The drive from Lawrenceville, VA to Alexandria, VA covers 172.7 miles and takes about 3h 29m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 85, Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike, I 95 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 56 miles on I 85.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.01 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
86.4 miles from Lawrenceville, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 47m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 29m. Total distance: 172.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 3h 29m highway drive covering 172.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 85 and Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike. The longest continuous stretch is about 56 miles on I 85.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 85 is the longest continuous segment at about 56 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 85 and Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 73.2 miles in near I 95 / Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike.
Driving Effort9/10
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 172.7 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 73.2 miles (I 95 / Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 163.6 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 169.1 miles (I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway (Local)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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
73.2 mi into trip|~1h 32m in|I 95 / Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 / Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
163.6 mi into trip|~3h 15m in|I 95
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 toward I 95 North, I 495 East: Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward I 95 North, I 495 East: Baltimore
8
169.1 mi into trip|~3h 22m in|I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway (Local)
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway (Local) toward I 95, I 495: Alexandria
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95, I 495: Alexandria
8
171.1 mi into trip|~3h 25m in
Take the exit toward US 1: Alexandria, Fort Belvoir
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 177A-B
Toward US 1: Alexandria, Fort Belvoir
6
171.2 mi into trip|~3h 26m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 1 North: Alexandria
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 177B
Toward US 1 North: Alexandria
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 85
56 mi
1h 6m
Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
52.8 mi
58m
I 95
42.1 mi
50m
Old Stage Road
12.2 mi
17m
Governor Harrison Parkway
2.9 mi
3m
Capital Beltway (Local)
2 mi
2m
Lawrenceville Plank Road
1.3 mi
2m
South Washington Street
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 85
— 56 mi, about 1h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lawrenceville, VA and Alexandria, VA.
1
Start on US 58 Business; VA 46
10 ft·5 sec·West Hicks Street
2
Turn left onto US 58 Business; VA 46
0.4 mi·1 min·North Main Street
3
Continue on US 58 Business
1.3 mi·2 min·Lawrenceville Plank Road
4
Take the ramp onto US 58 Business
0.2 mi·21 sec·US 58 Business
5
Merge onto US 58
2.9 mi·3 min·Governor Harrison Parkway
6
Turn left onto SR 712
12 mi·17 min·Old Stage Road
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·42 sec
8
Merge onto I 85
56 mi·1 hr 6 min·I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
53 mi·58 min·Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95; US 17
1.6 mi·1 min·I 95; US 17
11
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi·1 min
12
Merge onto I 95
35 mi·41 min·I 95
Use the slight left lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
5.5 mi·7 min·I 95
Toward I 95 North, I 495 East: BaltimoreUse the slight left / straight lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95; I 495
2.0 mi·2 min·Capital Beltway (Local)
Toward I 95, I 495: AlexandriaUse the slight right lane.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·23 sec
Exit 177A-BToward US 1: Alexandria, Fort BelvoirUse the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·56 sec
Exit 177BToward US 1 North: Alexandria
17
Merge onto US 1
440 ft·8 sec·Richmond Highway
18
Continue on US 1
0.3 mi·45 sec·South Patrick Street
19
Turn right onto Franklin Street
0.2 mi·28 sec·Franklin Street
Use the right lane.
20
Turn left onto VA 400
0.5 mi·1 min·South Washington Street
Use the left lane.
21
Arrive at destination
VA 400
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 86.4 miles from Lawrenceville, VA, or about 1h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 56 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 38 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 86.4 miles or 1h 47m 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 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Alexandria, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lawrenceville, 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 Lawrenceville, VA
This is one driving day of about 172.7 miles and 3h 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Lawrenceville, 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 85 for about 56 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 86.4 mi from Lawrenceville, VA
· 1h 47m 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.
Petersburg National Battlefield
National Battlefield
Two hundred ninety-two days, eight offensives, over 70,000 casualties, U. S. Colored Troops, and the decline of Gen. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia all describe the Siege of Petersburg. U.S. forces c...
1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Free
near mile 41.7
Park Closure: Eastern Front Tour Road south of Route 36 - Closed
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.01 one way
$54.01 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg60 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$29.53
$59.06
premium
$4.70
$31.96
$63.93
diesel
$5.61
$38.13
$76.26
Estimated Tolls: $3.69
Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
(52.8 mi)$3.69
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Tolls
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 60.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
51.8
0
$18.13
$8.29
Efficient EV
43.2
0
$15.11
$6.91
EV Truck/SUV
69.1
0
$24.18
$11.05
Gas CO2
60 kg
EV CO2
20 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 16, 2026
Origin
Lawrenceville, VA
Evening
in Lawrenceville on Friday
Local time
7:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Alexandria, VA
Evening
in Alexandria on Friday
Local time
7:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
12 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 29m 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 Lawrenceville, VA to Alexandria, VA covers 172.7 miles and takes about 3h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 85, Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike, I 95. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 86.4 miles from Lawrenceville, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.01 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 16 significant decision points across 172.7 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 73.2 miles (I 95 / Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 163.6 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 169.1 miles (I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway (Local)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Lawrenceville, VA to Alexandria, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Petersburg National Battlefield.
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.
