Origin
Leesburg, VA
Night in Leesburg on Friday
Local time
11:56 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Leesburg, VA to Petersburg, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
46.9 mi
75 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Leesburg, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Petersburg, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Leesburg, VA to Petersburg, VA covers 46.9 miles and takes about 1h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 66, James Monroe Highway, James Madison Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.1 miles on I 66. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 46.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (45%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Leesburg, VA to Petersburg, VA covers 46.9 miles and takes about 1h 4m, 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 14 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 21.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 15 BUS / South King 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 1h 4m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 15 BUS / South King Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.5 miles (US 15 / James Monroe Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 11.9 miles (US 15 / James Monroe Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 15 BUS / South King Street
Turn left onto US 15 BUS / South King Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
11.5 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
US 15 / James Monroe Highway
Enter roundabout onto US 15 / James Monroe Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
11.9 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
US 15 / James Monroe Highway
Enter roundabout onto US 15 / James Monroe Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
22.4 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
I 66
Merge onto I 66
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
43.5 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Take the exit toward SR 688: Markham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 18
Toward SR 688: Markham
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 66 | 21.1 mi | 22m |
| James Monroe Highway | 11.7 mi | 16m |
| James Madison Highway | 7.9 mi | 11m |
| John Marshall Highway | 3 mi | 5m |
| South King Street | 2.4 mi | 6m |
| Leeds Manor Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Market Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 66
— 21.1 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Leesburg, VA and Petersburg, VA.
1
Start on VA 7 BUS
226 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Market Street
2
Turn left onto US 15 BUS
2.4 mi
·
6 min
·
South King Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on US 15
9.1 mi
·
13 min
·
James Monroe Highway
4
Enter roundabout onto US 15
166 ft
·
2 sec
·
James Monroe Highway
5
Continue on US 15
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
James Monroe Highway
6
Enter roundabout onto US 15
82 ft
·
1 sec
·
James Monroe Highway
7
Continue on US 15
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
James Monroe Highway
8
Continue on US 15
7.9 mi
·
11 min
·
James Madison Highway
Use the left lane.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 66 West: Front Royal
10
Merge onto I 66
21 mi
·
22 min
·
I 66
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 18
Toward SR 688: Markham
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn left onto SR 688
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Leeds Manor Road
13
Turn right onto VA 55
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
John Marshall Highway
14
Arrive at destination
VA 55
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.5 mi from Leesburg, VA · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.5 miles from Leesburg, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Petersburg, VA
The final approach into Petersburg, VA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.33 one way
$14.67 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $8.02 | $16.04 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.68 | $17.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.35 | $20.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.92 | $2.25 |
| Efficient EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.57 | $3.00 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Petersburg, VA
Night in Petersburg on Friday
Local time
11:56 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
78°F
Gainesville, VA
23 mi in
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
1 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
1h 4m 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 Leesburg, VA to Petersburg, VA covers 46.9 miles and takes about 1h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 66, James Monroe Highway, James Madison Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.5 miles from Leesburg, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.33 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 1h 4m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 15 BUS / South King Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.5 miles (US 15 / James Monroe Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 11.9 miles (US 15 / James Monroe Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
The route from Leesburg, VA to Petersburg, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park and Harpers Ferry 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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