Origin
Merrifield, VA
Morning in Merrifield on Saturday
Local time
11:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Merrifield, VA to Alexandria, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
15.7 mi
25 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Merrifield, VA
Zetong Li
Alexandria, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Merrifield, VA to Alexandria, VA covers 15.7 miles and takes about 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Gallows Road, US 50 East, I 495 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.46 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 15.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 21m drive with frequent turns across 15.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Gallows Road 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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Merrifield, VA to Alexandria, VA is easy. At 21m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Merrifield, VA to Alexandria, VA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Gallows Road | — | — |
| US 50 East | — | — |
| I 495 South | — | — |
| Capital Beltway | — | — |
| Capital Beltway (Local) | — | — |
| US 1 | — | — |
| US 1 North | — | — |
| Richmond Highway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Gallows Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Merrifield, VA and Alexandria, VA.
1
Start on Gallows Road
92 ft
·
4 sec
·
Gallows Road
2
Continue on Gallows Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Gallows Road
3
Keep slight left to continue on Gallows Road
115 ft
·
3 sec
·
Gallows Road
4
Turn straight onto US 50 East: Arlington Boulevard, Richmond
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
·
US 50 East: Arlington Boulevard, Richmond
5
Keep slight right to continue on I 495 South: Richmond
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 495 South: Richmond
6
Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Capital Beltway
7
Keep slight right to continue on Capital Beltway (Local)
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Capital Beltway (Local)
8
Take the exit slight right toward US 1: Alexandria, Fort Belvoir
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
US 1: Alexandria, Fort Belvoir
9
Keep slight left to continue on US 1 North: Alexandria
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
US 1 North: Alexandria
10
Merge slight left onto Richmond Highway
440 ft
·
8 sec
·
Richmond Highway
11
Continue on South Patrick Street
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
South Patrick Street
12
Turn right onto Franklin Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Franklin Street
13
Turn left onto South Washington Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Washington Street
14
Arrive at your destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.46 one way
$4.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.68 | $5.37 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.91 | $5.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.47 | $6.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.65 | $0.75 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.00 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Alexandria, VA
Morning in Alexandria on Saturday
Local time
11:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
7 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
21m 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 Merrifield, VA to Alexandria, VA covers 15.7 miles and takes about 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Gallows Road, US 50 East, I 495 South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.8 miles from Merrifield, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.46 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.
The drive from Merrifield, VA to Alexandria, VA is easy. At 21m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Merrifield, VA to Alexandria, VA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Merrifield, VA to Alexandria, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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