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Trip from Sandston, VA to Chesapeake, VA

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

1h 50m

Distance

89.6 mi

144 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
1h 42m ★
6 AM
1h 50m
8 AM
2h 7m
10 AM
1h 56m
12 PM
1h 54m
3 PM
1h 57m
5 PM
2h 6m
8 PM
1h 46m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Sandston, VA, VA

Sandston, VA

Alfo Medeiros

Downtown Chesapeake, VA, VA

Chesapeake, VA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 89.6-mile drive from Sandston, VA, to Chesapeake, VA, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes. The journey is predominantly highway-focused, with 79% of the route utilizing major interstates. You can expect a fuel cost of around $14 for this trip. Given its relatively short duration and straightforward path, it's an ideal day trip without the need for an overnight stay. The route stays within the Southeast region, traversing Virginia for its entirety, making for a consistent driving experience.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

44.8 miles from Sandston, 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 50m. Total distance: 89.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

Expect a highway-focused drive for most of this trip, with 79% of the mileage on major roadways. The bulk of your travel, a continuous stretch of 70.4 miles, will be on I-64. This means you'll encounter higher speeds and less variation for significant portions of the journey. While primarily an interstate experience, the Hampton Roads Beltway and the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel are key segments that will shape the character of your drive as you approach your destination.

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 64 is the longest continuous segment at about 70.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 64 and Hampton Roads Beltway. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 60; VA 156 / West Williamsburg Road.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 89.6 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 60; VA 156 / West Williamsburg Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (VA 156 / South Airport Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 60; VA 156 / West Williamsburg Road

Turn right onto US 60; VA 156 / West Williamsburg Road

Navigation decision point

5
0.7 mi into trip | ~1m in | VA 156 / South Airport Drive

Turn right onto VA 156 / South Airport Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
1.5 mi into trip | ~3m in | I 64

Merge onto I 64

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
82.2 mi into trip | ~1h 36m in

Take the exit toward VA 194 South: Chesapeake Boulevard

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 278 Toward VA 194 South: Chesapeake Boulevard
5
88.3 mi into trip | ~1h 47m in | US 460; VA 166 / Wilson Road

Turn right onto US 460; VA 166 / Wilson Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 64 70.4 mi 1h 19m
Hampton Roads Beltway 6.8 mi 8m
Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel 3.5 mi 4m
Chesapeake Boulevard 2.1 mi 3m
Ballentine Boulevard 1.1 mi 1m
East Princess Anne Road 0.9 mi 1m
Wilson Road 0.7 mi 1m
Campostella Road 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 64 — 70.4 mi, about 1h 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sandston, VA and Chesapeake, VA.

1

Start on North Confederate Avenue

26 ft · 3 sec · North Confederate Avenue
2

Turn right onto US 60; VA 156

0.7 mi · 1 min · West Williamsburg Road
3

Turn right onto VA 156

0.4 mi · 41 sec · South Airport Drive
Use the right lane.
4

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 64 East: Norfolk, Rocky Mount NC
5

Merge onto I 64

70 mi · 1 hr 19 min · I 64
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork onto I 64; US 60

342 ft · 5 sec · Hampton Roads Beltway
7

Continue on I 64; US 60

3.5 mi · 4 min · Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel
8

Continue on I 64; US 60

6.7 mi · 8 min · Hampton Roads Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 32 sec
Exit 278 Toward VA 194 South: Chesapeake Boulevard Use the slight right lane.
10

Turn straight onto VA 194

2.1 mi · 3 min · Chesapeake Boulevard
Use the left lane.
11

Turn straight

135 ft · 7 sec
12

Turn left onto VA 247

1.1 mi · 1 min · Ballentine Boulevard
13

Turn right onto VA 166

0.9 mi · 1 min · East Princess Anne Road
14

Turn left onto VA 166

0.6 mi · 1 min · Park Avenue
15

Turn left onto US 460; VA 166; VA 168

0.3 mi · 57 sec · East Brambleton Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
16

Continue on US 460; VA 166; VA 168

0.7 mi · 1 min · Campostella Road
17

Turn right onto US 460; VA 166

0.7 mi · 1 min · Wilson Road
Use the right lane.
18

Continue on US 460; VA 166

0.3 mi · 27 sec · 22nd Street
19

Continue on US 460; VA 166

0.3 mi · 29 sec · Poindexter Street
Use the straight lane.
20

Turn right onto D Street

412 ft · 18 sec · D Street
21

Arrive at destination

D Street

Trip Plan

To make the most of this 1 hour and 50-minute drive, consider departing outside of peak commute times to avoid potential congestion, especially around the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. With a total distance of 89.6 miles and no designated stops in the data, you have the flexibility to take breaks as needed. Factor in the estimated $14 fuel cost for your budget. A practical tip for this route is to monitor traffic conditions on I-64 and the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, as these are critical points that can impact your travel time.

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 44.8 miles from Sandston, VA, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.4 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 20 miles or 23m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 44.8 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 28m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Sandston, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Sandston, VA

This is one driving day of about 89.6 miles and 1h 50m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Sandston, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 64 for about 70.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 44.8 mi from Sandston, VA · 51m into the drive

independent city in Virginia, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hampton, VA

45 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

Williamsburg, VA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Gloucester Point, VA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 44.8 miles from Sandston, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 64 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 70.4 miles.

Arriving in Chesapeake, VA

The final approach into Chesapeake, 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

$14.01 one way

$28.02 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 31 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $15.32 $30.64
premium $4.70 $16.58 $33.17
diesel $5.61 $19.78 $39.57

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 31.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 26.9 0 $9.41 $4.30
Efficient EV 22.4 0 $7.84 $3.58
EV Truck/SUV 35.8 0 $12.54 $5.73

Gas CO2

31 kg

EV CO2

10 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Sandston, VA

Late night in Sandston on Friday

Local time

12:50 AM

EDT

Current temp

55°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Chesapeake, VA

Late night in Chesapeake on Friday

Local time

12:50 AM

EDT

Current temp

52°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

3 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 50m 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 Sandston, VA to Chesapeake, VA covers 89.6 miles and takes about 1h 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 64, Hampton Roads Beltway, Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 44.8 miles from Sandston, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.01 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 89.6 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 60; VA 156 / West Williamsburg Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (VA 156 / South Airport Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Sandston, VA to Chesapeake, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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