Origin
Roanoke, VA
Morning in Roanoke on Friday
Local time
8:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Roanoke, VA to Appomattox, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 38m
Distance
71.6 mi
115 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 31m
★
6 AM
1h 38m
8 AM
1h 53m
10 AM
1h 44m
12 PM
1h 42m
3 PM
1h 44m
5 PM
1h 53m
8 PM
1h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Roanoke, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Appomattox, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 71.6-mile drive from Roanoke, VA, to Appomattox, VA, is a straightforward journey, taking about 1 hour and 38 minutes. It's an ideal day trip, easily manageable within a single day without needing an overnight stay. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 82% of it on major roads, making for efficient travel. You can expect fuel costs to be around $11. Both your starting and ending points are within the Southeast region, so you'll be traversing familiar territory throughout this short hop.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
35.8 miles from Roanoke, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 51m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 38m. Total distance: 71.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
Prepare for a predominantly highway-focused experience on this route. With 82% of the drive on main roads like US 460, you'll encounter a good amount of faster-paced travel. The longest continuous stretch without a turn or significant change in road type is 43.5 miles on US 460, offering a consistent pace. While not a challenging or winding road, it provides a reliable and direct connection between your origin and destination, minimizing time spent on slower, local roads.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 460 is the longest continuous segment at about 43.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 460 and West Lynchburg Salem Turnpike. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 1st Street Southwest.
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 38m 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: at 0.1 miles (1st Street Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 221; US 220 BUS / Franklin Road Southwest): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.4 miles (US 221; US 220 BUS; VA 116 / Williamson Road Southeast): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 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
|
1st Street Southwest
Turn left onto 1st Street Southwest
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 221; US 220 BUS / Franklin Road Southwest
Turn sharp left onto US 221; US 220 BUS / Franklin Road Southwest
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 221; US 220 BUS; VA 116 / Williamson Road Southeast
Turn left onto US 221; US 220 BUS; VA 116 / Williamson Road Southeast
Navigation decision point
7
27 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
US 460
Keep slight right at fork onto US 460 toward US 460 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward US 460 East
5
70.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 36m in
|
US 460 BUS
Take the exit onto US 460 BUS toward US 460 Business East, VA 26 West: Appomattox, Bent Creek
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 460 Business East, VA 26 West: Appoma...
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 460 | 43.5 mi | 56m |
| West Lynchburg Salem Turnpike | 14.6 mi | 18m |
| Blue Ridge Boulevard | 5.5 mi | 7m |
| Orange Avenue Northeast | 2.9 mi | 6m |
| Challenger Avenue Northeast | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Kimball Avenue Northeast | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Confederate Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Blue Ridge Avenue | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 460
— 43.5 mi, about 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Roanoke, VA and Appomattox, VA.
1
Start on this road
285 ft
·
26 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto 1st Street Southwest
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
1st Street Southwest
3
Turn sharp left onto US 221; US 220 BUS
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Franklin Road Southwest
4
Turn left onto US 221; US 220 BUS; VA 116
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Williamson Road Southeast
5
Continue on US 11; US 221; US 220 BUS; VA 116
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Williamson Road Northeast
6
Turn right onto Kimball Avenue Northeast
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Kimball Avenue Northeast
7
Turn right onto US 221; US 460; US 220 Alt
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Orange Avenue Northeast
8
Continue on US 221; US 460; US 220 Alternate
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Challenger Avenue Northeast
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on US 221; US 460
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Blue Ridge Boulevard
10
Continue on US 221; US 460
15 mi
·
18 min
·
West Lynchburg Salem Turnpike
11
Continue on US 221; US 460
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
Blue Ridge Avenue
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 460
44 mi
·
56 min
·
US 460
Toward US 460 East
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the exit onto US 460 BUS
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
US 460 BUS
Toward US 460 Business East, VA 26 West: Appomattox, Bent Creek
14
Turn right onto US 460 BUS
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Oakville Road
15
Continue on US 460 BUS; VA 131
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Confederate Boulevard
16
Arrive at destination
US 460 BUS
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of this 1 hour and 38-minute trip, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. There are no designated stops listed, but with less than two hours of driving, you can easily complete this journey without needing to break it up. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 43.5-mile stretch on US 460, to avoid any unexpected delays. The estimated fuel cost is a budget-friendly $11.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 35.8 miles from Roanoke, VA, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 43.5 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 16 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 35.8 miles or 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Appomattox, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Roanoke, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Roanoke, VA
This is one driving day of about 71.6 miles and 1h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Roanoke, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 460 for about 43.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 35.8 mi from Roanoke, VA · 51m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.8 miles from Roanoke, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Appomattox, VA
The final approach into Appomattox, 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
$11.20 one way
$22.39 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $12.24 | $24.48 |
| premium | $4.70 | $13.25 | $26.50 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.81 | $31.62 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.02
West Lynchburg Salem Turnpike
(14.6 mi)
$1.02
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
$11
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.52 | $3.44 |
| Efficient EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.6 | 0 | $10.02 | $4.58 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
Appomattox, VA
Morning in Appomattox on Friday
Local time
8:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
48°F
Bedford, VA
36 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
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 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 Roanoke, VA to Appomattox, VA covers 71.6 miles and takes about 1h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 460, West Lynchburg Salem Turnpike, Blue Ridge Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35.8 miles from Roanoke, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.20 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 38m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (1st Street Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 221; US 220 BUS / Franklin Road Southwest): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.4 miles (US 221; US 220 BUS; VA 116 / Williamson Road Southeast): Navigation decision point.
The route from Roanoke, VA to Appomattox, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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