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Trip from Newport News, VA to Galax, VA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

6h 27m

Distance

340 mi

547 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$53

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min
4 AM
6h 15m ★
6 AM
6h 27m
8 AM
6h 52m
10 AM
6h 36m
12 PM
6h 34m
3 PM
6h 37m
5 PM
6h 51m
8 PM
6h 20m

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

Newport News, VA

Wikimedia Commons

independent city in Virginia, United States

Galax, VA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Newport News, VA to Galax, VA covers 340 miles and takes about 6h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Thimble Shoals Boulevard, Diligence Drive, J Clyde Morris Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $53.17 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

170 miles from Newport News, VA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 13m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 6h 27m drive with frequent turns across 340 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Thimble Shoals Boulevard 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 27m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Newport News, VA to Galax, VA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Thimble Shoals Boulevard
Diligence Drive
J Clyde Morris Boulevard
I 64 West
I 295
I 295 North
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
I 77 South

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Thimble Shoals Boulevard — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Newport News, VA and Galax, VA.

1

Start on the route

82 ft · 12 sec · the route
2

Turn left

413 ft · 32 sec
3

At the end of the road, turn right onto Thimble Shoals Boulevard

0.1 mi · 20 sec · Thimble Shoals Boulevard
4

Turn left onto Diligence Drive

0.4 mi · 1 min · Diligence Drive
5

Turn left onto J Clyde Morris Boulevard

0.7 mi · 1 min · J Clyde Morris Boulevard
6

Continue on J Clyde Morris Boulevard

167 ft · 10 sec · J Clyde Morris Boulevard
7

Take the exit slight right toward I 64 West: Williamsburg, Richmond

0.2 mi · 31 sec · I 64 West: Williamsburg, Richmond
8

Merge slight left

57 mi · 1 hr 2 min
9

Take the exit slight right toward I 295, US 60: Washington, Rocky Mount NC

0.5 mi · 32 sec · I 295, US 60: Washington, Rocky Mount NC
10

Keep slight right to continue on I 295 North: Washington

1.3 mi · 2 min · I 295 North: Washington
11

Merge slight left onto Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

23 mi · 24 min · Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
12

Keep slight right to continue on I 64 West: Charlottesville

0.6 mi · 55 sec · I 64 West: Charlottesville
13

Merge slight left onto I 64 West: Charlottesville

120 mi · 2 hr 10 min · I 64 West: Charlottesville
14

Keep slight left

110 mi · 2 hr 1 min
15

Take the exit slight right toward I 77 South: Charlotte NC

0.4 mi · 50 sec · I 77 South: Charlotte NC
16

Continue on I 77 South: Charlotte NC

0.4 mi · 53 sec · I 77 South: Charlotte NC
17

Continue straight

13 mi · 14 min
18

Take the exit slight right toward SR 620

0.3 mi · 43 sec · SR 620
19

Turn right

118 ft · 3 sec
20

Turn right onto Coulson Church Road

5.4 mi · 9 min · Coulson Church Road
21

Turn right onto Carrollton Pike

3.6 mi · 5 min · Carrollton Pike
22

Continue on East Stuart Drive

0.6 mi · 1 min · East Stuart Drive
23

Turn right onto Cranberry Road

0.2 mi · 38 sec · Cranberry Road
24

Turn left onto Glendale Road

2.1 mi · 3 min · Glendale Road
25

Turn right onto East Stuart Drive

0.5 mi · 1 min · East Stuart Drive
26

Turn left onto North Main Street

0.4 mi · 50 sec · North Main Street
27

Turn left onto East Oldtown Street

157 ft · 12 sec · East Oldtown Street
28

Turn left

36 ft · 3 sec
29

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 170 miles from Newport News, VA, or about 3h 13m into the drive.

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 75 miles or 1h 25m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 170 miles or 3h 13m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 5h 19m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Newport News, 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 Newport News, VA

This is one driving day of about 340 miles and 6h 27m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 75 miles from Newport News, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 170 mi from Newport News, VA · 3h 13m into the drive

town in Virginia, USA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Amherst, VA

170 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

Windsor, VA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 75 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Amherst, VA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 170 miles from Newport News, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Galax, VA

The final approach into Galax, 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 Galax, 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

$53.17 one way

$106.34 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 119 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $58.13 $116.27
premium $4.70 $62.93 $125.85
diesel $5.61 $75.07 $150.14

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$53

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$78–$103

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 119 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $36 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 102 1 $35.70 $16.32
Efficient EV 85 0 $29.75 $13.60
EV Truck/SUV 136 1 $47.60 $21.76

Gas CO2

119 kg

EV CO2

40 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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

Newport News, VA

Late night in Newport News on Thursday

Local time

12:22 AM

EDT

Current temp

69°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Galax, VA

Late night in Galax on Thursday

Local time

12:22 AM

EDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

72°F

Amherst, VA

170 mi in

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

2 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

6h 27m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Newport News, VA to Galax, VA covers 340 miles and takes about 6h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Thimble Shoals Boulevard, Diligence Drive, J Clyde Morris Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 170 miles from Newport News, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $53.17 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 27m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Newport News, VA to Galax, VA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Newport News, VA to Galax, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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