi into trip | ~1h 48m in | I 66

Keep slight right at fork onto I 66

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
8
109.1 mi into trip | ~2h 1m in

Take the exit toward VA 286: Fairfax County Parkway, Springfield Herndon

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 55B-A Toward VA 286: Fairfax County Parkway, Springfi...
8
110.1 mi into trip | ~2h 3m in

Keep slight right at fork toward VA 286 South: Springfield

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes. Exit 55A Toward VA 286 South: Springfield
6
126.3 mi into trip | ~2h 29m in | SR 877 / Loisdale Road

Turn left onto SR 877 / Loisdale Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
126.4 mi into trip | ~2h 29m in | SR 877 / Newington Road

Turn right onto SR 877 / Newington Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Harrisonburg, VA and Newington, VA, road signs point toward Washington and Springfield Herndon.

Washington

54.8 mi in | ~1h 1m

Springfield Herndon

109.1 mi in | ~2h 1m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 66 54 mi 59m
I 81 52.8 mi 56m
Fairfax County Parkway 15.4 mi 23m
East Market Street 1.5 mi 3m
VA 286 0.4 mi <1m
Newington Road 0.2 mi <1m
Loisdale Road 0.1 mi <1m
East Elizabeth Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 66 — 54 mi, about 59m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Harrisonburg, VA and Newington, VA.

1

Start on US 11; US 33

335 ft · 15 sec · North Main Street
2

Turn right onto East Elizabeth Street

0.1 mi · 28 sec · East Elizabeth Street
3

Turn right onto North Mason Street

382 ft · 15 sec · North Mason Street
4

Turn left onto US 33

1.5 mi · 3 min · East Market Street
5

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Toward I 81 North: Elkton
6

Merge onto I 81

53 mi · 56 min · I 81
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Toward I 66 East: Front Royal, Washington
8

Continue on I 66

43 mi · 46 min · I 66
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 66

11 mi · 13 min · I 66
Use the straight lane.
10

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 2 min
Exit 55B-A Toward VA 286: Fairfax County Parkway, Springfield Herndon Use the slight right lane.
11

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Exit 55A Toward VA 286 South: Springfield Use the straight / right lanes.
12

Merge onto VA 286

13 mi · 20 min · Fairfax County Parkway
Use the right lane.
13

Take the exit onto VA 286

0.4 mi · 56 sec · VA 286
Toward VA 286 South: Fairfax County Parkway
14

Merge onto VA 286

2.1 mi · 3 min · Fairfax County Parkway
15

Turn left onto SR 877

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Loisdale Road
Use the left lane.
16

Turn right onto SR 877

0.2 mi · 37 sec · Newington Road
Use the right lane.
17

Turn right

89 ft · 9 sec
18

Turn right

139 ft · 11 sec
19

Arrive at destination

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 63.3 miles from Harrisonburg, VA, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54 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 28 miles or 33m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 63.3 miles or 1h 11m 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 55m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Harrisonburg, 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 Harrisonburg, VA

This is one driving day of about 126.6 miles and 2h 30m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Harrisonburg, 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 I 66 for about 54 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 63.3 mi from Harrisonburg, VA · 1h 11m into the drive

Downtown Hopewell, VA, VA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hopewell, VA

63 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

New Market, VA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 28 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Front Royal, VA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 63.3 miles from Harrisonburg, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Newington, VA

The final approach into Newington, 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 Newington, 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

$19.80 one way

$39.59 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 44 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $21.65 $43.29
premium $4.70 $23.43 $46.86
diesel $5.61 $27.95 $55.90

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$20

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$45–$70

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 44.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 38 0 $13.29 $6.08
Efficient EV 31.7 0 $11.08 $5.06
EV Truck/SUV 50.6 0 $17.72 $8.10

Gas CO2

44 kg

EV CO2

15 kg (66% 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

Harrisonburg, VA

Late night in Harrisonburg on Friday

Local time

3:54 AM

EDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Newington, VA

Late night in Newington on Friday

Local time

3:54 AM

EDT

Current temp

85°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

15 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

2h 30m 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 Harrisonburg, VA to Newington, VA covers 126.6 miles and takes about 2h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 66, I 81, Fairfax County Parkway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 63.3 miles from Harrisonburg, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.80 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.

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 16 significant decision points across 126.6 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 97.9 miles (I 66): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 109.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 110.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Between Harrisonburg, VA and Newington, VA, road signs point toward Washington and Springfield Herndon.

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. 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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Explore More

Return Trip

Newington, VA to Harrisonburg, VA

Plan the drive back the other way.

127.3 mi 2h 30m

Explore more options from Harrisonburg, VA or browse trips ending in Newington, VA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse VA road trips.