Origin
Harrisonburg, VA
Afternoon in Harrisonburg on Friday
Local time
2:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Harrisonburg, 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
38m
Distance
28.6 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Harrisonburg, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Salem, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 28.6-mile drive from Harrisonburg, VA, to Salem, VA, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 38 minutes to complete. You'll primarily navigate along I 81, with some time spent on East Lee Highway and East Market Street. With a modest fuel cost of around $4, this route is budget-friendly for a quick transit. The drive is largely highway-focused, making it an efficient option for moving between these two points in the Southeast region. Given its short duration, it’s perfectly suited as a day trip without the need for an overnight stop.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 28.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused experience for about 61% of this journey. The majority of your time will be on I 81, including one uninterrupted stretch of 17.3 miles. While the interstate offers a direct path, you'll also encounter local roads like East Lee Highway and East Market Street, which will alter the driving pace. This mix means you'll experience both faster highway speeds and more typical local traffic conditions as you progress from Harrisonburg to Salem. The road character shifts from efficient interstate travel to more community-oriented streets.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 81 is the longest continuous segment at about 17.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and East Lee Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Elizabeth Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 38m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Elizabeth Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Mason Street): Navigation decision point; at 19.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Elizabeth Street
Turn right onto East Elizabeth Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Mason Street
Turn right onto North Mason Street
Navigation decision point
5
19.3 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward US 211, VA 211: New Market, Luray
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 211, VA 211: New Market, Luray
6
28.5 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Turn sharp right
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
7
28.5 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
US 211; US 340
Turn uturn onto US 211; US 340
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 Harrisonburg, VA to Salem, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Luray along the way.
Luray
19.3 mi in
|
~23m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 17.3 mi | 18m |
| East Lee Highway | 8 mi | 11m |
| East Market Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| West Old Cross Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| East Elizabeth Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Mason Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| US 211 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 17.3 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Harrisonburg, VA and Salem, 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
17 mi
·
18 min
·
I 81
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward US 211, VA 211: New Market, Luray
8
Turn right onto US 211
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Old Cross Road
9
Turn right onto US 211
8.0 mi
·
11 min
·
East Lee Highway
10
Turn left onto SR 615
204 ft
·
11 sec
·
Egypt Bend Road
11
Turn sharp right
189 ft
·
15 sec
12
Turn uturn onto US 211; US 340
224 ft
·
11 sec
·
US 211; US 340
13
Arrive at destination
US 211; US 340
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.47 one way
$8.94 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $4.89 | $9.78 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.29 | $10.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.31 | $12.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 10 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.00 | $1.37 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Afternoon in Salem on Friday
Local time
2:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
35°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
35 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
38m 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 Salem, VA covers 28.6 miles and takes about 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 81, East Lee Highway, East Market Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.3 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 $4.47 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 is a straightforward 38m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Elizabeth Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Mason Street): Navigation decision point; at 19.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Harrisonburg, VA to Salem, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Luray along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Shenandoah National Park and Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park.
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.
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