Trip from Suffolk, VA to Stafford, VA

Drive Time

3h 7m

Distance

156.3 mi

252 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$25

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 34 min

4 AM

2h 56m ★

6 AM

3h 7m

8 AM

3h 30m

10 AM

3h 15m

12 PM

3h 13m

3 PM

3h 17m

5 PM

3h 29m

8 PM

3h 0m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Suffolk, VA

Mark Stebnicki

Stafford, VA

Eric Joseph

Trip Overview

Traveling from Suffolk to Stafford covers 156.3 miles and typically takes about 3 hours and 7 minutes. Because this is a relatively short trip, it works perfectly as a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You can expect to spend approximately $25 on fuel for the journey, making it a budget-friendly option for regional travel within Virginia. The route transitions you from the Southeast region toward Northern Virginia, moving through a mix of environments. Whether you are heading out for business or a visit, the drive provides a straightforward path between these two points. It is a manageable trek that offers enough flexibility for you to complete it in one go without feeling overly fatigued.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

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

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

78.2 miles from Suffolk, VA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 40m into the drive .

Drive Character

This trip features a mixed drive profile, blending local roads with significant highway time. You will navigate via I-95, the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, and Benns Church Boulevard. With a highway share of 34%, the experience shifts between slower, local roadway sections and more direct, high-speed travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 53-mile run on I-95, which serves as the backbone of your journey. Expect the road's personality to change as you transition from the local thoroughfares in Suffolk onto the more heavily trafficked interstate system leading toward Stafford.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 95 is the longest continuous segment at about 53 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 13 BUS; VA 10; VA 32 / North Main Street.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 156.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 13 BUS; VA 10; VA 32 / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 98.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 155.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

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

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 13 BUS; VA 10; VA 32 / North Main Street

Turn left onto US 13 BUS; VA 10; VA 32 / North Main Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the none lane.

98.7 mi into trip | ~2h 2m in

Take the exit toward I 95 North: Washington

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

Use the slight left lane. Exit 43A Toward I 95 North: Washington

155.1 mi into trip | ~3h 4m in

Take the exit toward SR 630: Stafford

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 140 Toward SR 630: Stafford

155.7 mi into trip | ~3h 5m in | SR 630 / Courthouse Road

Turn left onto SR 630 / Courthouse Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

155.9 mi into trip | ~3h 6m in | SR 630 / Courthouse Road

At end of road, turn right onto SR 630 / Courthouse Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 95	53 mi	58m
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway	26.3 mi	28m
Benns Church Boulevard	16.3 mi	21m
James River Drive	14.6 mi	19m
Colonial Trail West	13.3 mi	15m
Colonial Trail East	9.9 mi	11m
Godwin Boulevard	8.9 mi	10m
East Randolph Road	2.9 mi	4m

Longest stretch: I 95 — 53 mi, about 58m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Suffolk, VA and Stafford, VA.

Start on South Saratoga Street

165 ft · 10 sec · South Saratoga Street

Turn right onto VA 337

454 ft · 16 sec · West Washington Street

Turn left onto US 13 BUS; VA 10; VA 32

2.2 mi · 4 min · North Main Street

Use the none lane.

Continue on US 460 BUS; VA 10; VA 32

366 ft · 8 sec · Pruden Boulevard

Turn right onto Godwin Boulevard

8.9 mi · 10 min · Godwin Boulevard

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on VA 10; VA 32

16 mi · 21 min · Benns Church Boulevard

Use the none lane.

Continue on VA 10

9.9 mi · 11 min · Colonial Trail East

Turn left onto VA 10; VA 31

1.0 mi · 1 min · Rolfe Highway

Turn right onto VA 10

13 mi · 15 min · Colonial Trail West

Continue on VA 10

15 mi · 19 min · James River Drive

Continue on VA 10; VA 156 BUS

2.9 mi · 4 min · East Randolph Road

Continue on VA 10

2.5 mi · 3 min · East Hundred Road

Use the none lane.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 32 sec

Toward I 295 North: Washington

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 46 sec · this road

Toward I 295 North: Washington

Merge onto I 295

26 mi · 28 min · Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

Use the none lane.

Take the exit

2.4 mi · 2 min

Exit 43A Toward I 95 North: Washington Use the slight left lane.

Merge onto I 95

46 mi · 49 min · I 95

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 95; US 17

1.6 mi · 1 min · I 95; US 17

Keep slight left at fork

1.0 mi · 1 min

Merge onto I 95

5.6 mi · 6 min · I 95

Use the none lane.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 31 sec

Exit 140 Toward SR 630: Stafford Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight right at fork

513 ft · 14 sec

Toward SR 630 East: Stafford

Turn straight onto SR 630

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Courthouse Road

Turn left onto SR 630

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Courthouse Road

Use the left lane.

At end of road, turn right onto SR 630

0.5 mi · 52 sec · Courthouse Road

Use the right lane.

Arrive at destination

SR 630

Trip Plan

Planning your departure is key, as the traffic patterns on I-95 can be unpredictable, so try to time your drive to avoid peak congestion hours. Since the trip only requires one planned stop, you have plenty of flexibility to stretch your legs whenever you feel the need. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge during the 53-mile stretch on I-95, as service options can vary along that specific section. Because the total duration is just over three hours, you can easily depart mid-morning and arrive in Stafford by the afternoon. Use that single planned stop as a chance to refuel, keeping your total travel costs near that $25 estimate.

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 78.2 miles from Suffolk, VA, or about 1h 40m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 53 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 80 miles or 1h 42m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 78.2 miles or 1h 40m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 34m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Suffolk, 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 Suffolk, VA

This is one driving day of about 156.3 miles and 3h 7m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Suffolk, 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.

The longest stretch is on I 95 for about 53 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 78.2 mi from Suffolk, VA · 1h 40m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Middletown, MD

78 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

Middletown, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Middletown, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 78.2 miles from Suffolk, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Stafford, VA

The final approach into Stafford, 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 Stafford, 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

$25.01 one way

$50.03 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 55 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.43	$27.25	$54.51
premium	$4.78	$29.40	$58.80
diesel	$5.64	$34.72	$69.45

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$25

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$50–$75

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 54.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	46.9	$16.41	$7.50
Efficient EV	39.1	$13.68	$6.25
EV Truck/SUV	62.5	$21.88	$10.00

Gas CO2

55 kg

EV CO2

18 kg (67% 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 data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Suffolk, VA

Evening in Suffolk on Sunday

Local time

8:52 PM

EDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Stafford, VA

Evening in Stafford on Sunday

Local time

8:52 PM

EDT

Current temp

90°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

86°F

Middletown, MD

78 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

24 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

3h 7m 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 Suffolk, VA to Stafford, VA covers 156.3 miles and takes about 3h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 95, Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, Benns Church Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 78.2 miles from Suffolk, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $25.01 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.